It can be tricky to know where you’ll see the most traction when posting videos. Here’s what you need to know!
Videos are all about eyeballs. Well, maybe not about eyeballs, per se, but it’s all about getting those eyeballs on your content so that you can share your valuable insight with as many people as possible! Now, we know video has the highest engagement rate on social media platforms, but it can be tricky to know how to leverage your video content and make sure you’re doing everything you can to pull in as many viewers as possible. It can also be exhausting and labor intensive.
That’s why you want to make sure of two things. First, the juice has to be worth the squeeze, because depending on your commitment to video content, you may be doing a lot of squeezing. You’ll obviously want to set yourself up for success to make sure people see the fruits of your hard work. Second, the juice must get to the right breakfast table, or in other words, you’ll want it to be consumed by someone who’s ready to use it and take action, even if posting to a different platform can help you rack up more views on your videos. Let’s discuss some of the most commonly used platforms and a few best practices you can utilize when making and posting videos!
- YouTube [1,2]
Try as they might, challengers have had a difficult time dethroning YouTube as the top platform for creating and posting both casual and professional video content. The data is also there to back it up. The Google-owned service currently brings in roughly 2.5 billion unique users per month, or nearly a third of the world’s population. In fact, 92% of all internet users access YouTube on a weekly basis. Additionally, YouTube demographics skew slightly older than other video platforms. For example, 29.7% of users are older than 44 while only 13.6% of TikTok users are over 44, which is potentially key when considering that the average age of a financial advisor’s client is 59 years old.
They even answered the strong demand for short-form content with YouTube Shorts, which have proven to be an effective way to generate views, even if they’re more of a means to an end than the endgame themselves. One way to leverage YouTube Shorts is to post longer form content on your channel for subscribers and return visitors, then editing that content down to be a 15-to-20-second Short. Pick segments that quickly hammer key subjects and topics, and include captions for those who may be in quieter environments or have a harder time hearing. This can be a great way to capitalize on the desire for short-form content or be picked up by the influential financial headwind on the platform’s algorithm.
- Facebook [3,4]
We get it. We’ve heard that Facebook is over, and nobody uses it, and it’s filled with spam. The fact is, it’s the king of monthly active users, topping 3 billion in 2023. Its closest competition? WhatsApp, the end-to-end encrypted messaging service with 2.8 billion monthly users. And oh yeah. Facebook, otherwise known as Meta, also owns WhatsApp. Sure, YouTube is third, but there’s no denying Facebook’s popularity and staying power. Furthermore, despite having roughly 1.2 times the monthly users of YouTube, native Facebook videos have the potential to reach 10 times the YouTube audience because of their shareability within the platform.
So, what’s the trick to publishing videos on Facebook? First and foremost, be sure that you’re posting at least some of your videos—the MP4 files themselves—directly to Facebook so that they’re hosted by the site. Facebook delivers more videos to users’ newsfeeds because they are more popular, followed by original photos, followed by other types of posts, like news article shares. Of course, you should also post video links from other platforms, like YouTube and Vimeo, but be sure to sprinkle in some videos posted directly because the native videos will “autoplay” without sound, and you’ll likely get more views. Depending on the video content, you may also want to include captions for the people who will never choose to turn on the sound and listen—remember, they just might spend the time to silently watch and read your message.
- LinkedIn [5,6]
While LinkedIn may seem like just another social media platform, it offers one distinct edge: professionalism. In fact, 70% of buyers say that LinkedIn is one of their most trusted sources of information, and 73% say they’re more likely to consider making a purchase or beginning a partnership with someone who reaches out via LinkedIn rather than another method of communication. That means there’s a major opportunity for those willing to take their content to this platform with nearly a billion users. Even more so for financial advisors, as half those who make more than $75,000 say they’re active on LinkedIn.
But why video on LinkedIn? Isn’t it mainly an online version of the “Help Wanted” section of the newspaper? Actually, it can be an extremely effective video platform, as research from LinkedIn themselves says that users are 20 times more likely to share a video post than any other type of post. Just like Facebook, however, it’s crucial to make sure that you use native video by posting directly to LinkedIn. Again, it will play automatically, it’s more shareable, and it’s more likely to be seen because the site’s algorithm likes engaging video content. In this fast-moving, short-attention-span world, you still want to ensure that your video is snappy with an immediate hook. Get your point across in seconds, not minutes, as you may have a very limited time, even in a more professional online environment.
- X, formerly known as Twitter [7,8,9]
The app formerly known as Twitter made its name as a platform that took the thoughts of all of your friends, family members, favorite celebrities, news outlets and more and compiled them into one singular timeline that you could scroll through for hours. It can, however, be an incredibly useful tool for marketing, especially if you create content. Again, we know that video is the most engaging content format, regardless of platform, and X’s own CEO and owner insists that it’s a video-first platform. BUT is it worth it for YOU to post there as a financial advisor?
Well, 88% of Twitter’s users in 2023 are 44 or younger. That pool is also pulled from 421 million active users, which is around just 14% of Facebook’s user base. Still, however, it’s certainly an influential part of our modern world and can be helpful if leveraged properly. It just may not yield results similar to Facebook or even YouTube Shorts, which sees 1.5 billion users just on that side of the platform. If you do take to Twitter for your video content, we simply advise using the same best practices. Keep your content short, engaging, relevant and accessible, and post it directly to the site.
- Instagram [10,11]
Instagram is no longer just a place for pretty pictures. It can be an extremely effective platform for those who want to leverage its video-hosting capabilities as well as its user base of more than 2 billion people around the world. In addition to its eye-popping user numbers, it has shown steady and impressive growth since 2019, increasing its monthly total by 127%. In the middle of that booming uptick? Instagram Reels. Reels launched in 2020 as Instagram’s direct response to the popularity of TikTok, and its ease of use, accessibility and built-in audience has made it a smash hit. In fact, it accounts for 30% of daily Instagram use.
Of course, it’s no secret that Instagram is a more personal, casual social media outlet. It’s often a place where people share their “life in pictures.” That’s where advisors have a chance to showcase their personalities, senses of humor and passions if they decide to use Reels. Furthermore, Reels are native to Instagram, making them easily shareable for the app’s users. And once you realize you can share a Reel in three taps, it starts to make sense why they’re shared via direct message 1 billion times every single day. It’s important to know that the Reels audience does skew younger, but it still has the potential to gain traction if you post smart, snappy, informative content with a strong, immediate hook.
- TikTok [12,13,14]
A relative newcomer to the game, there’s little doubt that TikTok has a loud voice, full of noisy supporters. Word of mouth and social status has also made TikTok a big hit, and despite the fact that the platform is home to billions of videos that are just seconds long, the average user spends 95 minutes per day using the app! That’s an astounding number, especially considering that it’s more than 20 minutes longer than YouTube, its closest competitor, which sits at a still-jaw-dropping 74 minutes. So, it seems like the potential for a loyal audience is there, especially as demand for financial advice skyrockets for younger users who look for better information about basics like budgeting and taxes.
Therein lies the problem for financial advisors, however, as, again, the average advisor’s client is just under 60 years old. TikTok’s target demographic may not align with yours, as nearly 70% of users are 34 or younger, and 86.4% are 44 or under. While that may sound like an opening to bring younger clients into your practice, only 11% of millennials and Gen Zers use financial advisors. Tack on the fact that just 20% of people say they trust news and information they get from TikTok, and it may not be the most helpful place to post your content. Sure, the popularity is there, and younger influencers may find success and high viewership, but for those looking to convert clients, your time might be better spent elsewhere.
If you have any questions about which media platforms you should be using or how you can create informative, engaging video content that showcases your brand and your voice, call your Quantum consultant today at 800.440.1088.
Sources:
- https://www.omnicoreagency.com/youtube-statistics/
- https://www.barrons.com/advisor/articles/7-reasons-diy-investors-should-consider-getting-a-financial-advisor-in-2024-bbc3f106
- https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/facebook-statistics
- https://kinsta.com/blog/facebook-statistics/
- https://www.omnicoreagency.com/linkedin-statistics/
- https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-use-in-2021/
- https://fortune.com/2024/01/09/elon-musk-x-video-first-platform/
- https://www.businessofapps.com/data/twitter-statistics/
- https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/twitter-statistics
- https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/instagram-statistics
- https://www.acmarketingcaribbean.com/post/5-instagram-reels-stats-you-should-know-leveraging-data-for-brand-success
- https://backlinko.com/tiktok-users
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/financial-advisor/adults-financial-advice-social-media/
- https://www.vice.com/en/article/z34a95/why-do-people-believe-everything-on-tiktok
Nicole Fanelli works with financial advisors after they have been onboarded with Quantum, handling all communications and providing day-to-day project management for the marketing team.
