Media brands and publishers are creating and sharing incredible social videos every single day. The variety – from content to style and beyond – is exciting and, for anyone interested, extremely informative. We’ve pulled together this collection of 10 great social video examples our clients have published this year. Each one is unique, but they all display an expert approach to social video.

The internet loves lists

The list may be the most beloved form content can take online. This holds true for video as well! Viewers like to have an idea of what they’re getting when they hit play. A list format cues them into what to expect.

Square has arrived

Gone are the days when video was only watched in a horizontal aspect ratio. Square videos play well on displays of any size and they tend to occupy more physical space in cluttered social feeds. And As you can see from the engagement on this piece, viewers aren’t turned off by the non-traditional experience.

 

Hook viewers right away

You have to hook viewers in the first few seconds to keep them watching. NowThis Election does so expertly here by starting with a choice quote from the video’s subject. This piques interest and keeps viewers engaged as the video fills in context and offers the full picture.

 

Put your branding to work

There are many different ways to place your brand’s stamp on your video content, but it doesn’t have to only be in the form of a logo or opening/closing splashes. Here, Auto Express uses their trademark color scheme in their text overlay, reinforcing the association between the content and the publisher.

Embrace trending topics

As the name suggests, social media is all about the ongoing conversations among people. Put those trending topics to work by creating content that taps into them, especially if you have something unique to offer. The Euro 2016 championship match was, naturally, a big topic on social. A special moment at the event caught the eye of L’Express, and it really paid off.

Inspire your audience

Tapping the emotions of viewers significantly drives all types of engagement. Inspirational, feel-good clips are especially powerful in this regard. And this piece from Essence is all about inspiration!

Create for your ideal audience

Part of a social video strategy is growing your following through video. This doesn’t mean simply trying to create video that anyone will want to watch, rather you want to target your ideal audience. Not everyone on social might be interested in corporate tax rates, but the World Economic Forum knows that those who are could potentially become core audience members. Content aimed at the followers you want is likelier to be seen by and engage them.

Calls-to-action are a must

Simply racking up more followers on social is rarely the singular goal for publishers pursuing a social video strategy. That’s where CTAs come in! Closing a video with a call-to-action helps prompt viewers to take the next step you want from them, whether that’s checking out your website, sharing the video, or something else entirely.

Watch here: https://fb.watch/8BjjXR7JdN/

Who doesn’t love baby animals?

Did your heart melt watching this clip? Animals are simply a subject that people love in social video. Doubly so if they are babies. It’s hard to top something that’s cute, fascinating, and makes you feel happy!

There’s power in positivity

We touched on this briefly above, but it bears a closer look. Positivity in content is returned in kind via engagement. Videos that make viewers feel a little better – about the world or themselves – are much likelier to be shared, commented upon, and otherwise engaged with. This piece, and all of the content A Plus produces, is centered on positivity, to great success.

Beyond these particulars, there are two big consistencies among all of these videos to make note of.
Each clip uses on-screen text, be it in the form of overlay or captioning, to provide context and tell its story, even when audio is present. This use of text brings us to the second point: all of these videos work on mute. These days, a social video might be viewed anywhere, anytime, on any type of device, with the sound on or off. By crafting pieces that work without sound, you’re assuring those who want to watch your content are always able to enjoy it fully.

Take the strength of these videos to heart and apply their strategies to your own creations. And keep your eyes on our blog for more great examples of social videos every single week.