Video is a big deal on social media these days. How do I know this? Primarily I’m aware because I use social media for business and in my personal life, and I see more and more video content in my feeds. However, I’m also aware because I stay apprised of such matters as owner of a digital marketing and public relations firm; it’s my job to keep watch for what’s on the horizon in social media.

I’m always spying the horizon because that’s one of the best ways to know how and where to focus content creation and promotional efforts on social networks. By paying attention to what capabilities those networks are currently enhancing, investing in, and touting, I and my clients can be at the front of the pack. Right now, video is by far “the big thing” on social networks—and it has been so for more than a year. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and of course, YouTube are ever-expanding their capabilities to encourage people and businesses to post video content.

If you’re on social media at all—be it for work, fun, or both, surely you’ve noticed the same thing about videos. Well, it’s now time to connect the dots. Sharing video content isn’t something just for ‘other’ businesses to do; it’s for your business to do.

Why should you include video in your social media marketing? As social networks amp up their focus on video, there are potential benefits for those of us who create and share accordingly.

Be a step ahead of the competition. If you’re at the forefront, you’ll gain the skills, plot the best strategies, and make the most of creative ideas. You’ll also have more time to get any trial-and-errors out of the way on the path to making video work for your biz.

The social networks may favor video over other content. While none of us will ever crack the codes on the major social networks’ algorithms, it’s quite logical to presume there are benefits for producing the kind of content that they are most strongly promoting and investing in themselves. For example, we already know Facebook doesn’t show all your followers all of your content, but perhaps they are more likely to display your Facebook Live broadcasts or prerecorded video content in posts as they attempt to get users to embrace the next wave.

Video gets attention. At the end of the day, statistics show that people on social media like and respond to video content, and the numbers are growing rapidly. Ultimately, this is what matters most! You want to connect with your audiences in ways that appeal to and engage them; the data proves video does just that.

At this point you may be thinking that all this sounds well and good, but you already have enough of a challenge coming up with things to post. Your hands are full just trying to find photos and nuggets of information that are worth sharing; the thought of incorporating video starts to make your head spin.

Spin not! Here are a few ideas to ease you and your team into the video-for-social arena.

Feature people before places and products: Customers need to know, like, and trust in order to bring business your way, so film people more often than places and product. Have a smiling associate answer a question on camera. Film the manager introducing a new line. Invite a happy customer to offer a video review. Take measures to get good lighting and audio so your videos are pleasant to watch and easy to hear.

Go LIVE: Facebook LIVE is a great starting point for your video endeavors. These in-the-moment videos can be low-key and simple. If a broadcast goes well, you can choose to keep it on your Facebook page (and conversely, you can not save a broadcast that was less than stellar). In my corner of the world, Facebook LIVE has proven to be most useful in the long term, meaning that my clients benefit most from the cumulative views over time rather than views occurring as the video happen.

Keep clips short and sweet: When the Food Network first got into posting video content on Facebook, they attempted to create a mini-show featuring a cocktail creation challenge. For such a large company, their views and engagement were only “meh”. However, they found that really quick clips that stick to one visually interesting topic rack up massive views and interactions. This approach can translate this for your business in countless ways, i.e. a 20-second clip in which an associate shows the top three gray carpets you sell or shares one flooring installation tip.

Cross-promote and repurpose: Video created for Facebook can work just as well when shared on Instagram or YouTube. Make your content go the extra mile by promoting it anywhere and everywhere (even with links in your email newsletter), and reuse the content across all platforms. A little video content can—and should—go a long way.

Need even more practical tips? I share additional ideas and information on my blog at msg2mkt.com and through articles I publish on LinkedIn. Connect with me, and let’s stay in touch!