Monthly magazine Essence has been pursuing an active, excellent social video strategy for some time now. They’re experts at crafting pieces for their target audience of African American women – pieces that prompt engagement of all kinds. A recent tribute to TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, on the 15th anniversary of her death, shows off the talent and skill of the creators.

Check out the memorial below:

The production here hits all the best practices for social videos in standout style.

The video is square, the ideal format for social – especially Facebook, where it occupies greater space in the feed and displays well across device. And it runs only 42 seconds, falling into the sweet spot of under 1 minute that performs best.

The creators tell the story through text, but give their numerous assets center-stage. A combination of high-quality stills and video clips of Left Eye are the heart of the piece. Many of those iconic looks and moments are what viewers will be tuning in for.

The text overlay also plays to the branding of Essence, using purple and white coloring that matches up with the magazine’s logo. Stylized overlay is a simple, effective way for a publisher to create a memorable, recognizable stamp on their video content without relying only on logos or splash screens.

And, of course, the use of overlay makes the piece friendly to viewers in any scenario, whether they have the sound on or off.

This piece is couched in emotion. It’s designed not just to celebrate Left Eye, but also to prompt memories and nostalgia among viewers. The many comments and nearly 20,000 shares show how the content has motivated engagement by paying tribute to a beloved celebrity.

Essence has shown time and again that they are social video experts. And with over 1 million views on this piece, we can only expect more great videos to come!