Some thoughts on short video operations

I haven’t updated for a long time. Today I want to write down some thoughts on short video operations . I hope that after writing it, I can get some new inspiration. If not, but it can bring some thoughts to those who see this article, it can be regarded as an extra gain. I will have the opportunity to continue writing in depth about short video operations in the future.

01. Let’s start with “decentralization”

The reason I talk about "decentralization" first is to explain that short videos, long and short pictures and texts, voice broadcasts, live broadcasts, etc. and even new media itself are just means of promotion. In fact, it is not just the BAT giants in the Internet that have now become multiple giants. Social media has also evolved from the earliest Weibo and WeChat to the later two and Douyin, and then to the current WeChat ecosystem, grass-planting platforms, short video platforms, question-and-answer platforms, information streaming media, FM platforms, etc. If you want to promote your brand business through new media, just choose the media platform that is useful to you.

In fact, some people have been saying that the era of short videos has arrived since a few years ago, and it hasn't been long until now. It is not the case that short videos have replaced the world. It will remain "decentralized" like pictures, texts, live broadcasts, voice, etc. It will not be the only one in the future, but it will become one of the standard features of enterprises. After all, social media accounts for too large a proportion of Chinese people's time. With the popularization of the Internet, the increasingly worthless traffic, and the advancement of technology, more and more people will definitely be keen on using short videos to obtain information or entertainment and social interaction.

There is no such thing as "short videos and live broadcasts are trends, and everything else is dead and there is no need to mention them", nor is there any need to make cultural or even moral judgments on the value and quality of short videos. Just choose the right platform, the right means, and the right content to operate. Everything that can be used by me is good.

02. Thoughts on benchmarking and verticalization

1) Misunderstanding of benchmarking reference: Accuracy of reference latitude

Many times when we create an account, we will habitually choose accounts in the same industry for reference, so the operations staff will often receive such a task requirement from their superiors: find an account with the same industry attributes and user groups as ours to learn from, and directly take their highly read video content, and we can just let someone else tell the story.

First of all, it can be said that there is no account that has exactly the same business objectives and users as your own brand. If there is such a brand, you will not survive long because there is no differentiation and no competitiveness. Secondly, it is easy to make two mistakes when finding the right benchmark account: small number and subjective judgment. Is it a bit hasty to think that one or two accounts are ok, or that an account you really like is ok, and they become the main accounts for reference?

Many times when you see one or two good things and want to start imitating them, you need to be cautious and ask yourself first: Does seeing one or two things mean that the whole world can represent everything? What you think is good is good?

This problem is not just about finding benchmark references for video accounts, it applies to everything. You need to read through at least dozens, hundreds or even a large number of accounts to make a comparison, do a more in-depth and comprehensive analysis and thinking, and have more profound ideas about the direction of your own account.

Similarly, if it is just for personal entertainment, personal learning, and personal digestion, you may think that the content and practices of one or two videos or accounts are not a big deal, but if you want to use them as a benchmark, you still have to discuss more with your teammates and reach a consensus before you can imitate them. Although we need to take small steps and make changes as we go along, we should not be too casual and rash, which will lead to a lot of useless work.

2) Misconception about vertical operations: There is absolutely no room for expansion

Everyone knows that vertical fields are easier to attract fans and the fans attracted are more valuable, but they also ignore that being too vertical can easily block one's own path. For example, those who sell milk powder would write every day about how good the milk powder is and how to make it, etc. Unless your account is dedicated to milk powder reviews, such content is just one of your many content directions.

For brands, it is necessary to plan the content of video accounts so that it is relatively diverse but not deviating from the original purpose. Starting from the users themselves, taking the milk powder example above, the content can be extended from milk powder itself to baby diet or knowledge on raising children, etc., so as to provide users with truly valuable content and give them stronger reasons to pay attention to you. Otherwise, isn't it natural that no one would pay attention to an account that advertises itself every day?

03. About thinking about skills

In fact, for short video platforms, whether it is Douyin, Video Account or other mainstream video platforms, skills are necessary, but not the only thing. They are more of icing on the cake. Too many people are too superstitious about skills, and they magnify skills or even some small tricks infinitely, but ignore the video content itself. For example, they maintain accounts, follow many benchmark accounts or friends of competitors, and are perfectionists who don’t post a single video for a month...

I still want to emphasize that there are no such things as various unverifiable little tricks heard on the Internet that can increase the number by 100,000. Even if there are miracles in the world, it is highly unlikely that they will happen to you. Even if they do happen, it depends on whether they are sustainable and replicable. Most likely, they will be negative. For example, there is someone around me who created an account but only posted thirty or forty videos. He concluded that the account was useless because he had few fans and wanted to create a new one. But later, this account regularly posted short videos every day, and slowly its followers increased every day.

It is normal for many accounts with a large number of fans to publish hundreds of works. There are also many accounts that delete some of their previous not-so-good works after they become successful.

Although no one wants to hear or do long-termism, making short videos is the same as making long and short pictures and texts. It still depends on long-term accumulation, quantitative changes and then qualitative changes.

If there is not enough content published, it is impossible to verify which content is probably good and which is not. This is what is called data analysis. Only after data is confirmed can further adjustments be made. Instead of the current practice of many people making videos and adjusting them arbitrarily based on their subjective feelings, you will find that they change the content direction, style, presentation form, etc. several times a week. As a result, not only do they attract inaccurate and worthless users, and the speed of increasing fans is slow, but the entire account positioning becomes blurred, which of course leads to inaccurate and no fans.

Returning to the content itself is the biggest skill, and doing some technical operations based on the characteristics of the platform is a better way of operation. Another biggest skill is to do a good job of attracting traffic. Many times, promotional work is lost once it’s launched. Check the homepage introduction, replies to comments, and the video itself to see if the guiding actions are in place.

The last thing I want to talk about is mentality. As mentioned above, making videos is actually a long-term thing. You don’t know which video will go viral before you release it, and you don’t have to imitate other people’s videos. The key is whether it has value. If you are an executor, you also need to have a strong heart, stick to yourself, and not be disturbed by various "suggestions" and "evaluations" made by anyone around you. Rationally distinguish reasonable suggestions and make adjustments, ignore worthless verbal comments, be patient with yourself and your account, and wait for feedback over time. Let us encourage each other.

Author: Operation of the Scapegoat Home

Source: Operations Home of the Scapegoat