When Instagram first came out, the focus was squarely on visual content. It’s more correct to argue that the visual is paramount now. Photos are still very much a part of the site, but videos are becoming increasingly popular as well.

There are distinct requirements for optimising videos for use in the newsfeed, for use in stories, and for use in highly effective ad campaigns.
This post is for you if you’re ready to take your Instagram video marketing to the next level.

To ensure that you always get the greatest possible outcomes on and off Instagram, we will go through best practises, best methods, and best content for each post type.

Formats of Successful Instagram Videos

While it’s simple to say, “I should use more video,” putting those words into action can be a challenge. An essential initial step will be deciding which kinds of movies you intend to employ.

The possibilities are endless, but here are some examples of Instagram-friendly marketing videos:

Advertisement films

Brand storytelling and promotion are common goals of such endeavours. They are made to be displayed to uninterested people, and they often include a USP and special attributes of the product or service. But this is still more of an introduction than a pitch.

Regardless of the format you choose, your product films will always centre on one or two items and demonstrate how vital they are to you.

Online video lessons

These movies frequently overlap with product videos, however they emphasise how to use and maximise the product rather than simply describing the features. There are six recipes you may prepare in this blinder, for instance, or you might demonstrate how simple it is to maintain a certain sort of power generator. The videos have shown their worth.

Videos for teaching

There are instances when bolstering your incoming efforts with some well-placed outgoing efforts is a smart move. Simply providing educational content about the field; you may not even plug your own video or product at all. Relationship development and establishing trustworthiness are stressed.

The Real Deal

When you broadcast in real time, people take note. Participate in Q&As, present tutorials, and respond to user inquiries during this time.

Citizen-generated media

These films may be ones your consumers made and uploaded themselves, or they could be ones you made that incorporate user-generated content from your audience. One way to do this is to compile user-posted content like ratings and comments.

The Fundamentals of Including Videos in Instagram Feeds

The maximum length for videos is 60 seconds.

Videos start playing automatically in silence.
Video can be used in posts with numerous images.
1:1 or 1.9:1 aspect ratios

Optimising Their Use

Including any of the aforementioned video formats in a feed post is highly recommended.

While promotional product films can be shared via video marketing in-feed, the primary goal should be to strengthen connections with customers. Even while your email subscribers likely already see enough of high-quality photographs from you, here is your chance to give them a glimpse behind the scenes. If they haven’t already, this will enhance the possibility that they will make a purchase, as well as strengthen the bond between them and the brand.

Though you can’t identify things in videos just yet, as you can with images, the feature to tag people in videos is presently being tested. Instagram organic videos can be utilised to boost platform-wide conversions when this is the case.

Videos for Instagram Stories

While the focus of this section will be on Instagram Stories shared organically, the advice is just as applicable to Instagram Stories Ads.

An Overview

The maximum allowed time for a story is 15 seconds.
Mobile-friendly, full-screen stories.
To make your material stand out, you should definitely make use of stickers, emojis, and other draw-on features.

Optimising Their Use

The Instagram algorithm hasn’t (yet) harmed Instagram Stories, therefore using them can help you combat organic reach. They’re also quite widely used: every day, 400 out of every 500 Instagram users make advantage of this function.

Even while most stories don’t have typical comment threads or social proof, they’re nevertheless tremendously interesting to read. Users are watching, so here is your moment to demonstrate “the real you” with entertaining, unpolished material. Many companies utilise Stories to convey a more genuine, unfiltered aspect of their business by providing sneak peeks behind the scenes and distributing user-generated material. Brand awareness efforts may greatly benefit from the use of stories.

Video Ads on Instagram

For the sake of clarity, whenever we refer to “video ads” in this context, we will always mean in-feed video ads. Best practises for Stories Ads can be found in the Stories tab. Both pre-roll and in-stream Instagram video advertisements may be made with the help of Facebook’s Create an Ad tool.

An Overview

The maximum length for videos is 60 seconds.
Videos start playing automatically in silence.
Video can be used in posts with numerous images.
1:1 or 1.9:1 aspect ratios

Optimising Their Use

There’s a lot you can do with video ad strategy, but here are a few of the most effective:

Use brand introduction films to reach new audiences or those who are similar to your most valuable customers. Show a more sales-focused video ad if people view a certain percentage of the video (a “lead ad” or “conversion ad”).
Create movies showcasing your new offerings to current clients.
You may raise the possibility of conversions by showing your ad to new audiences and promoting Instagram videos that have previously received a lot of positive feedback through engagement-focused posts.