Blog

By Torrey Tayenaka

It’s 2018, and the times are changing once again for video, It’s time to start focusing on silent video again.

Why you ask? Well, people are now watching 100 million hours of video on Facebook every day! Think about how people view their Facebook feed, often silently scrolling on their phone and secretly viewing their endless feed at work. That means many of these views are coming from mobile autoplays, which are silent or in a cubicle where volume is not an option.

So what does that mean for video advertisers? That video you made for the Super Bowl, YouTube, or any other medium won’t have the same impact while viewed silently on a user’s Facebook feed. Brands need to be making a conscious move to create specific content for every delivery system, including the no audio land of Facebook video ads and the short-form video format of YouTube Shorts.

We can already see your CFO shaking their head, “You need a whole new video!?” Tell that little puppy to relax, If planned correctly, you can create this Facebook focused content with just a little forward thinking and a bit of extra editing. Ready to get started?

1. THINK VISUAL

It’s crucial to make your images big, bold, and visual so that the video will pop on Facebook. You need to catch your viewers’ eyes while they are scrolling a sea of Kardashians, exes, and the well educated and opinionated posts about Making a Murderer. Your images should be high contrast and poppy so that it is not confused with the normal video content that needs audio to explain what is happening.

2. CONTENT THAT EXPLAINS ITSELF

You are going to have to rethink your storytelling, but it can get fun fast. Content that doesn’t require audio to explain the frustration, happiness, or cool factor can make an impact immediately.

3. LARGE GRAPHICS

Need a little help getting your idea or point across without audio? Get creative with large titles emphasizing key steps or features of your video. Make sure they stick to your brand look and feel to stay consistent.

4. ANIMATION

Animations are massively visual-heavy by nature, which allows the transition to a no-audio version to be very easy and effective. Think about designing your script or outline to work without a VO, and your animation will make a quick transition to Facebook without much extra work.

5. MEME TIME

Ready to add some humor to your brand’s feed? Try creating a few memes. Remember to keep them light, and don’t take yourself too seriously. There is less content with memes than with videos, but they can still build a solid following.

6. SUBTITLES

If you have no time or can’t think of any possible way to translate your video content to the silent film era please, please, please at least add subtitles while uploading to Facebook. It’s the easy way out, but it will get the job done. Don’t miss out on the millions of views living on your silent news feed.

I am sure you have ideas brewing already on how you can take advantage of this massive silent audience of Facebook. Check out a few of my favorite brands killing the silent game, then head out and do it yourself!

Now This - Breaking world news in small bite-sized silent pieces

BuzzFeed Food - Delicious food and recipes delivered in short silent videos

Sparkhouse offers social media video production to help you with any of your social media videos!

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