Why video shares are crucial for creators on TikTok and Instagram
Why video shares are crucial for creators on TikTok and Instagram
When someone sends a Reel or TikTok to a friend, it becomes a conversation starter.
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Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Why video shares are crucial for creators on TikTok and Instagram
When someone sends a Reel or TikTok to a friend, it becomes a conversation starter.
Why it matters
I’m passionate about prioritising human behaviour over exploiting algorithms in entertainment marketing. The best creative strategies stir up emotions and connect with people rather than just crunching numbers.
Measuring emotions can be challenging, especially in the earlier stages of our marketing funnels, where we evaluate content resonance. Relying on vanity metrics like comments and likes can lead to flawed analysis.
Therefore, artists should focus on an actionable metric that directly reflects human behaviour: the ‘shares’ metric.
How it works
When someone sends a Reel or TikTok to a friend, it becomes a conversation starter.
The friend watches the video because it’s recommended by a trusted peer. Next, the video engages on a deeper level because they discuss it.
This behaviour is driven by a simple click on the envelope (Instagram) or forward-arrow (TikTok) icon.
The shares metric is, therefore, a key indicator for video performance in entertainment marketing.
Even the Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, emphasised the importance of the shares metric in a recent podcast interview, confirming that the number of shares is valued in their algorithm ranking models.
The reason is simple: When content is shared via DM, it keeps people on the platform, which is highly beneficial for the app.
Yes, but..
This mainly works with short videos, such as Reels and TikToks, because it’s an easy request to watch a 20-second video.
Measuring behaviour isn’t the same as measuring emotion. While we know people share content with their friends, we can only assume why they do so.
Take action now
After publishing a Reel or TikTok, artists can track the number of shares a video generates by monitoring this metric.
Artists can encourage fans to share their content with friends instead of asking them to like or comment.
Here’s an example: Please share this email with your friends 😉
Your thoughts
We’re eager to hear your experiences and insights on today’s topic. Join the conversation and engage with hundreds of artists, creators, and industry professionals in the comments.
Further reading
We Interviewed the Head of Instagram: Adam Mosseri (The Colin and Samir Show on Spotify)
Finding the metrics that matter (The Fanbase Builder)
How to use pirate metrics to set up a fan journey (The Fanbase Builder)
How to leverage user intent (The Fanbase Builder)
Decoding Instagram’s creator tips (The Fanbase Builder)
How artists can find the one metric that matters (The Fanbase Builder)