Jenn Molina 22 April 2016

Categories B2C, Mobile, Social Media, Technology, Video advertising

Why Are Text Frame Videos Taking Off

You’ve probably noticed a new style of video showing up ever-more-frequently in your feeds - a style marked by the presence of boxes of text constantly framing the video (or, in some cases, just the top or bottom),

You’ve probably noticed a new style of video showing up ever-more-frequently in your feeds - a style marked by the presence of boxes of text constantly framing the video (or, in some cases, just the top or bottom), like this.

Despite the fact that they’re kind of ugly, these textframe videos are picking up a lot of steam on Facebook, racking up tons of engagement.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of this style:

It grabs attention

Our social media feeds are cluttered and often uniform to a point. Images and video frames have standardized display sizes, and our eyes are used to uniform fonts and text sizes on a given platform.

The sudden appearance of huge, bold text is a big eye catcher for someone scrolling through a feed, even more-so when that text is sandwiched around a compelling image. The textframe style demands attention in a feed, which makes users likely to stop and check out your content.

It puts your video in context

The text broadcasts the subject of your video instantly. If you’re pushing a clip on a trending topic, it lets people know that you have something to add to that conversation. The target audience for your video is shown, before it even begins to play, that your video deals with a subject that interests them.

These same people are also the likeliest to engage with the video, through shares, likes, comments, etc. That engagement will see your video showing up in the feeds of their networks, bringing more of your target audience to your content.

You can cut to the chase

That immediate contextualization means your video doesn’t need to waste time with any introductions or explainer content. You can jump right to your most compelling points.

That quick move to your major point makes the video more interesting from the get-go - there’s no waiting around to see where you’re going. With attention spans as short as they are, it’s always to your benefit to move fast and keep things brief.

It offers a new kind of language

The context the frame offers is good for more than just jumping explainers. It can work to totally transform the way a video is seen, by making commentary, creating expectations, or setting up jokes.

The frame for this clip from SoFlo gives the viewer an expectation for the video that is then subverted for a laugh.

When you consider its benefits, it’s easy to see why the textframe style is growing in popularity.