Let's just get this out into the open - posting videos onto Facebook and YouTube are the present day equivalent of owning a smartphone. Although it's a tragedy to think we once existed as humans without iPhones and Androids, it's equally a tragedy if you do not possess a video on your website or social media channels. I'm not talking about posting videos because "everyone else is doing it," but rather posting videos onto Facebook or YouTube because it drives engagement with your viewers, customers, etc.
Need proof?
According to HubSpot, here are the top three stats regarding visual content marketing in 2017:
37% of marketers said visual marketing was the most important form of content for their business, second only to blogging (38%).
74% of social media marketers use visual assets in their social media marketing, ahead of blogs (68%) and videos (60%).
When people hear information, they're likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later.
The source article goes on to list 39 more reasons how video is going to rule in 2017, so let's assume you are already nodding your head and you're ready for the meat of the article.
An example of a Facebook embedded video on my site - not perfectly centered if viewed on mobile. :(
This is what a Youtube embedded video looks like - pretty good!
Should I Post My Videos to Facebook or YouTube?
To answer this question in blunt fashion, you already know the answer quite likely.
You should post your videos to Facebook AND YouTube AND any other social media channel you utilize as well as your website. But the real question isn't should you post your videos, it's HOW. So let's start with the basics and drill down.
Understanding Your Goal Determines Much of the Picture
Let's assume that you represent one of three camps - the business, the video creator or the individual. Each has different goals with how and why they are posting content and the methods may differ.
Starting with the individual, you have the least skin in the game. You are using your smartphone to capture life's moments so that you can attract likes and followers (I'm over generalizing, so comment below if I'm way off base). For this individual, seeking to grow their personal brand, I'd recommend simply posting these videos to Facebook. Re-posting to YouTube is always an option, but only if the content is funny enough or attracts a larger audience beyond your typical follower base.
For the content creator, the "YouTuber," the smart money is pushing your content onto YouTube where you can monetize your content. The serious YouTuber depends on this ad revenue source for their income (as well as sponsorships), so posting this content to Facebook could work against you when people are viewing without ad revenue going in your corner. YouTube is the second largest search engine on the web, so a well-placed video with tags, a good thumbnail image and a great title can very well earn you some dollars.
That leaves our final camp - businesses. Here it gets a little complicated.
The Pros and Cons Every Business Should Know About Posting Videos to Facebook or YouTube
Although Facebook launched in 2004, a year before Youtube, we know Youtube is the place to go for videos. It's what they do, right? But as video has increased in value, other social media networks have incorporated it into their features. Blogs don't contain just words and text, video is in there as well. Facebook has also embraced video.
(Insert record scratch)
Facebook has embraced video. That doesn't mean they've embraced YouTube. There is a distinct difference.
When videos are uploaded to YouTube, it's commonplace for many to copy the video's hyperlink from Youtube and post it on Facebook. I'm guessing that uploading and waiting for the video to process on one social media outlet vs. two saves you a few minutes in your workday. But before you get too complacent, consider these two charts form social media analytics provider Quintly.
With a dramatic swing in December, here's why you should upload videos direct to Facebook
This graph shows some startling comparisons that just may prove Facebook's favoritism for videos uploaded directly to their platform versus copying a YouTube link. Of special note is how the YouTube share rates remain stable, but as Facebook's share rates began to dip, with the lowest rate being in November, it instantly shot up in December. All conspiracy theories aside, something dramatically changed within Facebook's algorithm that you should pay attention to.
And the proof keeps coming. Interaction/engagement dipped but shot back up in December.
This second graph from Quintly demonstrates another analytic at work that you can't turn your head away from. Similar to the chart above, Facebook's interaction/engagement rate was rolling down while YouTube videos posted to Facebook were pretty constant and then in December of 2016, Facebook videos shot up in interaction.
With the good always come the bad, so if you're viewing this blog post on your mobile device you already know what I'm going to say. Embedding Facebook videos (as demonstrated above) is not always failproof. I chose to keep my embedded video so you can see the difference.
Creating and Posting Videos Direct to Facebook Is Your Golden Ticket
Unless your business is tied around creating YouTube videos, the evidence is pretty clear. Businesses not only need to create videos but should upload them to Facebook versus posting them to Youtube and copying the links over. And that may cause a little heartburn.
In each of our cores we possess brand loyalty. We choose the brands we engage with for a variety of reasons. If you want your customers and potential customers to choose your brand, Facebook is that go to place you need to include. With almost 2 BILLION monthly users, Facebook is and will continue to be the Big Dog of Choice for quite some time.
For the YouTube Loyalists, Here's Some More Advice
As shown above, embedded videos may not always work perfectly on your website. For Facebook and YouTube, the situation is pretty well taken care of. But when you embed either platform's videos onto your website, here are my researched tips:
- Some web platforms let you copy the link or embed your videos. Your results may vary, but I recommend using the embed function as often as you can. The videos will provide a nice thumbnail but if they don't...
- Inside YouTube, click on "Embed" so you can copy and paste the code, but note the "SHOW MORE" below that.
When you click on the SHOW MORE, you'll have added features that will be of great help. By making sure there are no check boxes marked for your video, you'll eliminate a lot of hassles and another video starting up after yours has finished. For that reason I highly recommending making sure all these check boxes are not clicked on. It makes for a much smoother interface on your site and less distractions.
And for one last recommendation for your business when using YouTube. For the love of God, DO NOT MONETIZE YOUR VIDEOS. Don't worry if every one else is doing it, by monetizing your videos you risk having other brands, perhaps competitors, show up on your video. In addition, many may simply click off quickly if they have to endure a 15-30 second ad before seeing your video. Don't risk it. DO NOT MONETIZE YOUR BUSINESS YOUTUBE VIDEOS.
Putting the Final Nails in the Coffin for Posting Video to Facebook
As a small business ourselves, we post video content like the embedded Facebook video from above. Had I simply posted this video onto YouTube, I'd have to pull from many sources to get the views I attracted on Facebook. Because of the way Facebook is set up, I was able to share this with my friends and followers, personally, and I also boosted this post as well on a targeted group within my geographical area. Each of these is its own blog post, but the result of posting my first video to Facebook resulted in over 1,500 views (compared to 19 on YouTube). Not too shabby for a young start-up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
But What If I Don't Have Any Business Videos to Post Yet?
Videos has emerged onto the scene and there are any number of ways to create and post your video. For many, the go to standard for video is the smartphone. With high def capabilities and a decent microphone, those fun and informal shots are easily had with your phone.
When you need a more professional look, it's important to seek out a company that can address your needs, seeking first to understand your goals, actively adding input to your ideas and then possessing the means to put those ideas into action. You want a company that can shoot in various styles, from varying perspectives, and in 1080 HD or higher. You want someone who can place your logo in just the right places, who can provide motion animation where required, who can honor your budgets and provide an efficient workflow for quick turnaround.
“As a growing CrossFit gym in Sioux Falls, we had the pleasure of working with Jeff on a recent project to capture the heart and story of our diverse community and coaching staff. Jeff produced over 17 high-quality videos for a variety of social media platforms, captured from 10 individual interviews. Jeff handled the diversity well, striving for a unique product from each interview and working hard to create a comfortable environment for our members to share their story. You can often tell the quality of a video/video producer in the first few minutes of a video - and in a digital world over-run with content, it needs to stand out. Jeff had the eye to capture the right shot, lighting, and placement and provided us with a truly inspiring set of aesthetically beautiful, concise, and powerful videos. ”
If you haven't guessed it, if your business seeks video content for your website or social media, you need Media By JP. To date, we've never disappointed a client yet nor will we. And we'll help you post your videos to all the right places so that you not only earn more likes and followers, you earn additional income for your business.
Simply provide your contact info below and we'll be in touch with you shortly to talk further (phone is optional).