It’s hard to make a good “virtual” first impression, isn’t it? Especially when all you have at your disposal is a simple profile picture and some welcome text. A picture doesn’t capture your award-winning personality. Don’t worry, all is not lost. We’d like to introduce you to a little something called a profile video for your social networks. This is a simple, effective way to enhance your marketing strategy.
A profile video is a super short video (1-2 minutes long) that will:
- Give a warm welcome to your viewers and introduce who you are
- Briefly describe what you do
- Communicate with your target audience
- Help with your social media marketing
But as much as a good profile video can help build brand awareness, it can also hurt your brand if it’s not well-executed. So in this article, we'll look at some simple and effective ways to create a social media video that marketers will love.
Profile Video Creation That Works
We’ve talked about this before, but it’s important to remember attention spans are dwindling by the day. And because this is such a short welcome video, you’ll want to grab the viewers' attention immediately – ideally within the first 5-seconds. Otherwise, you’ll risk losing them. Please bear this in mind for all content marketing. (This doesn't just apply to your profile video.)
Because a social media profile video is usually the first video your audience sees, having a high-quality video will definitely help you make a memorable first impression. Below are some tips to help you stay focused and craft an engaging and effective video.
Know Who You Are and Who You’re Talking To
If you know HOW to get your audience to stick around, you're halfway there. But you also want to make sure you're talking to the right people. So, the first step to creating a social media profile video is to get crystal-clear – not only on who your brand is but also who your audience is.
Yes, the intent of a profile video is so your audience can get a better feel for who you are, what you represent, and why they should trust spending their hard-earned money on you. But that effort is for nothing if you don't know who you're talking to.
- Where does your audience hang out? Are most of your customers on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, or Instagram?
- What language do they use? Does their jargon consist of professional language, slang, or both?
Knowing these pieces of information will help you to...
Be Clear With What You Offer With Your Profile Video
Clarity is key, so you’ll also want to be super clear with what is you offer. But remember what we mentioned before, profile videos are short and sweet. So, you really can’t risk getting sidetracked or start rambling off-topic. Again, you have about 5-seconds to capture the attention of your audience. And the best way to make sure you stay focused and the best way to do this is to create a script and have it ready.
If you’ve never written a video script before, here are some tips to help get you started:
- Make note of all your key points – What is it you want your audience to take away from this video? Remember what it is you need to emphasize. Why am I telling this story?
- In what way am I going to approach it? – Who is going to watch this? Is there anything they should learn from this?
- What makes this story interesting to them? – Is this something that will be of value?
Think about how this video will come across to your audience – It's important to speak a language your audience understands.
Closed Captioning for Your Profile Video
Despite the fact that subtitles were designed for people who are hard of hearing, studies show that 80% of people who use closed captions do not have hearing difficulties. Facebook discovered that people watch videos, well, everywhere, so automatically having sound ON is probably not appreciated. Who wants the sound to blare when they're sneaking a scroll of cat videos when they're supposed to be working?
Because of that, this video platform shows their videos with sound OFF. Therefore, despite its design for video, Facebook videos play without sound and with captions on. So, when creating a social media profile video, you should make sure to include captions – or at least text in your profile video to give your story visuals.
Consider Your Filming Location
Wherever you choose to film, make sure there’s good lighting! There’s nothing worse than looking like you have a 5 o’clock shadow or have the silhouette of a mustache.
And if you’re camera shy, your profile video doesn’t even have to feature you at all. If you’re not comfortable being on camera, don’t be! Voiceovers and animated videos are great alternatives but still effectively get your point across.
How to Make a Profile Video on Facebook
If your primary audience is on Facebook, creating a profile video that aligns with the platform’s format and best practices is key. Facebook profile videos are short, looping videos that appear in place of your profile photo. While Facebook has limited profile video functionality on personal profiles now compared to previous years, business pages still benefit from optimized social video content.
Here’s how to make a great Facebook profile video:
- Keep it short and engaging – Ideally under 30 seconds, with your brand message upfront.
- Use square or vertical format – Square is more versatile, but vertical works best for mobile users.
- Add text overlays or captions – Since most Facebook videos autoplay silently, captions ensure your message gets across without sound.
- Use a compelling thumbnail – Facebook lets you choose a thumbnail, so pick one that’s visually appealing.
- Include a clear call-to-action – Whether it’s “Learn More” or “Visit Our Site,” let viewers know the next step.
What Format Will You Use for Your Profile Video?
Creating a profile video also requires selecting which format you'd like to use: portrait, landscape, square or fullscreen. Social video clips are usually filmed in portrait or landscape orientation on phones; however, square video is the most reliable.
The square video looks great on desktops and mobile devices. Plus, social media platforms (particularly Instagram videos) tend to crop off parts if your video is not square. Of course, there are also advantages to uploading in other formats. Mobile devices – such as smartphones and tablets – typically display photos in portrait mode.
But if you know most of your audience watches from a phone, you should use a portrait. If, however, your audience uses desktops, you would have more room to work within landscape mode.
The process of creating the best videos appears daunting at first. But our goal is to make the process easier and faster for big and small businesses. We can help by eliminating the stress and worry about the video production and effectiveness of your video. That way you can focus on the other important aspects of your business – like running your Facebook page and digital marketing.
Contact us today and let's get started on some eye-catching video ideas (with a strong call to action) for your social media channels and today!
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