With the rise of social media, video has become an extremely popular and effective medium for brands to connect with their audiences. However, with so many social platforms and video formats to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine the best video format for your social media strategy.
The Importance of Video for Social Media
Video is a powerful tool on social media for several reasons:
- Videos are engaging and immersive, allowing brands to tell compelling stories.
- Viewers retain more information from videos compared to other content formats.
- Videos can be entertaining and emotional, helping brands build relationships.
- Videos often drive higher engagement in the form of comments, shares, and likes.
- Video posts have greater visibility and reach in social feeds.
For these reasons, video is becoming increasingly prioritized in social media strategies. By 2021, video is predicted to account for more than 80% of all internet traffic. On social platforms specifically, video generates 12x more shares than text and images combined.
Key Social Media Platform Video Specifications
When determining the best video format, it’s important to look at the specific video specifications for each social platform you are targeting. Here are the recommended video formats and dimensions for the major social platforms:
Platform | Format | Dimensions |
---|---|---|
MP4 or MOV | 1280 x 720 | |
Instagram (Feed) | MP4 | 1080 x 1080 |
Instagram (Stories) | MP4 | 1080 x 1920 |
MP4 | 1280 x 720 | |
YouTube | MP4 | 1280 x 720 |
TikTok | MP4 | 1080 x 1920 |
As you can see, MP4 is the most commonly recommended format, although some platforms also support MOV. The ideal dimensions vary depending on the platform, but 720p or 1080p resolution is preferred in most cases.
Factors to Consider in Choosing Video Format
Beyond technical specifications, there are a few other factors to consider when selecting a video format for social media:
1. Where will your videos be viewed?
Consider which platforms you are prioritizing and tailor video formats accordingly. For example, if you are heavily focused on Instagram, their 1:1 square format should take precedence over the formats of other platforms.
2. What content will your videos showcase?
Certain types of content may lend themselves better to some formats over others. For example, horizontal formats better showcase landscape visuals while vertical videos better display portrait-style content.
3. What are your video creation resources and expertise?
The formats you choose should align with the tools and skills your team possesses. Creating video content that exceeds your team’s capacities could lower video quality.
4. How will videos be used for different objectives?
Video formats should also align with video goals. For example, quick social videos may suit square formats while episodic content could adopt horizontal formats used in traditional film and TV.
Recommended Formats for Different Social Media Goals
Taking the above factors into account, here are the best video formats to consider for different social media goals:
In-Feed Social Video Posts
Square 1:1 formats work well for general social feed posts on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The 1080 x 1080 format recommended for Instagram feed posts is an ideal option. Square videos stand out in feeds and give flexibility to crop into other formats as needed.
Instagram and TikTok Stories
For ephemeral social content, vertical 9:16 formats from platforms like Instagram and TikTok stories are preferred. These vertical videos fill the entire mobile screen as users scroll stories.
Social and YouTube Video Ads
Horizontal 16:9 formats are versatile for social video ads on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. The standard 1280 x 720 format provides a good middle ground that plays well across feeds and immersive placements.
Long-Form YouTube Content
For dedicated video content on YouTube, maintain 16:9 formats but consider uploading at higher resolution and fidelity. Aim for at least 1080p resolution to take advantage of YouTube’s streaming quality.
Tools for Creating Social Media Videos
To produce videos tailored for each social media platform, it’s important to have the right creation tools. Here are some top tools for creating videos optimized for social:
Tool | Key Features |
---|---|
Adobe Premiere Pro | Robust editing capabilities for professional-grade video production |
Adobe Spark | Social-specific templates, easily customized within the browser |
Canva | drag-and-drop editing, library of fonts, images, graphics |
Animoto | Automated video creation from images, video clips, and music |
Biteable | Animated videos tailored specifically for social media |
Optimizing Videos for Each Platform
Beyond formats and dimensions, there are additional best practices for optimizing video content for each major social platform:
- Use attention-grabbing preview images and compelling captions.
- Videos under 2 minutes often see highest engagement.
- Natively uploaded videos have 5x higher reach than links to other sites.
- Use closed captions for auto-play videos.
- Leverage hashtags and geotags for discoverability.
- Post consistently 1-2 times per day max to avoid oversaturation.
- Use clean, simple captions that encourage comments and engagement.
YouTube
- Optimize titles, descriptions, and metadata for SEO.
- Engage viewers with end screens containing links to other videos.
- Publish consistently to build subscribers and channel authority.
- Keep videos short (under 30 seconds) for audience retention.
- Leverage trending topics and hashtags.
- Previews and first frames should immediately capture attention.
TikTok
- Use viral audio snippets and music to boost discovery.
- Videos under 60 seconds perform best.
- Add relevant hashtags to videos and descriptions.
- Engage with duet and reaction features.
Measuring and Improving Video Performance
To determine what works and fine-tune your approach, continuously measure and analyze the performance of your social videos:
- Track views, completion rates, clicks, engagements, reach, and conversions.
- A/B test different video styles and formats.
- Solicit viewer feedback through surveys and comments.
- Review analytics and insights provided by each platform.
- Refine based on learnings to improve ongoing video strategy.
Conclusion
Determining the ideal video format for social media requires aligning technical specifications, content objectives, and platform-specific best practices. While formats vary across platforms, MP4 and MOV files following 16:9 or 1:1 aspect ratios are versatile options. Focus formats based on primary platforms and goals, optimize for sound, motion, and visibility in feeds. With an insights-driven testing and improvement process, you can refine an effective video format strategy for each social channel.