Trying to explain Facebook is a little like describing the universe. It’s big and most of what we know of life itself runs through that platform. But let’s narrow the topic, shall we?
Drilling down to a specific tool, any marketer can produce a video with a smartphone and publish it on a Facebook profile. You do this because: video is engaging, and people like watching videos. Multiplying the factor that a picture is worth a thousand words, according to Forrester Research, one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words.
Contractors have a variety of topics they can call on to create and upload videos – such as explaining a feature, demonstrating a product, showing how to tackle a task or sharing a testimonial. You could, for example, show how to turn off a water valve or how to turn off electrical power at the service panel. Or educate on the importance of changing air filters or getting regular tune-ups.
If a weather event is headed your way, you can advise homeowners on steps they need to take or to avoid for their safety. Perhaps offer a quick tip each week or even give a tour of your business. Think of videos as another opportunity to answer frequently asked questions – and another way to provide information that customers need.
Over the last couple of years, 56% of all videos have been less than two minutes long – and keeping it to that length is your best bet. Also, most videos on Facebook are viewed without sound, so including captions will help you communicate to your audience even as they scroll.
And remember, if you record in a vertical format, your video will display better on a smartphone, where the more and more videos are viewed. Importantly, Facebook prefers videos that begin on Facebook. Videos uploaded there directly instead of to YouTube or other video platforms get more views and shares.