12 Apr 5 Myths About Creating Videos For Social Media

In a previous article, How Executives Can Use Video on Social Media, we shared why videos can be an important tool for executives.

Based on our own executive clients, we find that those who share videos featuring themselves speaking about industry topics consistently outperform executives who do not create videos. Creating videos for executive social media is more straightforward and easier than you think.

So, why are many executives still hesitant to appear in front of the camera?

Keep reading to learn about the top five myths about videos that are holding executives back from achieving more engagement with their social media content, strengthening their thought leadership, and driving toward their business goals.

Myth #1: Videos Have To Be Highly Polished and “Professional”

There’s a misconception that videos shared on an executive’s social media page need to be professionally produced with high production value (and thus, time-intensive, costly to create, and difficult to schedule). While this is certainly one method, keep in mind that social media is a space where authenticity and relatability matter more than what camera model you’re using to film.

There’s no need for a fancy studio or professional lighting. The video quality just needs to be “good enough.” What do we mean by that?

It means creating a video that gets your message across in a way where the viewer isn’t being distracted by other elements of the video, such as poor lighting or bad audio quality. That’s a different mindset than creating a video that’s “professionally produced.”

Our tips:

• No need for fancy recording equipment. You most likely already have what you need — your smartphone or laptop! In fact, you may have already come across videos on LinkedIn where executives use their Zoom recording function to record thought leadership videos directly from their computers.
• Consider filming with natural light sources, like next to a window, to enhance the lighting in your video without the need for expensive lighting set-ups. Just make sure it’s consistent and there’s no obvious glare.
• If you’re using a smartphone, try using a tripod to avoid shaky footage. On the other hand, there’s something really authentic about an executive shooting a “walking” video where they’re walking from point A to point B while sharing their insights! If the visuals aren’t too shaky, your viewers won’t mind as long as what you’re saying is interesting and engaging.
• Experiment with different filming locations: your office, a local park, or even your car. This next example isn’t for a video but illustrates a convenient way for leaders to create content. Mark Rosewater, the Head Designer at Magic: The Gathering, uses his drive-to-work time to record podcasts. His consistent recording schedule and insightful industry content elevate his thought leadership.

Myth #2: Videos Take A Lot Of Time And Effort To Create

Some executives believe that producing videos for social media is a time-consuming task. While it certainly can be, there are a number of ways to minimize both the time and effort spent on video creation.

In fact, many executives often underestimate the efficiency of simple recording setups and shorter formats, which is why myth #1 and myth #2 often go hand-in-hand.

Our tips:

• One way to save time and effort is to find executive social media agencies that can support with video scripting and even post-production. Planning the topics executives want to speak about can also take time, which is something social media strategists can also help out with.
• Recording multiple videos in bulk can be much more convenient in the long run. For example, consider a Chief Innovation Officer who’s launching an FAQ video series. Instead of filming one or two videos per month, which adds to the set-up time, try filming all videos at one time. The videos can then be shared on a consistent basis afterward.
• Because videos don’t need to be professionally shot and executives can use their smartphone, many videos can be posted as is or just require light editing. Video editing tools are already available as smartphone features or you can download separate video editing apps for free.

Myth #3: B2B Executives Don’t Need To Create Videos

Many B2B executives assume that video content is more suitable for B2C industries, overlooking its potential for thought leadership, networking, and relationship-building in the professional sphere.

With most social media platforms constantly updating their video features, it’s not a surprise that this format has become a priority over the years. Videos are an effective way to tell stories and connect with your audience. The format is more personal than a faceless text post, allowing executives to share their insights and passion about their industry.

Our tips:

• Executives should think about the topics that are important to their stakeholders, whether it’s the direct consumers, investors, partners, or even employees. Video can be an effective way to personalize social media interactions with these stakeholders in order to foster stronger relationships and build trust.
• LinkedIn in particular is an excellent platform to engage with other B2B professionals. Compared to other social media platforms, LinkedIn is more “learning” oriented, while others might be more geared towards entertainment. This means an executive’s audience is already in the right mindset of wanting to learn more.
• That being said, it’s important to choose the right social media platform for your executive social media goals, which might be LinkedIn or another platform. While many B2C executives will gravitate towards Instagram and TikTok and B2B executives lean towards LinkedIn, there may be opportunities to develop a cross-platform strategy that gets your executive’s message out to a wider audience.

Myth #4: Videos Must Be Lengthy to Be Effective

Some executives believe that videos need to be lengthy to convey their message effectively, overlooking the potential impact of concise and focused content tailored to the platform’s audience.

You may have heard that the average person has an attention span of around eight seconds (and one study found that Gen Z audiences have a 1.3-second attention span for ads). This means that videos for executive social media need to be instantly engaging. There’s no use in creating a long five-minute video if the first few minutes are the lead-up to the most engaging insights later in the video.

Our tips:

• Consider this: an executive uses their phone to pan across the various booths at a trade show. At the end, they turn their camera back to themselves and mention that they’re excited to be here and can’t wait to share more insights in the days to come. That’s the full video, which may be around 10-15 seconds in length, yet it’s beneficial in a number of ways. It shows that the executive is active in the industry and is staying on top of trends, and viewers can expect to hear directly from the executive and get their valuable insights. A short video can go a long way for an executive’s personal branding, and as a bonus, it’s not a difficult video to shoot.
• Having a pre-written script can help many executives film shorter videos so that they don’t go off-topic. However, it’s important to come across as authentic, rather than robotically reading off a script. For some executives, this takes practice! Some executives may find that having a bullet point list can help keep them on topic, while giving them the freedom to speak authentically.
• Many executives are passionate about their company’s service or product. But the pitfall they often get into is that they try to pack as much information into one video as they can, rather than picking one focus for each video. If there are five things you want your target audience to know about your business, don’t cram all five into one video. Instead, create five videos and post them on social media once a week, or even every other week if you want to draw out the posting schedule.

Myth #5: Videos Don’t Help Drive Business Results

Some executives doubt the ROI of video content on their social media profiles, overlooking its potential to increase engagement, build brand authority, and drive conversions.

While certain aspects of personal branding can be difficult to measure, it’s clear that there are several intangible benefits to using social media. Leveraging social media can help position executives as thought leaders and experts in their field. This helps build their credibility and also impacts how stakeholders view the company.

Online users are also more willing to pay attention to “promotional” content when it appears authentic. This is why executives can be their company’s top influencer, helping to drive conversations, engagement, and conversions.

Our tips:

• Set clear goals for your video content strategy. Which topic will help drive brand awareness? Which topic is for generating potential leads? Who are you trying to reach — your customers, potential investors, or your employees?
• What is your video’s CTA, or call to action? This is the next step you want your viewers to take. Is it to visit your company’s website? To share their thoughts in the comments?
• Test with different video formats, topics, and even platforms to see what resonates the most with your target audience.

Lights, Camera, Action!

For executives who don’t typically get in front of the camera, launching videos for their social media presence can be a challenge. Preconceived notions about video creation and benefits are plenty, yet we’ve shown that five of the most common social media video myths are completely busted.

Social media videos are an engaging way for executives to share their unique insights while helping marketers drive toward company objectives. If you’re interested in learning more about creating and sharing videos on social media for your or your executive’s online presence, click the button below and connect with one of our social media experts today!

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