A Beginner’s Guide to Vertical Video
By Brianna Allison
Video, especially vertical video, has become one of the most prevalent forms of content on social media over recent years. Why?
Let’s start with some history. Vertical videos started to gain traction as Snapchat became more popular in 2012. As more people started to create organic vertical videos to post on their social platforms, Instagram and Facebook eventually created stories. This continued to the increase in vertical videos filling social media accounts. Today, vertical videos, which were once considered low-quality, are now the preferred form of content. In fact, the MOVR Mobile Overview Report stated that 94% of users hold their phone vertically when watching a video even if the video was intended to be watched horizontally.
This statistic makes one thing clear: we don’t want to turn our phones horizontal for content!
Why should you use it?
Now let’s look at some more pros about using vertical videos as a marketing strategy for your brand or company.
Increased Mobile Usage
There are over 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world. Most of those users are constantly on their phones and interacting with media which accounts for approximately half of the web traffic worldwide. According to Statista, “In the third quarter of 2020, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 50.81 percent of global website traffic, consistently hovering around the 50 percent mark since the beginning of 2017.” These numbers show that half of the users on the Internet are browsing from their phones, which means your marketing strategy needs to be tailored to fit their needs. Content should be designed to fit a mobile device and vertical videos are the perfect way to do that!
Less Distraction, More Engagement
Vertical videos are great to use because they demand the attention of the viewer and boost engagement. When watching Netflix or a YouTube video on a laptop, you are able to move between tabs and do other things. When watching a horizontal video on a device, you’re able to see the posts above and below it. But with a vertical video, the entire mobile screen is filled which cancels out many of the distractions that a viewer could encounter. They have no choice but to focus on the content or brand in the video.
Facebook and brand advertisers from North America, Latin America, and Europe decided to test the impact of vertical video ads by putting them up against horizontal ads. The ad was the same in regards to length, target audience, creative elements, and budget. However, the ads differed in aspect ratio. The results came back clear. Facebook stated, “Vertical video ads drive an incremental increase in brand lift and ad recall.”
Creates a Connection
A vertical video also can create a connection between the viewer and the brand that wouldn’t be there in a square or horizontal video. The vertical video can feel like a Facetime call from a friend telling us about their new favorite product or showing us around a new city. These videos are also typically organic content with less planning and staging. This brings the viewer closer to the brand/content creator because the audience is let into their world. It’s more authentic.
5 of the Best Practices for Vertical Video
Now that you know why you should them, here a few tips to help create the best vertical videos for your brand!
Watch the Aspect Ratio
Be careful with the dimensions of your video! There are many vertical videos out there that are distorted due to the video sizing being skewed.
A full chart for the family of Facebook apps can be found here.
Capture Attention ASAP
We all scroll while we are bored so it is important to catch the viewer’s attention as soon as possible for your brand to be noticed. It is recommended for companies to establish their brand within the first 3-4 seconds of the video to ensure recall from the viewer. According to a Facebook study, videos that showcased their brands within that 3-4 second span had 1.23X higher chances of being recalled by their viewer. So focus on capturing their attention as soon as you can to keep them engaged with your video and your company.
Place CTA Strategically
There is no perfect position for your CTA (Call to Action) as it varies from video to video, however, different content creators shared that the position should be dependent on the category and duration of the video. If your video is short and more of a direct advertisement then they recommend placing the CTA in the middle of the video. It is important to make sure that the CTA does not distract the viewer and take away from their experience though. If the video is longer and either sponsored content or highly story-oriented then the CTA should be placed at the end.
Split the screen
While creating vertical video content, consider using a split screen to better engage your audience and tell the story in a new way. You are able to feature multiple angles, products, reactions, and/or quotes at the same time. You are can play around with the sizing of the various aspects on the screen. Make the items you want the viewers to focus on bigger than the ones that may not be as important. Splitting the screen also gives a creative element to the video making it more personal to your brand or company’s story.
Direct the Viewer’s Eyes
When creating a vertical video, you have the chance to direct the viewer’s eyes to where you want them to go. Horizontal videos usually make viewers look from left to right. But in a vertical format, there is no horizon to look at. This means the eyes of the viewer will revolve around the framing of the video. Depending on the situation or subject that you are filming, pan the video up and down, use the space around you, and make sure you lead the viewers’ eyes to the important content.
Overall vertical videos are a must for your brand.
There is no disregarding the statistics that show that mobile users are constantly watching videos on their smartphones. These numbers are only going to continue to rise within the future years. This emphasizes the importance of recognizing that vertical videos are not just a trend. They are a form of content that could completely elevate your brand’s marketing strategy. With that being said, use these tips and go create an amazing vertical video!
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