Producing social video doesn’t have to break marketers' backs or budgets

Social media has changed the way we consume and produce video content. But creating engaging content regularly can be time-consuming, resource-heavy and expensive.

And while the idea of producing daily content may seem daunting for some marketers, it’s important to remember that not all content is as involved as a 30-second TV spot. Short-form content produced regularly for Instagram Stories, Snaps and TikToks to engage your target audience is achievable with the right strategy in place. That’s true even with a limited budget—it’s about doing more with less.

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Here are six tactics brands can implement to make regular social video creation manageable and effective.

1. Be on the lookout for user generated content

We’ve all heard about the viral sensation of Nathan Apodaca’s TikTok and Ocean Spray’s moment of shine. While production capabilities and budgets both may be limited, Ocean Spray knew the exact time to jump on this viral content, and benefitted. Sometimes not producing original content is the right action to take, so keep your eyes open for other opportunities created by fans and influencers that are relevant for your brand.

2. Design your CTAs and subtitles to attract eyeballs

One budget-friendly option is to test various calls to action on your social video content, or even take different creative approaches to the fonts you use. This can breathe new life into existing content. Of course, this tactic can also help deliver measurable results on any major social media platform.

3. Repurpose assets

One of the easiest ways to create new content is to repurpose existing assets. Take a short trip to you archives; look for images or videos that were created for other purposes, but were never used on social media platforms. Find ways that these assets can be leveraged creatively to produce something engaging for your audience on TikTok or Instagram Stories.

4. Consider stock image libraries

When production capabilities are limited, a good option is to peruse stock image libraries for relevant visuals. With a touch of creative copywriting and image editing, you can come up with completely new content for your campaign.

5. Grab attention with pacing and music

We’ve all heard about shortening attention spans, and marketers know consumers are selective about what to give their attention to. One way to hold consumers’ attention longer is to change the pacing, as well as add new music to your video.

6. Be a cover artist rather than a songwriter

Sometimes covers are more popular than the original version. For me it’s Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” covered by Jimi Hendrix. Have the courage to do something bold by mixing pace or merging photos and videos to have fresh perspective that could lead to a phenomenal result for your brand.

Marketers need to make sure that their creatives work harder for them, not the other way around. Instead of creating a fresh Instagram Story ad or TikTok every time, use these tactics to boost performance and stay in your budget.