
Even before the age of the smartphone, our brains were hardwired for visual information. According to neuroscientists, the human brain can take as little as 13 milliseconds to process images. So it’s no surprise that researchers at video production company Wyzowl found that 69% of consumers prefer video over text. When learning about services and products, visual content is easier to process, with 95% retaining information.
For businesses who want to make a lasting impression, video might be the best medium to keep your audience engaged. That doesn't mean blogs and captions have no place in the marketing world — but if you were to pick one, vlogs, reels, and stories might be more effective.
Here are three tips on making the most out of the tools the varying video-sharing platforms offer you.

1. Build Brand Trust By Partnering with YouTube Creators
In 2021, most popular YouTube channels aren't actually from brands, they’re people. How, then, do the likes of Pewdiepie, Markilipier, and MrBeast manage to keep their subscriber counts in the millions? Simple. Customers crave personal connections, with a 2020 CGS study revealing that 38% of human respondents look for it in their consumer interactions.
This means YouTube is the best platform for when you want to show your products in action. If you're in the beauty business, you could, for example, collaborate with beauty gurus who can test and review your products and share their findings with their audiences. If you're in the fashion industry, invite a fashion influencer to model your items in a video lookbook. People want to know that your products work or look great, and they’ll want to hear it most from someone they trust.
Partnering with content creators helps with product demonstrations because YouTubers are able to connect with their audience on a more intimate level. After all, when you’re watching your favorite YouTuber having fun, it’s hard not to want whatever they’re having.

2. Show Authenticity in Your Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are best for businesses that want to show their audiences that they’re a brand you can talk to. Because most viewers know that it takes effort to create long-form content, often, at the cost of delivering quality, you might sacrifice authenticity. Stories let consumers see behind the curtain and show a side of your brand that’s more authentic and human. Because Stories don’t show up on your users' feeds, you have the freedom to create content that’s less curated. By revealing your brand’s personality, you build a stronger rapport with your audience.
To make the most out of your Stories, be sure to make use of the platform’s many engagement tools. A guide to Instagram Stories for businesses on Later lists six different ways you can boost engagement among followers: poll stickers, emoji slide stickers, question stickers, quiz stickers, chat stickers, and going live. For instance, if you're in the pastry business, you can use poll stickers to have followers vote on new flavors. Or, you can use emoji slide stickers to hype up the release of your activewear line. These engagement tools will let your customers interact with you in a casual, low-stakes environment, while also helping you understand their wants.
3. Build a Connection Through TikTok
Audiences will want to engage with brands in a personal way. Sometimes that means making them feel like part of a community, while other times it means giving them something to identify with.
If you want to be a brand your viewers feel connected to, the short-form video platform TikTok’s many avenues for interaction might appeal to you. Users on TikTok can not only comment and like, but also join hashtags and respond to content with videos of their own. All of these tools combined make sure that when a creator joins a hashtag, it feels as though they're participating in an event or group activity, like #SHEINHaul or #Gymsharkwomen.
As our 'The Truth About Hashtags' post points out, using them will encourage customers to build on your content and help you turn your audience into something like a community. For example, you can post a video of someone working out while wearing your new activewear line. Make a hashtag that challenges your customers to wear your products and showcase their own workout routines. This way, they'll associate your products with the feeling of being empowered to better themselves physically.
The great thing about video sharing platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok is that they're mostly free. Posting on Stories to document a day in the life of your business will cost nothing. And while you might have to shell out money to partner with influencers and craft content, posting videos on your social media can be highly effective in engaging your following, reaching out to new consumers and generating healthy returns.
I have my own coffee shop and I run a YouTube channel where I post videos about my business, promotions and so on. After I shoot the next video I go to edit it. This site has a large list of programs that can be useful for video editing. I need a video editor as it takes me a lot of time, maybe you can help with that?