Social Media Marketing
In the dynamic world of social media, Instagram videos are your secret weapon. They can help you improve your page engagement, successfully promote your service or products, grow your social media presence, to name a few.
According to statistics, video posts on Instagram get 38% more engagement than photos, which means you need to use video content if you want your Instagram page to grow. Additionally, 93% of social media marketers who employ video claim that it is an essential part of their social media video strategy.
But how to make Instagram videos that can set you apart from the sea of 100+ million posts shared on this platform each day?
Here are 6 easy tips to make killer Instagram videos that will impress your followers and boost your Instagram page. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Produce High-Quality Video Content
In the world of social media, high-quality video content is the golden ticket to captivate your Instagram audience. Fortunately, you don’t need to break the bank by investing in professional camera equipment. Your smartphone, equipped with some key considerations, can serve as your creative tool.
Here’s how to elevate your Instagram videos to professional standards:
1. Prioritize Lighting
Source: Zhuanlan
Proper lighting is fundamental to achieving impressive video quality. Avoid harsh lighting conditions that can cause the dreaded “burning” effect. Instead, ensure that your light source is in front of you or illuminates your subject rather than glaring directly at the camera. When shooting outdoors, leverage the golden hour, occurring one hour before sunset or after sunrise, for optimal natural lighting.
2. Steady Your Shots
Stability is key to delivering comprehensible and engaging scenes. Shaky shots can deter viewers, so consider these techniques to maintain stability:
- Rest your elbows on a flat surface.
- Steady your camera against a fixed object.
- Hold your camera or phone with both hands and gently press it against your chest, locking your elbows.
These methods eliminate unwanted camera shakes, ensuring your video content maintains a professional appearance.
3. Embrace the Rule of Thirds
Source: iPhonePhotographySchool
Unlock the power of the grid feature available on most smartphone cameras for your Instagram videos. This technique divides your camera screen into nine equal sectors using two horizontal and two vertical lines. To create visually captivating shots, position your subject at the intersection of two of these lines. These points naturally draw the viewer’s eye and are ideal for highlighting specific objects, making it perfect for product demos or portrait videos.
To activate the grid feature on your phone’s camera, navigate to the “Settings” section and locate it within the “Camera” settings.
By implementing these modern strategies, you can consistently produce high-quality Instagram videos that resonate with your audience and keep them coming back for more.
Recommended Reading
- Social Media Marketing 101: Guide for Beginners
- Social Media Kit 101: Unlock Your Brand Potential with the Best Premade Templates
Choose the Perfect Thumbnail
The video thumbnail is your Instagram content’s first impression, and it can make or break viewer engagement. Here are some contemporary tips to help you choose the ideal Instagram video thumbnail.
Create a Custom Thumbnail: Instagram allows you to choose a specific frame from your video or upload a custom image as your thumbnail. Take advantage of this feature to craft a thumbnail that perfectly represents your video’s content and entices viewers. You can avoid this by making a cover with the help of online graphic maker tools or offline software. Then add it at the beginning of your Instagram video with the help of offline or online video editors.
Highlight Key Moments: Pick a frame that captures a pivotal moment or showcases the essence of your video. This could be an intriguing scene, a key product shot, or a captivating facial expression.
Maintain Clarity: Ensure that your thumbnail is clear and visually appealing, even at a smaller size. Avoid cluttered or overly busy images that may be difficult to decipher when displayed in a smaller format.
Use High-Quality Images: Opt for high-resolution images to maintain a professional appearance. Low-quality thumbnails can give the impression of unprofessional content.
Add Text Sparingly: If your video requires context, consider adding concise and legible text to the thumbnail. Use fonts and colors that complement your brand and ensure readability on various devices.
By implementing these up-to-date strategies, you can significantly increase the chances of your Instagram video thumbnail standing out, capturing viewer attention, and driving higher engagement.
Keep Your Videos Short
When it comes to Instagram video formats, understanding the file size limits is crucial. For most video formats on Instagram, the maximum allowable file size is 4GB.
However, when it comes to Instagram reels, there’s a slight difference. Videos under 10 minutes have a maximum file size of 650MB. It’s worth noting that you can create reels that extend up to 15 minutes in length.
Keeping these Instagram video size limits in mind is essential to prevent the creation of overly lengthy videos that may require content adjustments, including quality reduction.
What’s the Suggested Instagram Video Quality?
It’s advisable to have a frame rate of at least 30 FPS (frames per second), and the resolution should not fall below 720 pixels.
Live Videos
Instagram Live broadcasts also come with restrictions. You can now broadcast live for a maximum of four hours at a stretch. This represents a recent update, as the previous cap was 60 minutes.
Instagram Feed
When posting videos on your primary profile or Instagram feed, their duration should fall between 3 seconds to 60 minutes. If the video surpasses the one-minute mark, Instagram will automatically divide and present it as separate 1-minute segments.
Instagram Reels
The maximum duration allowed for videos intended to be shared as Instagram Reels is just under 15 minutes. However, for users with public accounts, only Reels lasting up to 90 seconds can be featured in the “Discover” section. Your Reels should have an aspect ratio of 9:16 and be 1080 × 1920 pixels in order to be the ideal size for Instagram.
Instagram Stories
The size requirements are nearly the same for Reels and Instagram Stories. The size should fall within the range of 1080 x 608 pixels minimum and 1080 × 1920 pixels maximum. The maximum file size is 4GB with a maximum length of 60 seconds.
Create Unique Video Content
What sets you apart makes you great most of the time. Come up with an amazing tactic to stand out with unique and aesthetic content in the sea of Instagram videos. Define your target audience, put yourself in their shoes, and consider what you’d love to see on your page as a follower.
You can also get inspired by the current trends and create video content according to the trend waves.
Here are some of the video trends people enjoy on Instagram:
Time-lapse Videos: With this type of video, you can show a long process, a scene with constant movement. It’s an original way to show your followers a project from beginning to end.
The shooting process of time-lapse videos is longer than the usual time you spend recording a normal video. However, the final result of your hard work is definitely worth it. If you’re shooting the video on a camera, you might need a tripod or have it fixed. This will help you have a clear and steady video.
You can also directly shoot a time-lapse video on your iPhone with the “Camera” function. It’s very convenient and easy to use. And if you’re an Android user, you might like downloading relevant apps like Lapse It. Make sure your phone is in airplane mode and charged to not stress over unnecessary interruptions.
Hyperlapse Videos: If you’re looking for more dynamic and driven Instagram video content, then hyperlapse videos are what you need. Hyperlapse videos have a touch of cinematic vibe. They’ll make your Instagram followers feel like they’re moving toward, around, or away from a spot or an object. Unlike time-lapse videos, when shooting hyperlapse videos, your camera moves. Most new phone models have the hyperlapse option, but if your phone doesn’t, you can find free hyperlapse apps to help you create amazing videos.
Add Captions to Instagram Videos
The importance of captions has grown even more apparent, let’s explore why:
- Silent Viewing: Many Instagram users choose to scroll through their feeds with the sound turned off. Whether they’re in public spaces, commuting, or simply prefer a quieter browsing experience, silent viewing is common. This is one of the reasons we love to see videos with captions on our feed. It gets people’s attention faster and even without the sound, sends your message across. This might interest people enough to make them want to turn the sound on and watch the video again.
- Accessibility: Inclusivity is a crucial aspect of social media content creation. Captions make your videos accessible to individuals with hearing impairments, allowing you to reach a broader and more diverse audience.
- Capturing Attention: In a fast-paced environment where users quickly skim through their feeds, captions play a pivotal role in capturing viewers’ attention. A well-crafted caption can pique curiosity, prompting users to stop and engage with your content.
- Message Clarity: Captions provide an opportunity to reinforce and clarify your video’s message. They can highlight key points, emphasize humor, or offer context, ensuring that your content is easily understood.
- Improved Engagement: Videos with captions tend to generate higher engagement rates. Viewers are more likely to interact with your content by liking, commenting, or sharing when they can comprehend it effortlessly.
- Encouraging Sound: Intriguing captions can entice users to turn on the sound and experience your video in its full audio-visual glory. This transition from silent viewing to sound-enabled engagement can significantly enhance the impact of your content. There are many offline software and online video makers you can use to add music to your video fast and effectively.
- SEO Benefits: Instagram captions also contribute to discoverability. Relevant keywords and phrases in your captions can improve the visibility of your content in search results and explore sections, attracting a larger audience.
- Short and Engaging: To maintain viewers’ interest, keep your captions concise. While conveying your message, ensure that the text complements the video rather than overwhelming it. Experiment with dynamic text effects or subtle text stickers when they align with your content and brand style.
By embracing this practice, you ensure that your content is inclusive, engaging, and capable of resonating with a wider audience, ultimately boosting your presence and impact on the platform.
Elevate Your Video Editing Tools with Renderforest
To create Instagram videos that truly shine, embrace the power of video editing tools. It’s a brilliant way to customize your videos, as well as create gorgeous Instagram videos that describe the style of your Instagram page or brand with just a glance. You can do this with the help of video filters, frames, stickers, video collages, and other amazing additions.
Experiment with high-quality video editing apps that have all the aesthetics to inspire creativity in you. Renderforest’s versatile tools, available both online and offline, empower you to customize your content, align it with your brand’s unique style, and craft engaging videos that captivate your audience. Renderforest’s Online Video Editor is a versatile and user-friendly tool that unlocks creative possibilities for video content creators. With its seamless integration and easy-to-navigate interface, it empowers users to edit their videos professionally without the need for extensive technical expertise.
From a rich library of customizable templates to a wide array of editing features like transitions, text and logo animation makers, and music integration, Renderforest simplifies the video editing process while allowing for highly personalized and visually stunning results.
Whether you’re an aspiring social media influencer, a small business owner, or a seasoned content creator, Renderforest offers a dynamic platform to bring your vision to life. Explore its full suite of capabilities at Renderforest and experience the benefits of elevating your video content to new heights.
Summing Up
In the dynamic realm of social media, Instagram videos are your powerful tool to boost page engagement, promote products or services effectively, and enhance your social media presence.
You can create an awesome Instagram video without spending money and all of your time on it. Make sure to edit your videos as best as possible to make them look more professional and eye-catching. Ready to take your Instagram videos to the next level?
Elevate your content with Renderforest’s Online Video Editor.
