What Makes Recipe Videos Successful?

What Makes Recipe Videos Successful?

Within the last few years, Facebook has been inundated with video content. Some of the best performing content has been in the form of quick recipe videos. Tasty, a division of Buzzfeed ,has seen major success—especially after the launch of Facebook’s auto-play feature. But why do the videos attract so many viewers? And how can marketers learn from their success?

Video performance is based on several different factors, but engagement is likely the most important. Recipe videos are compelling and entertaining—they appeal to a wide variety of people and work well when viewed without sound. Have you ever made Breakfast Potato Volcanoes?  If you have not and stumbled upon the video below on your newsfeed, you may spend 60 seconds to see how you can simply add this to your breakfast routine.

Recipe Videos Should Be Shareable

The Tasty channel receives over 500 million views per month, which is incredibly impressive considering the division is only a few years old. Buzzfeed is known for creating shareable content—from lists to quizzes and more—and that was the basis of Tasty. The creators wanted to develop content that was inherently shareable. The style of filming is simple and quick, making the videos easy to watch and digest. They can almost be addicting.

Recipe videos are shareable because they’re so relatable. The recipe videos produced by Tasty not only demonstrate how to combine ingredients, they also show home cooks how to prep those ingredients. The recipes are also suited to any skill, which is perfect for an audience that cares a lot about food, but may not have much hands-on experience in the kitchen. The way the videos are filmed—from above and featuring a pair of anonymous hands—gives the viewer the impression that they could be doing the cooking themselves.

Like any video, share-ability is key. Food has a history of creating and building connections and people have very strong attachments and memories of certain foods and meals. Recipe videos tap into that mindset, making them compelling material to share.

Speed and Simplicity Are Key

Optimal video speed depends on the platform. Social media users are more likely to spend time watching a video on a primarily video based platform like YouTube or Vimeo. For sites like Twitter and Instagram where users are scrolling rapidly, shorter videos perform better. On Facebook, the optimal video length is around 60 seconds. Recipe videos from Tasty tend to be between 30 and 70 seconds, keeping them within the range. Recipe videos provide viewers a quick break—almost like a palate cleanser—when they’re scrolling through everything else in their newsfeed.

Another reason recipe videos like those from Tasty and Delish (a division of Hearst Digital Media) appeal to viewers is that they are simple and clean. The use of the viewer point of view keeps distraction minimal, and the focus is all on the food preparation and cooking. They are well lit and typically have a clear text overlay that gives instructions. Since many Facebook users view video without sound, the text descriptions keep viewers interested even if they can’t or won’t turn on the sound.

With so much video content, successful videos need to catch and hold viewer’s attention. The simple filming style and quick pace of recipe videos make them easy to watch. Adding text overlay proves the opportunity for viewers to watch even when they are in a place where they can’t turn on the sound, so it keeps them watching.

Why Post Recipe Videos?

Food brings people together in real life and online. The success of a good recipe video relies on a combination of optimal length, simplicity in content, and how it drives engagement. Recipe videos prompt engagement and sharing, which leads to more viewers because they are quick and entertaining to watch and can be viewed even with the sound on mute.

Videos that are shot from the POV of the viewer connect with the audience and relate to home cooks of all levels. Many viewers may never make the recipes in the videos, but they will like, share, and comment anyway. Compelling content, clean shooting, and optimizing the length of a video for different platforms are all key factors for successful videos!

Share Your Favorite Recipe Videos!

Do you have a favorite tasty video you came across and saved or a video you recreated in your kitchen? Let us know! Share your recipe videos below- who knows we may feel inspired and start cooking!