If you still need to be convinced of video’s marketing efficacy, you’ve come to the wrong place. If you’re already bought into video and just aren’t sure how to start, this should help get you from lights, to camera, to action.

When the only tool you have is a hammer…

Video works, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right tool for every job. Who are you trying to talk to? What do you hope they’ll think, feel, or do after seeing your post? If after thinking it through it feels like you might be using video for the sake of using video, switch gears and save your filming fun for another day.

The right way to use video

There’s no one right way to use video. Like every other trick in the content marketer’s bag, the magic is in knowing your audience and creating an experience that makes sense within the context of the chosen channel.

Imagine, for example, a financial advisor who’s looking for a way to mix some personal posts in with more professional fare as a way to nurture existing client relationships and stay top of mind. She shoots a 10-second velfie (video selfie) of her daughter and herself showing off their freshly dyed Easter eggs, and posts it to LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram with a text teaser that reads, “Teaching my daughter early to never put all her eggs in one basket. #teachablemoment #assetallocation”.

By posting a short, relatable video with a wink towards her work, she bridges the different vibes of the three channels she chose with content people are inclined to like, comment on, and share with their friends: “This is that financial advisor I was telling you about. Great person, and really knows her money stuff.”

Now imagine another advisor, also looking for a teachable moment, who decides an explainer video would be a great way to help his clients understand asset allocation, while also reminding them of his expertise. He shoots a 7-minute video of himself talking through considerations and theories, then posts it to Facebook with the text lead, “Understanding Asset Allocation.”

It’s possible he’s such a dynamic speaker that people will be riveted till the final frame. It’s more likely that Facebookers who see his post won’t even slow their scroll for a long video with a title that sounds like homework. Even if their curiosity is piqued enough to take a peek, seven minutes of complex talk with no visual support could lead them to bounce without engaging. Even worse, the experience may put them off, causing them to feel like they’d prefer an advisor who “gets” them better. Yikes!

Which reminds me

Everybody wants to know the optimal duration for video. Here’s the thing: If it’s interesting, relevant, and timely, or if it informs or entertains or even just pleasantly distracts, then people will watch…and keep watching. But if it’s none of those things, they’ll stop, drop, and scroll within seconds.

That said, one of my favorite co-workers from my Franklin Templeton Investments days used to tell his team to “be brief, be bold, and be gone.” He wasn’t talking about social media content, but it’s not bad video advice.

Final cut: Video is a reliable means for brands and people to make connections with clients and prospects in a way that’s more compelling than pictures plus text. Still, the format can’t compensate for storytelling fails, so think about your audience, put yourself in their shoes, then create a content experience worth having.