Videos add dimension to your website by giving viewers something to look at other than blocks of text. They also give your marketing strategy a personal touch. Customers prefer to know who they’re dealing with. Videos add a face to your words and your company. One way to do this is through video marketing interviews.

Video Marketing is a Proven Strategy

Research shows that a one minute video is equal to having a website with 1.8 million words.

The same report indicated 100 million people view online videos each day and, after viewing video marketing, they’re 64 percent more likely to make a purchase. People who watch videos stay on a website an average of two minutes longer than those who don’t. No wonder YouTube is doing so well.

Within three years, video is expected to compromise 79 percent of all online traffic. Smartphone use is continuing to grow and the small screen makes viewing videos easier on the eyes than scrolling through text. It’s important to get on board with video marketing now.

Who to Feature in Your Video

While influencer marketing works well with big names, it doesn’t have to limit you. Any people making strides in your industry can be beneficial. Use your resources, including previous working relationships and contacts, to find someone to interview. It’s more important that your interviewee have something substantial to say than have a recognizable face.

How to Score an Interview

Nailing down an interview with a top influencer is not as difficult as it may seem. If you’re already following them and sharing their content, reach out to them via social media or email and simply ask them for an interview. If you’re going for a bigger name, you may have to go the route of contacting their press team or manager.

When you reach out, make sure you explain how this interview will be helpful for the person you’re contacting. Having these exclusive pieces on your site will obviously help your traffic and brand recognition, but, beyond that, it’s important to think of how the interviewee will benefit, as influencer marketing works best when all parties get something from the exposure.

For example, if you are an audiobook site, having exclusive audio/video interviews with authors can help get the author exposure for their new book. And, in the case of actress Mara Marini, her video interview with CableTV brought attention to her current projects as well as teased details about future roles.

How to Spread the Word

While having a big name interviewee can help make your promotion easier, you can still draw in traffic without that influencer. Here are some great ways to make sure your video interview goes out to as wide of an audience as possible.

• Social Media: Hit social media to share your video and, if you have time before, do teasers to get hype surrounding the release of the video interview. Post images or small snippets from behind the scenes on Instagram to get your followers interested in the piece and, ultimately, head to your site to see the full video.
• Search Results: People may be searching for something your video covers or the name of the person you interviewed. Study up on the basics of video SEO to make sure your interviews come up in searches.
• Site Promotion: Hype the video up on your site with blog posts promising something exciting coming. When you post the video, make sure it has prominent placement and is easy to find on the site.
• Ask for Shares: Ask your interviewee to share the video with their social network followers. They are benefiting from this interview as well, so they shouldn’t have any problems with wanting their followers to see it too.

Finally, when you put the video together, make sure you include your logo in it to help enhance your brand recognition. You can do this at the beginning or have the logo in the corner throughout the entire video. If your video is ever featured anywhere else, the logo goes with it and you’ll still get credit for the interview.

Video marketing is rapidly becoming one of the most effective brand strategies available. Sit down and map out a successful strategy involving scheduled interviews, tips and tutorial, and both short and long-form videos. People love engaging content, so make sure you seek out vivacious and informative personalities to help carry you to the next level.

About Author:

Sarah Pike is a college writing instructor and Community Outreach Coordinator for BusinessBee. You can find Sarah on Twitter at @sarahzpike.