Social media has totally changed the way we view and consume content online – especially video content. Over the last few years, video has become a staple of our social media feeds, and short, snackable social video is only continuing to grow in popularity.
With 300 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute, 500 million people now using Instagram Stories daily, and the recent explosion of TikTok, Instagram Reels and now YouTube Shorts – as a video creator, you’d be crazy not to cut yourself a slice of that social video pie.
Want to put your video skills into motion on social media? Here are the top social video trends to watch, as well as tips for creating engaging social media video and reeling in your audience.
Instagram Reels
Launched in April 2020, Instagram Reels is one of the top social video trends taking the internet by storm in 2021. Positioned as Instagram’s alternative to TikTok, Instagram Reels allows video creators to produce short-form, in-feed videos including audio and music. Quick, fun and super easy to use, you can upload premade videos, edit multiple video clips into one, or even create content all within the Instagram app.
While Instagram started out as a photo-centric network, video has become the platform’s most engaging form of content. In fact, the average Instagram user spends over half their time on the platform watching videos, and videos on Instagram receive 49% more engagement than photo posts.
“If you want to stay ahead of the game and front of mind, it’s crucial to jump on new features, like Reels for Instagram,” says Envato Digital Marketing Specialist, Madeleine Rochecouste. “If Instagram is your main social media platform or if you create video content regularly, you should consider creating or repurposing your content for Reels. It’s best to ride this wave in the early stages to get some more exposure from Instagram for the video that you create and share with your community.”
How to Use Instagram Reels
- Video: Select ‘Reels’ at the bottom of the Instagram camera, and choose from a variety of creative editing tools on the left side of your screen. Reels can be recorded one at a time, all at once, or using premade videos from your camera roll.
- Audio: You can search for a song from the Instagram music library, or use your own original audio. When you share a reel with original audio, and your account is public, other users can even create reels with your sounds.
- AR Effects: Select an effect from the vast gallery created both by Instagram and creators all over the world.
- Timer and Countdown: Set the timer to record a reel hands-free. Press record, and wait for the 3-2-1 countdown before recording begins.
- Align: You can then line up your previous clips while you record your next to help create seamless transitions between videos.
- Speed: You can choose to speed up or slow down any selected video or audio, to help you stay on beat or make slow motion videos.
- Specs: Minimum resolution for all Instagram formats is 1080×1080. Multiple aspect ratios are supported: Landscape aspect ratio is 16:9, square aspect ratio is 1:1, vertical aspect ratio is 4:5. Recommended video formats are .MP4 and .MOV.
If you need a little extra help creating content, video templates – such as After Effects templates and Premiere Pro templates – are a great, easy way to keep your Instagram Reels looking on point. Check out this Dynamic Fashion Opener by JoeProduction, these Glowing Scribbles by artino, or this Modern Typography Intro by YETYYY on Envato Elements.
Or, brush up on your video editing with YouTube sensations and video experts Josh Olufemii, Premiere Gal and Tutvid.
Live Video
In 2021, consumers are watching more video content than ever before. And now, it’s all about going live! From Facebook Live and TikTok to YouTube and Instagram Live, live video is proving to be the best way to capture the attention of your online audience.
The live video trend has become particularly popular on social media, with one in five Facebook videos being live streams and 1 million Instagram users watching live video every day. And, according to data sourced from Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Daily Esports, there was a 99% increase in the number of live videos being watched between April 2019 and April 2020 – a figure that was sure to have grown throughout the remainder of 2020.
Live video is so sought after on social media not just because of its real and authentic nature, but because it allows audiences to watch and interact with the content and people they love in real time. As a result of its popularity, many big brands and influencers have started going live on social media – such as Sephora, MTV and NASA and even Brooklyn 99 star Chelsea Peretti.
But live video isn’t just for brands and influencers – it has also become the new normal for shows, gigs and events, as it allows anyone to connect and experience the action remotely. And with live streaming now a necessity in many industries – particularly fashion, music and entertainment – big events have embraced live video, such as Glastonbury Festival. So if you don’t want to get left behind, now is the time to jump on the live video bandwagon!
“Live video seems to make the audience feel more involved, as if they can influence or be a part of the action as opposed to passively watching it,” says Envato Social Media Specialist Jo Birleson. “It’s more in the moment and appeals to that deep need we have for instant gratification.”
With so many people now creating and consuming live video – it’s go live or go home. But due to the raw, unedited nature of live videos, it pays to know how to create high-quality, well presented live video content to really capture your audience’s attention.
While you can easily live stream from your smartphone, as a videographer, you can also live stream high-quality video from a professional camera to Facebook, YouTube or Instagram to keep your video looking crystal clear.
“Live videos really benefit from being dressed up a bit,” says Envato Video Specialist Mark Brodhuber. “Using on-screen graphics, producers can take their videos to the next level by emphasizing the areas of the screen that they want users to focus on. Broadcast Packages, and Social Media Video Templates offer a massive variety of layouts that come with animated graphics to showcase products or information, while providing ample space for footage or video to be displayed at the same time.”
To go live in style, there are a range of things you can do to ensure your stream is as clear and crisp as possible. Good lighting, a good camera and microphone, and even implementing greenscreen are a few ways to make your live stream stand out. To promote your live stream, check out this Stream Gaming Pack by Premiumilk, this Live Stream Event Flyer Set by Guuver and this Holographic Live Stream Concert Flyer Set by aiyari on Envato Elements.
How to Go Live on Instagram, Facebook & YouTube
- Tap ‘New Post’ at the top of your feed, or simply swipe right from your feed. Scroll to ‘Live’, then tap ‘Go Live’.
- Instagram Live Video allows you to connect with your followers in real time for up to one hour.
- Once a live video has ended, you can download the video to your camera roll, share a replay of it to IGTV or share it from your Live Archive.
- Tap ‘Live’ at the top of your News Feed.
- You can select a broadcast type (example: ‘Lip Sync Live’) or tap to add an effect. You can also add an effect after you’ve started your broadcast.
- Tap ‘Start Live Video’.
- Tap ‘Finish’ to end your broadcast.
YouTube
- From the YouTube app, select the camcorder icon.
- Select ‘Go Live’.
- Add your title and privacy setting.
- Select ‘More Options’ to add a description.
- Tap ‘Share’ to share the link on social media.
- Select ‘Go Live’.
Stories
Since its launch in August 2016, Instagram Stories has become one of the most popular social media formats of all time. With 86.6% of Instagram users posting Stories and 500+ million people using Stories daily, there’s no question that the feature has had a huge impact on the way we consume and create content online. But Instagram isn’t the only platform utilizing Stories. Facebook, Google, and even LinkedIn have all jumped on this fan-favourite format and added Stories to their social media platforms.
As a result of the Stories phenomenon, further trends have begun to emerge – in particular, vertical and ephemeral video. Ephemeral videos such as Instagram Stories – which are usually only accessible for a 24-hour period – have absolutely exploded over the last few years. Perfect for video marketing, they’re a great way for creators to interact with their audiences and generate higher levels of engagement due to their time-sensitive nature.
Another trend born of Stories is vertical video. According to MediaBrix, vertical videos have a 90% higher completion rate than horizontal videos, with less than 30% of mobile users watching videos horizontally. Once limited to our phone screens, vertical videos are now everywhere – including Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok and even the big screen. The key takeaway? If you want to rise above the crowd as a video creator, you’ve gotta get vertical!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqiPZBZgW9c&feature=emb_title
“Over the last few years we’ve seen a shift in the consumption of media, with people now spending more time per day using a mobile phone than watching television,” says Envato Video Specialist Mark Brodhuber. “Adding to the explosive growth of video-based social platforms like Instagram Stories, Reels, TikTok & Snapchat, users now expect short, succinct and to-the-point video content. And because we’re talking about mobile consumption, the preferred orientation is trending towards vertical video.”
For long-form videographers and filmmakers, IGTV can be a good alternative to Reels or Stories. IGTV allows video creators to upload high quality, long-form, vertical videos between 15 seconds and 60 minutes long. IGTV videos still display vertically and full-screen like Stories, except they’re not ephemeral and allow you to post higher-quality, longer-form content.
To get your videos looking sleek and professional, it can pay to try out some After Effects templates and Premiere Pro templates. Or, to add some simple sparkle to your Stories or IGTV videos, try these Urban Instagram Stories by Colorama or this Instagram Stories Stomp Intro by NeuronFX on Envato Elements.
How to use Stories & IGTV
Stories
- In the app, click the camera icon in the top left corner to access the Instagram Stories camera.
- You can upload a premade video from your camera roll, or film directly from the Instagram or Facebook app.
- At the bottom of the screen, choose from a range of formats and effects to add to your video, then post.
IGTV
- In the app, select IGTV Video and choose the video you want to upload.
- Tap and slide the image at the bottom to select a cover image or tap Add from Camera Roll (iPhone) or Add from Gallery (Android).
- Enter a title, an optional description, and post.
- Before posting your IGTV video, you can also create or add to an IGTV Series, or post a preview of your video to your feed and on your profile.
- Recommended resolution is 1080 x 1920, with a minimum resolution of 720. Aspect ratio is 9:16 or 16:9, and in-feed previews show at 4:5.
- Videos are one to 15 minutes long when uploading from mobile, or up to one hour using desktop.
- Max file size for videos less than 10 minutes is 650MB, and 3.6 GB for up to 60 minutes. The required file format is MP4.
YouTube Shorts
A shiny new feature that’s still in beta, YouTube Shorts are 60-second vertical videos ideal for creators who want to shoot short, catchy videos optimized for a mobile-viewing experience.
In addition to showing on your channel, these short-form videos will be displayed on YouTube’s homepage ‘Shorts shelf’, allowing viewers to tap into a vertical viewing experience similar to Stories or IGTV. Long story short – this snappy, on-the-go video format is pegged to quickly become one of YouTube’s hottest trends.
YouTube’s short-form video creation tool, the Shorts camera, makes it easy to create snappy, 15-second videos, also giving the option to capture multiple clips. You can utilise various creative features for your Shorts, including video tools, music, speed controls, and a timer.
“With mobile devices dominating the online landscape, it’s changed the way the content on YouTube is consumed – and the video hosting giant has realised that!” says Envato’s Video Marketing Specialist Jen McKinnon. “People are watching on-the-go and YouTube is now bending to that user preference by introducing features that optimise the experience for their busy users.”
If you want to make your YouTube Shorts stand out, try out some video templates to dress up your videos in style. As YouTube Shorts is a new feature, existing Instagram Stories templates will work well for this vertical format. Try out these Instagram Stories by MotionLemon, this Instagram Stories Pack by Make-Space, or these Brutalism Instagram Stories by Colorama on Envato Elements.
How to Use YouTube Shorts
- Sign in to YouTube on mobile, and tap ‘Create a Short’.
- To record a clip, tap and hold the capture button or tap it to start recording. Tap it again to end the segment.
- Pick from a selection of songs that are free to use.
- Choose to speed up or slow down recording, or set the Countdown to record hands-free.
TikTok
Gen Z’s favourite app and one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the world, TikTok has dominated the social video space since it launched three years ago. The platform now has over 800 million active users worldwide.
Easy to use and fun to watch, TikTok allows users to create and watch short videos with music, filters, captions and other fun features. What makes TikTok different from other social platforms is that it’s mainly focused on entertainment, rather than connection and lifestyle. Because of it’s straightforward features, practically anyone can become a content creator on TikTok, which is why it appeals to a younger demographic.
However, TikTok still uses many of the tried and tested features of other social platforms. Similar to Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram Stories, TikTok videos are vertical, you can ‘heart’ your favorite videos, and use fun filters similar to Instagram and Snapchat. And much like YouTube and Instagram, it has its own ecosystem of influencers with millions of fans, such as Baby Ariel, Mackenzie Ziegler, and Charli D’Amelio who has a whopping 79.9 million followers.
Due to the quick-fix nature of social media, TikTok’s style of short-form video content has quickly become a staple of our social feeds. And over the last year, even big names such as MAC Cosmetics and the NBA have jumped on the TikTok trend to make their brands more accessible and give customers a glimpse behind the scenes.
While TikTok isn’t a particularly relevant platform for professional videographers or serious video creators, there’s no doubt that the platform is growing exponentially — which means there’s a huge audience ready to be tapped into by creative, fast-thinkers.
Unlike Instagram or YouTube, TikTok is a fairly even playing field when it comes to going viral. Even accounts with zero followers can get millions of views on a new video. By pivoting to TikTok, you could gain a huge number of views, fans or subscribers at the drop of a video.
How to create a video on TikTok
- Open the TikTok App and hit the plus sign.
- Choose your music. TikTok has a library full of clips of popular songs, or you can also use your own original music.
- When you’re ready to record your video, click on the plus sign at the bottom of the home screen.
- Edit your video, add a caption and hashtags, and post.
And that’s a wrap! We hope you enjoyed our guide to the top social media video feaures and formats to watch, and picked up some useful tips and info on how to show off your skills
If you want to take your videos to the next level, Envato Elements is a one-stop shop for Video templates like After Effects templates and Premiere Pro templates, and so much more.
Guest Author: Kelsie Rimmer
Kelsie is the Editor of the Envato Blog. Previously working in the fields of journalism, music and marketing, Kelsie is a connoisseur of all things creative. Editor by day and singer/songwriter by night, she is a passionate writer, musician and pun enthusiast.
