What Is Video Marketing?
Video marketing begins with a clear strategy of what you want to achieve, then it is the creation, editing, and publishing finally it is the promotion of that video across the respective marketing channels. The video can be promoting your business, brand, products or services.
Why Should I Include Videos In My Marketing Strategy?
The question is why wouldn’t you? Youtube has for many years played second fiddle to Google as a search engine and as the second biggest website in the world, so it makes sense that you should be making full use of the platform.
Youtube aside making short videos to share via social media platforms is a great way to get your company, products and services seen.
It is claimed that adults in the UK, not including streaming services, watch 35 videos per week, and 68% watch videos online every single day… I am sure I am not alone in watching one video which leads to another, and before you know it an hour has passed! These statistics really do speak for themselves as to why you need video marketing, and its popularity will only increase with time.
Research Your Target Audience
With video marketing you need to understand your target audience, there is no point in creating a video and sharing it on Facebook if all your customers or potential customers hang out on LinkedIn!
What Are The Best Videos To Create?
The best videos to create in my opinion are the ones which answer a common question.
That is why How-To videos work so well for companies, they are showing how to resolve a problem and in most cases are showing their product or service that does the job.
The Best Way To Compile Your Video
Depending on which platform your video will be used depends on how long, and what information you include.
YouTube Videos
For example, if you have a video created for YouTube then the best practice is to keep the intro short and snappy (you do not want visitors to get bored, and with the best will in the world if it’s a how-to video, they probably do not care about your background).
You need to spend no more than a couple of minutes talking about the problem, the viewer has searched and found your video, and this is just to clarify that they have found the right video to watch.
Now show in simple steps, that anyone can follow on how to resolve the problem, and test it out on people to make sure that the steps you are giving make sense. Include tips and tricks, but no hard selling!
Do a summary of what has been covered, put links in your text for the product or service you have used, and make mention of those links… and don’t forget to ask people to subscribe and share.
TOP TIP
Break your video into chapters so that Google can find the relevant content to show up in a search find out how here and take a look at this link for some tips from creators great
Social Media Videos
If you are creating a video for social media it is a whole new ball game, a video you upload to youtube will be far too long for SM sharing, these need to be very short and snappy.
Have a clear goal in your head as to what you want to achieve by creating a video, and keep it to the point, you only have a few seconds to keep peoples attention, you can always link to a more in-depth video on your website. The key for videos on social media is that you want to get reactions, likes, comments, and all-important shares!
Video Marketing Top Topics
Your topic options are endless and it really depends on the objective you are trying to achieve. I have already mentioned How-To videos, any knowledge-based videos will work well. Videos introducing your team give a good personal feel, customers like to know who they are dealing with. Case studies and customer recommendations give confidence to potential clients. Keep your video mistakes, fun outtakes – show you are only human and add personality.
Shooting A Video
This very much depends on the budget you have available, we work with many smaller companies where there is simply not a huge budget
for video shoots. Many of these companies pride themselves on their excellent customer relationships, and it is for this reason that I always advise that it is fine to create a video using what you have available such as using a mobile. Modern mobiles will allow you to shoot good videos, where people fail is more on the location of where they create their video.
The more authentic the video the better they are received, whereas sometimes a professional in-studio shoot can seem a bit false and artificial, lessening the connection between the company and new client.
Location Location Location
It is important to make sure that there is good sound quality, of course, most of our offices or home offices are not set up like a studio, but be mindful of echo, and of outside noise. However, it does work well to do a small into perhaps situated outside your office or out on location, to keep the video interesting.
Avoid busy backgrounds when videoing from an office, try and find a blank wall, so as to not distract from what you are saying.
Time-Lapse Videos
Do not be afraid to create videos showing products being made or services being carried out. Timelapse videos work particularly well on social media….. How many times have you stumbled across a timelapse and had to watch to the end to see the outcome?
In summary, you do not need to have a huge budget to create a marketing video, as long as you plan out exactly what your objectives are and stick to the script. Happy filming!