How to make a video for social media

Videos are transforming content on social media at the moment.  Right now it's supposed to generate the best reach and response levels on most social media platforms.

However while a lot of people try video at least once, the challenge seems to be about enabling people use video on social media more than once. Those who provide adverts for businesses are also pretty keen to to teach people how to use video for adverts.

This explains why the two major video platforms now have video functionality available:

• the YouTube Director app (currently only available for iPhone in the US and Canada) - this is brand new and comes with templates and step by step instructions and is essentially directed at making adverts for businesses
• Facebook Live Video - (Live is available to all Pages and profiles on Facebook for iOS, Android, and Facebook Mentions.) This enables you to live stream an event on Facebook. It's a bit like Periscope - but much more accessible. You just press "Go Live".  The icon that looks like a head surrounded by a couple of circles (waves) - it's inbetween the movie camera and tag icons on an iPhone. Plus the livestream automatically converts to video after the event so those who missed it can catch up.  The link provides a FAQs section for how it works and a TIPS section for how to get the best out of it e.g. telling people when you are going to broadcast!

A screenshot from the Facebook Live Tips section

I'll be developing a video section for the Art Business Info for Artists website which will include links to articles containing tips and techniques on other sites.

In the meantime, I'm just try to work out how I can stream video and take photos at events at the same time inside buildings which don't have great reception!

Artists can use videos for....

Here's a list of things artists can use videos for:

• Artists can demonstrate how they draw or paint. 
• Artists can share their first experiences of a new art medium, tool or piece of equipment.
• Art tutors can demonstrate how they demonstrate - and (using Facebook Live) have an interactive dialogue with people watching e.g. answer questions. It gives people a good impression of how good a teacher you are and how much you know (and vice versa!).  If you go to my Art Business Info for Artists Facebook Page you can see a first time Facebook Live Video that Sarah Morrish of Nature's Details did this week.
• Artists having open studios can indicate where their studios are - it's so much easier when you know what the place looks like that you're trying to visit. Plus they can do a tour of what's on offer. The trick is to provide enough but not too much information!
• Artists having private views can livestream from the Private View - or just before it starts!
• Artists and/or galleries having exhibitions can create a video advert for the exhibition
• Art Groups participating in live events in public spaces can use an video advert to advertise it's happening and then livestream the event. 

I'm sure you can think of more uses for art videos!