A new video marketing format is born! Have you heard of the cinemagraph? The word “cinemagraph” stands for part cinema (moving image) and part photograph (static image). They are effectively, still images with seamless movement loops! This merging of static and moving image sparks interest and deeper investigation by the viewer, making them easy to consume and hard to ignore!

The use of cinemagraphs by brands has increased since social channels; such as, Facebook and Instagram boost their auto-play video capabilities. This has opened the door for brands to create cinemagraphs in more native, integrated and beautiful ways that help them reach consumers. Advertising and marketing agency, XenoPsi, found through their research that cinemagraph content tends to have more virality, with 71% higher organic reach than still photographs.

Now, what do you do with a cinemagraph?

Integrating these into a social media marketing campaign can form a series of “micro promos”.  Micro promos are great for social media engagement. They are effective for branding campaigns, offer lower risk due to lower production costs and present the opportunity for higher output frequency.

6-8 second videos are the most favourable length for mobile audiences, delivering higher engagement levels than longer form, and providing the best results for driving traffic. However, slightly longer form videos, 30-60 seconds, are more effective than micro promos for product or service-focused campaigns with a call to action. The most important thing for businesses and marketers to consider is when each format is appropriate.

We recommend an interconnected approach by using a range of different video formats and lengths across all of your digital marketing channels. Ask us about our video marketing packages, where we can tailor a series of different types of video to complement your particular marketing strategy.

Here are four ways you can bring your brand story to life in an understated and artistic way:

  1. Keep it short, sweet and heartfelt. Capturing a simple and subtle moment of action is a powerful way to create a lot of meaning in just a moment.
  1. A cinemagraph is worth 1,000 words. Cinemagraphs are extremely effective at capturing emotion by drawing the eye to small details, allowing viewers to feel as if they themselves are having the experience.
  1. The effect is beautiful. Cinemagraphs are perfect for adding brilliance to an already pretty picture, giving movement and shine that wouldn’t come through in a simple still photograph.
  1. Lower production costs make cinemagraphs especially attractive. When developing a campaign or content strategy, cinemagraphs offer an engaging format at a fraction of the cost of video.

Lifestyle, fashion and travel brands lend themselves particularly well to the format, though these would also compliment company profiling, giving your audience an insight into your company environment. When done well and used effectively, cinemagraphs are an enchanting and beautiful tool for telling a brand’s story.

Check out some of the best cinemagraphs here for inspiration!