As a self storage facility operator, getting creative with your marketing efforts and expanding your reach beyond traditional mediums is more important than ever. One of the most effective ways to engage potential customers is by creating videos for social media.
Videos can attract attention, build relationships, and showcase the unique offerings of your brand in an engaging way. Your audience wants to see more videos, too - in fact, half of social media users prefer video over other forms of content, and people share video content twice as much with their friends when compared to static social media posts.
To help you get started on creating social media videos as a part of your marketing plan, we’ve put together some tips that all self storage facility operators should follow.
Social Media Video Platforms
Almost all major social networks use their own forms of video and there are many ways of integrating it into your marketing strategies. Before we dive into how to create social media videos, it's critical to understand each of the major social media platforms that feature video.
Not sure which social media platform is best to post on? It will depend on your target demographic. We recommend reviewing your ideal customer base and the demographic of your local area and comparing that with the average user of each platform. Spend your time on the platform where your audience is.
For example, if your self storage facility is in a college town, you may want to appeal to the students who are active on TikTok. If your city is in the suburbs, you can reach young families on Instagram and Facebook. But if you're trying to appeal to your local 65+ community, sticking to just Facebook may be better for you to start.
TikTok 101
TikTok is a mobile-only video platform dedicated to creating short-form videos (videos that are 15 seconds or less, though users can upload videos as long as 60 seconds or 3 minutes long if deemed eligible). The platform offers users the ability to create their own videos and edit them with one of its many filters, special effects, and audio tracks.
Since its launch in 2017, TikTok has become a popular destination for creating videos. While many associate TikTok with dance trends for teenagers, the app has become so much more with a user base of 1 billion users worldwide - with 80% of those users being between the ages of 16 and 34.
Instagram Reels 101
Instagram started as a photo-sharing app but has evolved into so much more. In the past, users would upload square videos to fit Instagram's required video format. But now, to compete with TikTok, Instagram videos now are all uploaded as vertical Instagram Reels in a 9:16 ratio.
Instagram Reels function very similarly to TikTok, where each short video is no more than 60 seconds in length and is often accompanied by a trending sound. Also similarly to TikTok, business accounts are limited to which audio they can use for copyright purposes.
Facebook 101
Facebook is home to 2 billion monthly active users, making it the biggest social network in the world. Facebook allows you to share videos in a few different ways:
- Sharing a Facebook video as a standard social media post, which can be boosted into social media ads
- Live streaming videos as a Facebook Live
- Shared as a Facebook Reel, which functions similarly to Instagram Reels and can be cross-posted on your social media channels
Facebook also has a feature called "Stories" where users can upload video content that is only visible for 24 hours, similar to Instagram and Snapchat. When you share Stories on Facebook or Instagram, it can help build brand awareness by keeping your content at the top of your audience's feed.
YouTube and YouTube Shorts 101
YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine behind Google and has over 2 billion monthly active users. YouTube videos are typically much longer than other social media, and it is an excellent tool for creating videos that can attract new customers.
Since 2020, YouTube has also begun offering its own version of short-form videos: YouTube Shorts. These are 15 seconds or less and can be shared within YouTube itself as well as across other social media networks.
Creating high-quality videos for social media can be intimidating, but with the right strategies, creating effective video content that resonates with your audience gets easier over time. Utilizing these tips and understanding each platform’s unique nuances will help you create a successful content strategy for your self storage facility.
Pinterest 101
Pinterest is a visual social media platform that has more than 400 million users worldwide. Videos on Pinterest can be up to 15 minutes long and can easily be shared as posts or used in ads. The videos are also very interactive, allowing viewers to click through to websites and products related to the video; this feature makes Pinterest video stand out against other social platforms. With its large user base, creating and sharing videos on Pinterest can be a great way to reach new customers.
How to Create Social Media Videos
Creating successful social media videos requires planning, creating content that resonates with your audience, and making sure you’re using the right platform for the job. With these tips in mind, self storage facility owners should have no issue creating engaging video content.
If you're not sure how to create video content for social media for your self storage facility, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. When following these steps, implement these tips and tricks to see a steady increase in organic engagement.
Select What Video You're Going to Film
As an owner or operator of a self storage facility, creating engaging and informative videos for social media can be a great way to generate excitement around your brand and make it easier for potential customers to discover you. When creating content, if your goal is for potential and existing renters to engage with your brand, make sure your post fits into one or more of the following pillars:
Entertaining Video Content
Creating content that’s entertaining and fun to watch is a great way to move potential customers down the sales funnel. This could be something humorous, like a funny tutorial on how to use your facility. Keep reading to see what other self self storage facility operators and small business owners are doing to tap into trends and have fun with it.
Educational Social Media Posts
Creating educational video content can help potential renters learn more about your facility, its features, products, and services, as well as what makes it different from other storage facilities in your area.
Creating informative videos can also be very helpful in creating a relationship with potential customers. These types of videos should provide valuable information about your self storage facility and help answer frequently asked questions. If you have a blog post, you can use the points in that blog to create a how-to video.
Inspirational Content Worth Saving
Creating content that’s inspiring and highlights the unique features of your facility can help potential renters connect with your brand on a deeper level. Consider sharing ways to best utilize storage unit sizes, or a recap video of an event at your facility to highlight just how special it is.
Once you’ve determined the type of video you want to create, think about what story angle or narrative you’d like to focus on. This could be creating a tour of your facility, creating a video highlighting the different features and services you offer, product videos if you sell storage accessories, or creating a behind-the-scenes look at how your facility operates. You can also share reviews on social media as captions or overlayed text in videos.
When creating social media videos, make sure it’s tailored to fit each platform’s unique specifications. For example, Instagram has specific dimensions for creating the perfect square post and YouTube requires longer videos for its platform. Keep this in mind when creating your video content.
Use Quality Equipment
When creating videos, you don’t need to use an expensive camera or editing software to create high-quality content. However, investing in quality equipment can help you create better visuals that will capture the attention of potential customers. Consider using a smartphone with a good camera or an inexpensive camcorder to create your content. You can also purchase affordable editing software, like iMovie and Windows Movie Maker, that will help you edit your videos.
Get Creative & Have Fun
Video content doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. When creating content, be creative and have fun with it! With the right planning and creativity, creating videos for social media can be a great way to reach potential customers and promote your self storage facility.
Know What Post-Production Entails
Make a post-production schedule, especially when your videos serve ads or require specialized editing tasks. Post-production can be as simple as trimming any parts of your video that you don't want to include and then adding music in TikTok or Instagram Reels.
There are additional features like caption closure, text overlay, call-to-action screens, and more. The more footage you make, the more time you'll need, and the length of your video will depend on the social media platform. We always recommend that you add captions if you're speaking in your video. Not only does this make your content ADA-friendly, but 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound, so adding captions in the video creation process can help boost your watch time and engagement so people don't scroll away.
When you're just starting out, we recommend keeping your videos to 60 seconds or less. This way, you can feel more comfortable filming and your audience will be more engaged, too. In a survey, 58% of viewers said they'd watch a video all the way through if it was less than a minute long.
TikTok videos, for example, should be less than a minute long, but a YouTube video can be much more involved. While Facebook videos can also be on the longer side, we still recommend you create videos that are 60 seconds or less that attract viewers to keep their attention spans.
Schedule and Promote the Videos
We recommend batch filming your content - filming multiple videos in one session - so you can pre-schedule your content and save time throughout your week. Most social media platforms include a scheduling function natively within the app. For example, the Meta Business Suite allows you to plan and schedule all of your Facebook posts in advance, and on TikTok, you can either save all of your posts as drafts on your phone or upload them to your desktop for scheduling.
However, if you're using multiple social media platforms at once, it may be easier to use a social media management tool. These connect to your social media accounts so you can schedule everything in one, convenient place. Many of these, like Later, have free plans with limitations that will work if you're just starting out. However, you may outgrow a free plan and need to upgrade to a paid version, like Sprout Social or Hootsuite. These management tools are typically available on both iOS and Android devices, in addition to having a desktop version.
Analyze Your Performance & Adjust Accordingly
Once your video is published, track its performance. Check out engagement metrics like likes, shares, views, and comments to understand if viewers are enjoying your content.
You can also use analytics tools to see how effective your videos are in driving traffic to your website. Analyzing this data will help you understand what works for your self storage facility and what doesn’t so you can tailor your content accordingly. We recommend checking your engagement metrics at least once per month.
Self Storage Social Media Accounts To Follow
Looking for some social media marketing inspiration? Check out some of these self storage influencers who do a fantastic job engaging with their audiences.
AJ Osborne
You may know AJ Osborne from his website, Self Storage Income, and the Self Storage Income Podcast. Osborne shares Instagram Reels frequently, loading his videos with informational content about the self storage industry and repurposing content from his podcast into social video content.
Frazier Robison
If you're looking to get your self storage facility on TikTok but need some video content ideas, look no further than Frazier Robison.
Robison will create engaging short videos for his TikTok account, where his educational content borders on entertainment. From explainer videos to anecdotes about the good, bad, and ugly, Robison bares it all on his TikTok and has amassed over 433,000 followers in the process with his video posts that are short and capture his audience's attention.
Masha Klapinova
Looking to create LinkedIn video or Instagram video content? Masha Klapinova shares video clips across social channels. This social media marketer has built an emotional connection with her audience, even being dubbed The Storage Queen by podcast hosts when she guest spots with them.
Strengthen Your Brand
Creating social media videos can be a great way to engage with potential customers and build relationships with them. By following these tips, you can create effective videos that will help promote your self storage facility in a creative and engaging way.
To further grow your self storage facility, joining the Storelocal® Brand Program can help you compete with the REITs online. Enjoy the benefits of Storelocal's brand awareness and take advantage of our marketing efforts without losing your independence as a facility manager.
