There’s a reason video is fast becoming the go-to content for social media marketers. Its rich media format makes it perfect for engaging audiences with content that other marketing strategies may be unable to deliver. Twitter is just one of the many platforms who has embraced the use of video and has added more video support features to maximize the proliferation of this type of content on their feeds. For brands looking for new ways to deliver new content to their followers, video content excels at being able to provide brand awareness and promote user engagement. While it’s hard to draw attention from viewers through traditional advertising posts, a video has a higher chance of being watched with viewers more likely to engage with it.

But with all the recent buzz behind video content and its rich potential in driving conversion, there are important things to consider when using video on a platform such as Twitter. For one, videos posted on Twitter have a maximum duration of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Brands looking to make full use of video on the platform need to put this into consideration when coming up with new video content of their own.

Recently, Twitter has come up with new strategies to promote the use of video content on their platform further. Learning how to make the most of these strategies will give brands the ability to take full advantage of Twitter’s shorter length video formats to fully maximize its marketing power.

Here are five tips for brands to make the most of their video content on Twitter.

1. Grab the viewer’s attention quickly.

Twitter’s shorter-length videos mean brands need to be able to grab the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds and hold it until the end. As most social media users often do not have long attention spans, it is important to be able to hook the audience within the first 10 seconds of the video at least. Not being able to do this would mean losing viewers just as quickly. In fact, many studies show that video marketers lose around 90 percent of viewers in the first few seconds. To avoid this, brands need to focus on adding their best, the most interesting or the funniest content at the start just to ensure your viewers stay on throughout the video.

Viewers should be able to associate the brand with the video right away at the onset. To be able to do this, the brand logo needs to be highlighted at the start, at the end or throughout the video. Making the video more interactive by incorporating onscreen graphics, flashy colors and animations also piques interest and draws viewers right away. It also helps to add a close-up angle at the start of the video. Being able to shoot the video from a good angle can hold the viewer’s attention and make it seem as if they are speaking to the viewer directly.

2. Evoke emotion.

There is no better way to make your brand memorable to your viewers than by being able to elicit strong emotions from them. It is important to keep videos as positive as possible so viewers can continue to associate your brand with a good experience that they’ll come to remember. Studies also show that viral videos that portray happy and positive experiences have a higher chance of being shared across many platforms.

3. Tell a compelling story.

Another great way to draw more views and improve engagement is by using your videos to tell a story. Video stories draw reactions and give your viewers something to talk about. It also increases the likelihood of your video being shared throughout Twitter but also in other powerful social media platforms as well. Brands can share customer stories and their experiences with your products and services which make for a fun and engaging content that connects to who you are as a business. Video testimonials from your customers and stories about how your brand started help create a connection with your audience. It also sets a precedent for how you treat your customers and may entice a new audience to try out your products and services as well.

4. Share informative content.

Another way to maximize video for Twitter is by sharing useful and helpful content to your followers. This can be in the form of video reporting on new market trends that your followers will appreciate or coming up with interesting video tutorials. Video slideshows on important topics related to your brand may also draw attention. This is also a helpful way to stay relevant to your audience by showcasing your brand as an authority in your area of expertise.

5. Include Captions

Nowadays, the majority of online users use mobile devices to interact on social media. Most of the time not everyone is at home using laptops or always has earbuds with them when scouring through their social media accounts at work. To cater to this audience, it is important to be able to continue to draw viewers in with a sound off option. This way no matter where viewers are, even when they are on the train or always on the go as most people are these days; they still have a way to process and engage with your video content.

There is no escaping the steady rise of video content on Twitter and everywhere else on social media. In a platform that relies heavily on short-format content designed for text, it is essential for brands to learn how to put out great video content that can draw attention even at shorter lengths. To get the most of video’s numerous benefits in the field of marketing, brands need to find ways to come up with content that drives positive results for their business. These tips will ensure the content they put out is not only watched but remembered in a way that is well-associated with their brand for a long time to come.