Video marketing is arguably one of the most effective marketing strategies for companies. However, if your video marketing misses the mark on certain elements, it won’t be nearly as effective, and you won’t see the return on investment you expect. Smaller companies can’t afford to hire a full-time videographer, so the marketing team creates the videos and pushes them to outlets that draw the company’s target audience.

The total Internet traffic from consumers will be 80 percent video viewing by 2019. The number of daily video uploads grows every year. Now is the time to get your video marketing polished up. If your videos don’t have the following six things, your marketing strategy will fall flat.

1. Brevity

As a company, you have a lot to say to the world. However, people have short attention spans, and they don’t want to watch an hour-long video about what you can do for their bottom line. Instead, they want you to get to the point and get there quickly. One study found out of the top 10 posts on YouTube, the longest video was just over nine minutes, but much shorter videos topped the list as well.

The longer your video runs, the more viewers tend to bounce away from it. This is a problem if you put your call to action at the end of the video and viewers already stopped watching.

The solution? Keep your videos as short as possible. Home in on a single idea, rather than trying to stuff everything you want to say into a single video. Ideal length also varies, depending on which social media platform you’re targeting.

This 30-second video from Marks & Spencer gets right to the point and emphasizes a single item the department store sells — luxury food. The video is bright, grabs the attention and focuses on the food throughout. At the end is a simple tagline that lets you know these foods are available at M&S.

2. Consistency

If you want to attract a following on social media, keep in mind you’re competing with millions of other businesses online. If users know they can count on you to regularly upload videos, they’ll be much more likely to follow you on whatever platform you’re on.

One example of this is Dr. Eric Berg’s videos on YouTube. Berg uploads at least a video per day, and sometimes several a day. The topics are always about eating a keto diet or solving health issues through diet. He has more than a million followers on YouTube alone. The videos are informative and high-quality, but subscribers also know he is reliable and uploads videos daily, so they follow to see those new videos.

3. Series

Creating a video series allows you to keep users engaged as they come back to view additional installments about a topic that already interests them. A series is also a good way to break down complex topics into smaller parts, which helps keep your videos shorter while still covering a topic in depth.

Quincy Compressor takes a complex topic and breaks it down into a series of videos that explain poor compressor quality and the impact of it. The first video is one of four in the series. In the first, an actor talks about toxic air quality and ways to avoid it. The other three videos repeat the theme of “avoid” and focus on other issues that can arise from air compressors that aren’t the same quality as Quincy.

4. Mobile Optimization

Sixty-five percent of those who view videos online do so from their mobile devices. If you aren’t optimizing your videos for mobile viewing, you’re risking losing the majority of your viewers. To ensure your video streams fast and seamlessly, avoid heavy media files or add-ons that bog down video viewing. If hosting the video on your website, use a responsive player that sizes to fit the user’s screen.

5. Soft Sell

One thing that turns off consumers is pushy salespeople. Unfortunately, pushy sales tactics sometimes creep into videos and other online marketing. Users respond better to a video that presents an idea and lets them make up their own minds about the product or service. It’s OK to put a call to action at the end, but don’t use scare tactics. Instead, give the viewer a reason to do business with you by showing them an advantage.

GoPro shows what their product is capable of by taking you on a trek into the wilderness with Travis Rice, a professional snowboarder. The viewer goes with him to the top of a mountain and down the other side as GoPro captures the entire exciting journey. The video ends with their logo, an image of the product and the tagline “Be a Hero.”

6. Engagement

One survey indicated 64 percent of viewers would like to interact with a video and will watch more of the video when allowed to do so. Rather than presenting a static experience, an interactive video offers the viewer options that customize the entire experience. Add elements such as quizzes and mini-games to engage viewers.

Video Marketing Strategy

Consider these missing elements the next time you create a video. Of course, video marketing goes way beyond making and posting amazing videos. You also need to know where to share, the best times to post the video and how to keep the buzz going. However, if the video itself falls flat, all the other elements are pointless.

Many videos are competing for consumer attention. Any small improvement gives you an edge over other companies in your niche. Videos allow a connection with your customers and an opportunity for engagement that is more powerful than most media. Think of a video as a two-way conversation with customers and potential customers.

Author

Lexie Lu is a designer and writer. She loves researching trends in the web and graphic design industry. She writes weekly on Design Roast and can be followed on Twitter @lexieludesigner.