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Step Up Your Social Media Game With Stock Footage


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Social media has made the creation of content an essential part of marketing and growth. Without quality content that demands a dozen reposts, many Instagram pages might fail to grab the eyeballs of their audience.
  • According to a detailed analysis by the Kepios team, around 4.76 billion people used social media in January 2023. This number accounts for 59.4 percent of the total global population. ¹ Not producing compelling content that captivates viewers to hit that heart button is quite imprudent.
  • Social media platforms have started to prioritize crisp videos over images. We believe it’s high time we make this whole process of curating video content a tad bit easier. Find out how the whole ordeal of consistently producing social media video content can become much, much easier.

Indian Stock Footage in Social Media Content

Indian stock footage can be used in a variety of social media videos:
  • Travel content: Feature scenic landscapes, cultural landmarks, and vibrant cities. Examples include footage of the Taj Mahal, colorful markets of Rajasthan, or Bombay’s marine drive.
  • Food content: Feature delicious Indian food being cooked, recipes, and food markets. Examples include footage of street food in Delhi, spices in a market, or the making of Indian sweets.
  • Lifestyle content: Feature people shopping, working, or playing. Examples include footage of women shopping at a bazaar, children playing cricket, or people hard at work in a textile factory.
Diyas beautifully decorated with rangoli during Diwali
  • Festivals and celebrations: Examples include footage of Diwali fireworks, Holi celebrations, traditional wedding ceremonies, or traditional dances.
  • Wildlife and nature: To showcase natural beauty or send a message about environmental conservation footage of tigers in the wild, Himalayan Mountain range, or birds in a national park can be used.
Here are some famous brands that use stock footage to keep their audience hooked!
  • Uber India – Uber India features Indian stock footage showcasing the local culture and landmarks of Indian cities.
  • Reliance Jio – Reliance India features footage that explores Uttar Pradesh’s culture, traditions and famous places to build a loyal customer base.
  • Airtel India – Airtel India skillfully uses stock footage of famous architectural marvels from select cities to show that they are live in their locations!
  • Big Basket – Big Basket uses drone footage of a forest to launch their disposable biodegradable and food-grade plates made up of natural siali leaf.
  • Meru Cabs – To show their availability day in and day out, Meru Cabs use a timelapse footage of a city in the background!

Indian Stock Footage & Its Many Benefits

Pre-recorded video footage that can be licensed and used by content creators or agencies for various purposes is known as stock footage. Such footage can be very handy, and covers a wide range of subject matter.
Masala ChaiThe hustle and bustle of a city, the sun sinking beneath the horizon, a cup of masala chai being made and a cat prowling the streets are all some examples of stock footage. Typically shot by professional videographers or filmmakers, this stock footage is made available by different stock footage websites. Stock footage can save you a lot of hassle. Spare yourself from shooting footage of landscapes, cityscapes, animals, and people.Using Indian stock footage in your video projects can be extremely beneficial.
  • Diverse Subject Matter: India’s diversity is captivating. This is a country brimming with both bustling cities and tranquil mountains and beaches effortlessly covers all kinds of subject matter.
  • Authenticity: Showcase the people, the culture, and the lively way of living in India with India-centric stock footage. Catering to an Indian audience? You can pick relevant, India-focused stock footage from IndieVisual.
  • Save Your Time: This is especially useful for content creators, companies, and agencies who don’t have the time, the budget, or the resources to travel to or across India solely to shoot footage for their project.
  • Convenience: Indian stock footage can easily be accessed and licensed online – so you can complete your projects easily and quickly.

Start Using Indian Stock Footage

Choosing the right Indian stock footage for your company or brand requires careful consideration. Startups and agencies alike can make use of stock footage for all kinds of video marketing such as company profiles, explainer videos, testimonials, and other marketing-related videos.Pay attention to the following key factors while surfing the internet for suitable stock footage –

1. Identify your brand values, and target audience

This will help you pick stock footage that aligns with your brand and appeals to your audience. Let’s say a clothing brand targets young adults aged 18-30 who are interested in urban streetwear fashion. The brand values individuality, self-expression, and diversity. When searching for stock footage to use in their marketing campaign, they can apply these values and target audience to their search criteria.
A boy standing in front of graffiti art on a wall.For example, they may search for footage featuring diverse groups of young adults wearing streetwear clothing in urban settings. They may also search for footage that highlights self-expression, such as people dancing, singing, or doing graffiti art. Additionally, they may search for footage that showcases individuality, such as people with unique hairstyles, tattoos, or piercings. Pick footage that matches your brand identity and doesn’t look out of place in your projects or videos.

2. Relevance and Impact

Consider the purpose of the footage to ensure it is relevant and impactful. Should it illustrate, serve as a backdrop, support a narrative, or be the highlight?  The purpose of the footage will help determine its relevance and impact in the final product.If the purpose of the footage is to illustrate a particular point or idea, it may be used as a visual aid to help explain a concept. For example, in a video about climate change, stock footage of melting glaciers may be used to illustrate the effects of global warming. If the purpose of the footage is to serve as a backdrop for other content, it may be used to create a particular mood or atmosphere.For example, in a promotional video for a spa, stock footage of nature scenes may be used to create a relaxing and calming backdrop. If the purpose of the footage is to support a narrative or story, it may be used to provide context or emotion to the story. For example, in a documentary about a historical event, stock footage of archival footage may be used to provide a visual representation of the time period. If the purpose of the footage is to be the highlight of the video, it may be used to showcase a particular event, scene, or subject. For example, in a travel video, stock footage of beautiful landscapes and iconic landmarks may be used as the primary focus of the video.

3. Quality

Check the quality of the footage, and pay attention to the resolution, color grading, and overall production value to ensure quality content for your viewers. Shooting an Insta Reel? You might be able to get by with 1080p or even 720p footage. A high-end video that you’ll show on your YouTube channel and send to potential investors? You’re probably going to want 4K footage for that.

4. The Final Step

Review the licensing terms and carefully go through the allowed usage, duration, and cost. Pick footage that fits your budget and usage.

Creating Social Media Content with Stock Footage

There are a few ways of using stock footage and photographs. Choose one that suits you best.
  • To create eye-catching visual content for social media posts – Stock photos and footage can be used to create engaging visuals for social media posts such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
  • To enhance blog articles or other written content – Stock photos and footage can be used to add visual interest and relevance to blog articles, whitepapers, or other written content shared on social media platforms.
  • To create social media ads – Brands can use stock footage and photos to create ads for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. These ads can help boost engagement and reach new audiences.
  • To create social media stories – Social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat have a “story” feature that allows users to share photos and videos for 24 hours. Brands can use stock footage and photos to create these stories, which can help keep followers engaged and up-to-date on the latest brand news.
  • To create video content for social media – Brands can use stock footage to create video content for social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram. Video content can be highly engaging and can help brands stand out in a crowded social media landscape.

Optimizing Stock Footage for Social Media

Male Filmmaker editing video in dark roomConsider the following few key factors while optimizing stock footage for social media:
  1. Keep the aspect ratio in mind. Different social media platforms often have different aspect ratios. For example, Instagram is optimized for vertical video while YouTube and Facebook support horizontal and square videos.
  2. Crop and trim. After cropping your video to the appropriate ratio, trim it to focus on relevant points and cater to the recommended video length of the platform.
  3. Use text and captions in your videos so that social media users scrolling videos with the sound off can still get your message. Add subtitles or captions in the appropriate font size and style for the platform.
  4. Make it mobile-friendly. Social media users mostly view videos on their mobile. Ensure the video is clear and easy to view on small screens.
  5. Use relevant hashtags and tags to get discovered on social media. Include keywords and phrases that are relevant to your video or the brand.

Indian Stock Footage in Social Media Content

  • Travel content: Feature scenic landscapes, cultural landmarks, and vibrant cities. Examples include footage of the Taj Mahal, colorful markets of Rajasthan, or Bombay’s marine drive.
  • Food content: Feature delicious Indian food being cooked, recipes, and food markets. Examples include footage of street food in Delhi, spices in a market, or the making of Indian sweets.
  • Lifestyle content: Feature people shopping, working, or playing. Examples include footage of women shopping at a bazaar, children playing cricket, or people hard at work in a textile factory.
  • Festivals and celebrations: Examples include footage of Diwali fireworks, Holi celebrations, traditional wedding ceremonies, or traditional dances.
  • Wildlife and nature: To showcase natural beauty or send a message about environmental conservation footage of tigers in the wild, Himalayan Mountain range, or birds in a national park can be used.
In conclusion, use relevant stock footage, focus on the quality, tell a story that resonates with your audience, make the context clear, and be consistent on social media. Add authentic Indian stock footage to your video content to skyrocket into social media success!

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