How to Loop a Video: 6 Methods That Work
Increase your engagement on social media with looping videos. We're revealing 6 methods on how to loop a video in this guide.
Looping videos on your social media platforms can give you a serious boost in engagement. However, not all looped videos are created equal. Where and how you publish looped videos can make or break your engagement.
If done incorrectly, looping videos on your social platforms can hurt your social engagement and get you red-flagged by platforms.
Fortunately, we've got the secrets to doing things right. Get noticed and create interesting content with video looping. Here are 6 methods for how to loop a video so you can reach your goals.
Benefits of Video Loops
Some marketers are hesitant about looping videos on their social platforms. They figure it's a waste of time because YouTube only counts "quality views" if they last longer than 3 seconds.
While this may be true with YouTube, there are still plenty of benefits to looping videos.
When you have a target audience scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, you have less than 5 seconds to convey your message. Looped videos can play multiple times before a consumer even looks at the next post. This means your message is far more likely to hit its mark and attract the attention of your potential customer.
How to Loop a Video on Your iPhone
First things first, there's more than one way to loop a video. Most simple ways are by using your iPhone. There are a variety of useful apps that you can download, or you can use the Live photo option on your iPhone.
We'll break down each method starting with Live photos.
1. Convert Live Photos to a Looped Video
This may be the simplest option for creating looped videos as it requires no outside software or applications.
Before taking the desired footage, change the settings of your photos to "Live" inside your iPhone camera. This will allow you to capture several seconds' worth of content each time you take a picture.
It's essentially the same as capturing tiny video clips within one photo. You will need all the desired "Live" photos saved to your camera roll before you can loop them into a continuous video.
Next, open your iPhone's camera app. Select to view all the "Live" photos. Click on Album> Media Types> Live Photos.
Once you select the desired Live photo you'd like to loop, click the "Live" icon. It's located in the upper left-hand corner of the image. Here there is a drop-down menu. The options are "Loop" or "Bounce.
Bounce will replay the video from end to beginning again until you stop it. Video looping will replay the captured video over and over from the beginning.
Once you select "Loop," simply "Save to Files" and your looped video can then be shared to your social platforms. Easy as pie!
2. Create Looping Videos with Repeat Slideshow
Another simple method for looping videos, which costs nothing, is using Repeat Slideshow on your iPhone. You've probably seen the occasional slideshows containing some of your Photos that the iPhone likes to create for you.
Well, those Slideshows can turn into looped content. Here's how:
1. In Photos, "Select" the images you wish to include in your slideshow. Next, tap the left button to add them to a new Album.
2. Open the Album and click on "Settings." Select the "Slideshow" button.
3. Now that you have a new Slideshow, select "Options" and turn on the "Repeat" function. This will cause the Slideshow to play in a loop until you stop it manually.
4. Upload your "Repeat Slideshow" to the social platforms of your choice.
3. Use Boomerang for Loop Creation
You may have heard of the video looping app called "Boomerang." It's a popular download for many video editors as it's inexpensive and easy to use.
Boomerang integrates with Instagram and can loop Live photos and videos straight from your iPhone.
To get started, open your Instagram app. Tap the + icon in the top right to create a new Story. Swipe from the Story screen to import an existing Live photo into Boomerang.
Scroll down to find your desired photo and tap the Boomerang icon.
Once the photo is loaded, tap and hold anywhere on the screen or click the Boomerang icon. This will turn your live photo into a looped video. From there, you can save the looped video to your camera roll or share it directly to your Instagram.
Saving it to your camera roll allows you to upload the looped video to other social platforms besides Instagram. Where possible, share your original post to other platforms. For example, share your Instagram video to your Facebook, instead of uploading the video again and to Facebook.
This streamlines your content and boosts engagement.
To loop existing videos from your camera roll, using Boomerang, the steps are the same. Just be aware that there is a time limit for looped videos so your original video file may be cut.
4. Use YouTube for Video Looping
Using your iOS device, you can convert YouTube videos to looping videos. Here are the steps:
1. Open the YouTube app on your iOS device. Make sure to sign in to your account.
2. Search for the video you wish to loop. Add it to your desired playlist or create a new one.
3. Return to the Main Menu and locate the library. Select the playlist you created for the video you wish to loop.
4. Play the video. When it plays, tap the "Loop" icon and the video will play all the time.
While you can make your YouTube videos run on loop, keep in mind that YouTube's policy on "quality views," means each time the video loops, it will not count as a new view.
5. Download the VivaVideo App
If you're looking for a free app to try, VivaVideo is one of many ways to loop a video right from your phone.
One of the perks of using this app, (besides the price tag, or should we say, lack thereof), is that it works for both iOS users and Androids. Not only can you turn your existing videos into loops, but you can do other things like create memes, or montages.
Their process is simple and only requires a few taps once you upload the content you want looped.
6. Use a Video Production Group
Video looping is child play when using your iPhone or Android to create simple loops on the spot. However, if you're creating video content to be published across various platforms, for major campaigns, with your unique branding, using a cheap app just won't cut it.
Hiring a professional video production group offers many perks that DIY can't touch. For one, as great as your phone camera is, the video quality is amateur.
A video production agency provides you with great, high definition, images and video to create great-quality content.
Another benefit of using a professional is the ability to create consistent content that is on-brand. Through creative collaboration, you can have videos that loop and that fit your brand so consumers know immediately that content comes from you.
When it comes to increasing engagement with looped videos, simply knowing how to loop a video is not enough. A video production group brings experience and expertise to the table.
They can advise you on the best kind of video content to reach your target audience. Not only that, but they can help you know what kinds of analytics to look out for to understand if your videos are effectively reaching your audience.
Which Method is Best?
Now that you know how to loop a video, the big question is, which method is best for your content? There's plenty to consider when deciding which method is right. Things like:
Budget
Marketing strategy
Quality of video desired
Messaging
Desired target audience
Existing resources
These are all issues to take into consideration. At the end of the day, one method may be suitable for a certain campaign, while a different method may work better for a different message. Knowing your options will guide your choice.
It never hurts to have professional help. Finding the right marketing strategists will help you create the content you need to produce conversions.
If your organization is looking to publish compelling videos that will attract your audiences, Kestum Bilt can help. Our group of professional videographers and editors know the industry. We have experience creating the perfect video content to help brands get noticed.
Learn more about the services we offer and see why full-service video production is what your brand needs.