Creating Video Content To Get More Traffic To Your Blog (With Less Effort!)

Last updated on October 14th, 2021

In this article, you will learn how creating video content can get more traffic to your blog so you grow your blog faster! One of the best ways right now to expand your written content is by creating VIDEO content but it doesn’t end with the video itself.

Let’s talk about the ways to visually promote your video so you maximize your growth in less time and effort!

So many people think that when they’ve said something once, everyone’s heard it. That isn’t the case at all!

I think it’s a common misconception that if you “repeat” yourself then you’ll end up annoying people. The honest truth is that even if you put the same piece of content on social media, your newsletter, and a blog post: it’s unlikely the same people are going to see it.

What’s much more likely to happen is that MORE eyes are going to see it, giving you amply opportunity to be “everywhere at once” with much less effort.

And let’s face it, it’s exhausting to constantly try to figure out new things to say on every single platform.

You don’t have to copy and paste the whole thing, you can take bits and pieces or expand on it in different ways. Stagger the posts so it spreads over a week and BAM you have a week worth of content!

For example, once you’ve written a blog post, you can go live about the topic of that post. Then, you can take that video and embed it on your blog, share on social media, and create visual promotions like video pins, stories, and so much more.

You’re everywhere all at once with much less effort than thinking of something new to say on every single platform, every single day. Talk about burnout!

Why is creating video content so important?

Video popularity has been increasing dramatically over the past few years and it’s becoming more and more important on every platform! For bloggers, this gives us opportunity to attract traffic from:

• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok

And now more than ever, these platforms are pushing video between Facebook lives, stories, IGTV, and now story pins on Pinterest!

Video is the way the world is moving and as bloggers, it’s important to understand how we can use this to leverage our blog.

Want to save this post for later? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest Board!

Video strategy for your blog

When I first started my blog, I knew my goal was to grow my list to 1000 subscribers in the first 3 months.

I did many things to get to this goal but one of the best things I did was a weekly Facebook live. I usually talked about a topic that I had a freebie for and my call to action at the end of the live was for people to download the freebie.

I would then write a blog post about the topic of the live and embed my Facebook live video in the post. This also helped grow my Facebook pixel for when I was ready to run ads because every view counted towards my Facebook pixel.

Video was also a great way to connect with the audience I had at the time. It really helped develop a relationship and connection which meant even if my audience was small, it was engaged and ready to convert when I launched my first digital product.

Anyway, back then there were no video pins or IGTV so I didn’t really do much else with video but now there are SO many options. Let’s talk about the different ways we can repurpose video content so that we maximize our time and our results!

Start with any video you want: live or pre-recorded

At this time in my life, pre-recorded is much easier than trying to find a quiet time to do a live video. My kids used to nap, but not anymore. And with school being out, the time is even more limited.

Whatever you are more comfortable with, just start with any video: a live video or prerecorded.

Then you’ll want to upload it on all of your social platforms and inside of a new or old (but relevant) blog post.

Side note: You can also start with an already written blog post and create a video for it as well. I sometimes do this as a way to refresh the post.

Now comes the fun part, it’s time to get visual and get more eyes on it!

Create an Instagram story graphic

You can use Canva to create an Instagram story graphic and add a snippet of your video to the image. You can see how I’ve done this below under the Pinterest Story section of the post.

Upload it to Instagram and Facebook stories and have people go to your blog post (or YouTube) to watch the full video.

Note: Most people tend to view stories with the sound OFF so be sure to add captions (either word for word on the video itself or add short recaps of what you’re saying inside instagram on each slide).

In case you’re wondering how to add word-for-word captions to your videos- you can do this right inside Facebook! Click here for the Facebook support page that contains instructions on adding captions.

You’ll download your video after the captions are added and use that as the video you upload to other platforms and use on your promotional graphics.

Create a Video pin

Choose a snippet of your video that is a minimum of 4 seconds and a maximum of 15 seconds long and create a video pin on Pinterest that links to your blog post.

So often we catch soaked into some sped-up video of a recipe or craft which is GREAT for food and craft bloggers. But what if you don’t have a food or craft blog? What other video could you do? Here are some ideas:

• Add a video to your video pin that just relates to the topic of your post like you would a stock photo. You can search Canva and other sites like Depositphotos for stock videos.
• Create a quick video for a list post that shows off 1-3 items from your list and instructs people to visit the post for more. I love Animoto for creating videos like this!
• Create a recording of your screen and scroll through a product or opt-in you’ve created. Loom is a free tool for Mac and PC users that helps you record your screen.
• Create a short video of how something works (likely a product or an affiliate product that your post talks about)
• Create a video of yourself or repurpose some of your Facebook live (with captions) and use that on your pin!

Did you know I have 5 FREE video pin templates in my free design library? You can click here for access now!

Create a Story Pin! Here are step-by-step instructions for creating a story pin!

Take that video pin and duplicate it so there are multiple pins and choose different snippets for each pin. Each story should be under 20 seconds long.

So, for example if you have a list post, you can choose a video for a few of the different things you’re talking about. If you’re teaching the steps of a project or recipe you can choose a video snip from each step.

You can also use any of the suggestions above as well.

Upload them to Pinterest stories by following these instructions:

First, you’ll click on “Create” and choose “Create a Story Pin”

Then, you’ll upload the designs you created. You will see below that I created a set of story pins using Canva. I used templates from the Mega Pin Creators Bundle and dragged in a video on each of them except the last one. The last one is my call to action and contains a stock photo related to the topic of the video.

Once you’ve uploaded your first story, you can customize how you want and even add text overlays inside of Pinterest.

You’ll click on the plus sign to add the other videos for the story:

When you’ve finished uploading the story pins, you’ll see them all on the left side. You can choose each one and edit it, resize it, add text, change the background color, or adjust it however you need to.

Then you’ll click “Next” in the bottom right. On the next screen, you’ll be able to add any details such as ingredients, materials, or items from your list post.

Click on “next” for the final step! You’ll be able to add a title, select any of your boards you’d like to add it to, and add tags to help get it in front of the right audience. Be sure to use keywords in your title, be mindful about the boards you post to (make sure they are relevant) and choose appropriate tags!

Finally, hit publish and you’re done!

Create a video graphic for Instagram and Facebook

I like to do a square-size video image for both Facebook and Instagram. Squares take up more space on the screen than horizontal images so they are more likely to be noticed in the feed.

While you will likely add the original video to these platforms (and IGTV) – it MAY not get watched if the headline or copy goes unnoticed. However, if you create a beautiful promo image with a snippet of the video – people will be more likely to go back and watch the full video.

Think of it as the trailer for a movie- you get the highlights that make you want more. This is what your promo image should be!

Here’s an example of the difference between what these videos look like: Which one grabs your attention more?

Don’t forget that then DIY Design Creators Vault contains video pins and new promo Canva templates every single month! Click here to learn more about my monthly designs. Spoiler alert: this template was from the June template drop!

There are so many ways to make the most of just ONE video for maximum results

Video is going to be bigger and stronger than ever- how you use it is important and the WAY you use it can be all the difference between hearing crickets and massive growth.

Remember, while this may seem like “extra steps” — creating video content doesn’t have to be hard– most of it can be repurposed! You’re starting with ONE video and using snippets to create visual, attention-grabbing promotional graphics!

• Start with one video (live or pre-recorded) – add captions and upload as-is to all your platforms including IGTV
• Create a video pin using a snippet of that video
• Duplicate your video pin and break it down into a “story” series
• Use those story pins for Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest
• Optionally, create a square video graphic to promote on your Facebook and IG feed
• Remember, if your video is pre-launch-related or to a highly monetized post, you can always boost it via paid ads for even more reach!

Are you making the most of the videos you create? I get that design can be an “extra step” which is why I love creating templates for people to use! It takes the time and frustration out of the design and helps you get your content out to the world FASTER so that you can get back to the blogging tasks you love!

Don’t forget to grab my 5 free video pin templates now! Just sign up for my free design library for instant access! Click the button below to get started!