10 Steps to Better Vertical Video Performance

VIDEO MARKETING IN 2025 revolves around vertical video, as in Instagram and Facebook Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and even LinkedIn with a new scrollable video feed. Since video marketing is the majority of social media marketing now, many of the same rules apply.

1. Define Your Audience. This will likely be segmented into your core audience segments (such as self-purchasers, gift givers, engagement ring buyers, watch buyers, etc.).
2. Identify Your Purpose. Like any social post, a video should be educational, entertaining, or engaging (the 3 Es).
3. Focus on Your Audience. Your video content should deliver value. Follow the 80/20 rule, with 80% delivering on the 3 Es above and 20% promoting your store, big sale, etc.
4. Be Authentic. Beautiful, overly produced video is not well received on social media. We’ve tested the gorgeous videos provided by the big jewelry and watch brands against iPhone footage, and the phone wins every time. A lav mic for iPhone and minimal awareness of lighting will get you to the level of production quality needed for effective video on social.
5. Find Your Face. Faceless videos and unboxings have their place, but to grow a following, find the face, or faces, of your brand. Chances are at least one member of your sales team is good on camera and certainly knowledgeable about what they are selling.
6. Prioritize Your Platforms. Limit your focus to one platform then move to the next as you establish a following. If you spread yourself too thin, you likely won’t find footing on any platform. Also, remember different platforms will mean different audiences, so your video about estate jewelry may work well on Facebook but not find any love on TikTok. It’s always worth a test to find out.
7. Follow Trends (or not). One of the quickest ways to grow a following is to jump on social video trends, but many will not fit with the brand you’ve spent decades building.
8. Capture Attention Quickly. The video thumbnail and first 3 seconds of the video are key. Identify the most compelling static image in your video, and that’s what to use. Check metrics in the backend for initial engagement and where drop off happens to learn how to make the next video better.
9. Think Mobile. The rise of vertical video matches consumer viewing habits, so have a mobile-first mentality with aspect ratios, framing, size of text, and use of captions.
10. Consistency is Key. Have a regular cadence and a video feed that is both visually appealing and visually consistent.

Starting or expanding video marketing efforts is both time and resource intensive, but if done correctly, video will pay dividends with increased engagement from your current customers, expand your overall audience, generate better brand awareness, and ultimately, increase sales.