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Every social media agency knows that video is a crucial part of the picture—but how do you prove the success of a social video campaign to clients? We'll walk you through it step-by-step.
Picture this…
You’ve spent countless hours developing a social media video campaign with your creative team.
In the last week, you’ve brainstormed and produced a series of videos that you believe are likely your agency’s best work by far.
You rush it to your creative director and get the nod.
The client approves.
A week later, the client calls and they are not happy.
They aren’t getting the kind of ‘traction’ or results they expected.
You pause.
Compose yourself.
You explain that you haven’t had a chance to look at the results of the entire campaign, but you will shortly and revert by close of business with feedback.
If any of that makes you feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable, that’s because it’s a fear most account managers and agency owners dread.
It points to one glaringly obvious issue: there’s a disconnect between your agency and client about how to measure video campaign success on social media.
And this disconnect is not uncommon. Forbes reports that “mismatched expectations, budgets and results” are some of the most common complaints clients have about past agencies.
A lack of clarity about how to measure social media video success as a ticking time bomb for any agency-client relationship. But there are ways to stave off this threat and deliver results.
You’re about to learn what the biggest challenge is that agencies face when producing social media videos and tracking their success, and which metrics matter most and why.
You’ll discover why view count shouldn’t make your list of critical metrics, and what essential elements you must include to create powerful social media videos.
I’ll also explain why your landing page is just as important as your video. Lastly, I’ll unpack 2 other important “external” components that, when applied to your campaigns, support your social media videos to help deliver the best possible results.
Addressing the subjectivity of success
Clients and agencies often have varied expectations of success. These expectations run the gamut, from brand awareness to conversion rates, and the number of clicks and views content gets.
Can these expectations be thrashed out before any content is created?
Definitely.
But often, clients may not understand key concepts, like the unique path their buyers take toward making a purchase, or exactly how their pain points influence decision-making.
But this is changing. There’s an upsurge of brands studying customer behavior. Hanover Research found that 80% of businesses conduct market research frequently. And those who take the time to learn about their customers and competitive landscape report a 95% ROI with some achieving 4x ROI.
As promising as these figures are, you cannot rely on your client to have done the legwork required to understand their buyers.
No matter if your client sells online courses or luxury handbags, clarity is essential. You must have a clear and honest conversation about how much they know and understand who they are targeting and what their expectations are of your work.
A client’s lack of clarity should be treated as a coaching opportunity. When done right, it helps cement the relationship by establishing a deeper sense of trust.
Neglecting the opportunity to educate your client could place you in a precarious position. If content is produced and results aren’t what your client was expecting, the buck stops with you.
Clarifying the funnel
Without clearly defined criteria for what a successful outcome after publishing a video on social media looks like, proving success is impossible.
Videos can be used to achieve unique goals at each stage of the funnel:
- A Top-of-funnel or ToFu video may have the goal of creating awareness and driving click-throughs to a landing page for a piece of gated content. It could also be used to drive traffic to a blog post or landing page that’s all about a problem your audience hasn’t quite defined. This could also be an opportunity for visitors to be remarketed to later. For SaaS building, understanding this funnel is crucial, as the focus might shift more towards metrics like lead generation and trial sign-ups.
- Middle-of-the-funnel or MoFu videos are designed to educate problem-aware prospects on how a solution solves their problem. The outcome could be early-stage sales from people who understand what they want and are ready to buy. Those who need more information might download a product guide or opt for proof that it works in the form of results other people have experienced.
- A Bottom-of-funnel or BoFu video would drive viewers to a sales page to make a purchase.
ToFu, MoFu and BoFu videos are click-through related, however, success is measured differently for each video. ToFu and MoFu in visits and leads generated, the BoFu in sales completed. For example, when planning an event, an event management platform can help track these stages effectively, offering a clear view of how videos and other content contribute to engagement and conversions at each funnel stage.
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Why understanding the right metrics is crucial
Not all metrics are equally important for measuring the success of your social media video campaigns.
Which matter? Here’s a breakdown of key metrics you should track and why:
- Play Rate: The percentage of people who play your video after seeing it. A high play rate indicates that your video’s thumbnail and title are compelling enough to grab attention. It’s a critical first step in ensuring your content is seen.
- Watch Time: Watch time refers to the total amount of time viewers spend watching your video. It’s a strong indicator of content quality and engagement. Higher watch times suggest that viewers find your video valuable and are willing to watch it through.
- Comments: The number of comments reflects how much your video resonates with viewers. Comments often indicate strong emotional engagement and can provide direct feedback on what your audience likes or dislikes.
- Social Shares: When viewers share your video, they’re endorsing it to their network, which can significantly amplify its reach. Social shares are a powerful form of word-of-mouth marketing and indicate that your content is impactful enough to be shared.
- Click-Through Rates (CTR): CTR measures how often people click on a link or call-to-action (CTA) within your video. A high CTR suggests that your video effectively persuades viewers to take the desired action, such as visiting a website or making a purchase.
- Conversions: Conversions track the number of viewers who complete a desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase, after watching your video. This metric directly ties your video’s success to tangible business outcomes, making it one of the most critical indicators of ROI.
Video length and views: 3 seconds vs 30 seconds?
Social platforms qualify a view as 3 to 30 seconds of watch time. If that sounds like a major disparity, that’s because it is.
Question is, which length should you consider as a valid video view?
30 seconds is enough time to ‘hook’ a viewer and begin building interest. 3 seconds is far too little time to achieve the same result.
For example, your client is a video platform that makes live-streaming for fitness creators easier and more lucrative than streaming on YouTube. There’s a fair amount of information you need to communicate in your video.
You could grab a viewer's attention in 3 seconds, but that’s all you can do in 3 seconds. Unless you convince them to continue watching your content, 3-second views are not a reliable measure of your video’s success.
Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says, “With over a million followers on Instagram and TikTok, we’ve found that focusing on 30-second retention rates drives 50% more conversions than just counting 3-second views. With the volume of video content we publish, holding attention beyond the first 10 seconds is crucial. The real challenge is delivering immediate value that encourages viewers to stick around, and this has led to significantly deeper engagement and stronger ROI, especially on platforms like TikTok where rapid scrolling is the norm.”
Videos with low views can still produce conversions
Depending on the nature and purpose of the video, it is possible for a video with a low view count to generate conversions and even revenue.
Because your videos will be part of larger marketing campaigns, there are internal and external factors that influence how well a video converts.
Internal factors that influence video conversion rates
Videos with low views can still generate conversions targeting and resonating with the right audience. These are the internal factors that contribute to driving video conversions:
The awareness stage of the viewer: The customer awareness journey was introduced by Eugene Schwartz in 1966. Since then, this simple framework has supported countless marketing campaigns and strategies and you should apply it to yours.
If a viewer is product-aware, they may be closer to making a purchase decision. Videos targeted at this stage don’t need mass appeal but rather a strong, convincing message that drives action from viewers who are already engaged with the brand.
The strength of the message: A powerful, persuasive message can overcome low view counts by strongly resonating with viewers. If the message grabs attention, is intriguing, and aligns with the viewer’s needs and desires, it can drive them to take action, regardless of the number of people who see the video and are not its ideal audience.
The most impactful videos leverage real customer soundbites, words they use to describe their experiences with your product or what life was like before they discovered it
Message clarity: Richard Shotton's book, The Illusion of Choice, is a look at the psychological biases that influence what we buy. He discovered that participants in a study recalled 6.7% of concrete phrases.
These are words that are clear and easily understood. A clear, concise message makes it easier for viewers to understand your value proposition quickly. When the message is direct and easy to grasp, it can efficiently move the right viewers toward a conversion.
Production quality: High-quality production can enhance credibility and make the video more compelling. Even with a small audience, a well-produced video can create a lasting impression that leads to conversions. Quality can also convey professionalism, which can be crucial in convincing viewers to trust the brand.
External factors that influence video conversion rates
External factors are elements related to a social video but are associated with other assets, like a landing or sales page. Here’s how each external factor contributes to the success of a video:
Landing or sales page messaging: The landing page copy should seamlessly match the message from the video. If you’re producing ads, you’ve likely heard of “ad scent”. It’s described as the consistency of the messaging and visuals between the video’s content and the destination page.
When carried from video to landing page, this consistent look and feel reassures the viewer that they’re in the right place. It reinforces the message and increases the likelihood of conversion. Any disconnect can create confusion and lead to drop-offs.
Addressing the next stage of the buyer’s awareness: The landing page must effectively address the next stage of the buyer’s awareness, providing information and incentives relevant to their current awareness level.
Compelling and persuasive copy tailored to this stage helps guide the viewer toward conversion by answering potential questions and addressing any lingering doubts.
A strong and compelling call to action: A clear and persuasive call to action (CTA) is crucial for driving conversions. Your CTA should be aligned with the video and landing page messaging, urging viewers to take the next step.
Effective CTAs use strong action verbs and create a sense of urgency or value, making it easier for viewers to make a decision and convert.
Leave no stone unturned
It’s possible to deliver amazing social media video campaigns that don’t just look good but perform exceptionally well too.
But you have to cover your bases. Win your client over by clearing the air and establishing exactly what they want and how to get there. Then use these ideas and create social media video campaigns that are outcome-based.
About the author
Amir is the Head of Demand Gen at Uscreen, an all-in-one membership platform built for video creators. With Uscreen, creators can easily create paid memberships that include an on-demand video library, live streaming capabilities, and their own community space, all in their own branded site and apps.