Videos are one of the best ways to reach your audience. There are many benefits to including video marketing in your overall branding and marketing strategy. For one thing, this is a medium that reaches people on multiple levels, letting them see and hear your message. People also find videos entertaining and easier to absorb than written content. In order to get the most out of video marketing, however, you have to avoid certain common mistakes.

Not Including a Call to Action

A video that’s made just for the fun of it doesn’t need a call to action. If you’re making videos to promote your business, however, you definitely want to include a CTA at the end of the video. The CTA you include should be related to the title and topic of the video. If you’re using the video to get more leads, for example, be sure to suggest that viewers sign up for your email list. You should also be sure to include the URL where they can sign up in the video description.

Not Using Closed Captioning

Closed captioning is a feature that’s only used on a small percentage of videos. Yet adding this feature is a way to make your videos more powerful and far-reaching. Having closed captioning allows people who are hard of hearing to absorb your message. Yet the benefits go beyond this. Many people who are not deaf or hard of hearing also use closed captioning. Perhaps they are watching videos while doing other tasks. With closed captioning, you are giving viewers another way to absorb your message. There are closed captioning companies that can provide this service and help you reach a wider audience.

Not Having a Clear Goal for Your Video

Before making a video, you should set out with a specific goal. Some videos are meant to educate the viewer on how a product or service works. Others are part of a lead generation funnel. There are also videos whose main purpose is to increase brand awareness without trying to sell a particular product. These and other types of videos can all be beneficial. The point is to know what you’re trying to achieve. Don’t make the mistake of trying to accomplish too much in one video. This can send a confusing message. You can always make more videos. It’s best that each one is confined to a single main purpose.

Making Videos Too Long or Too Short

Videos that are too long will also cause you to lose viewers. On the other hand, if a video is under a minute long, many people will assume that it doesn’t contain any useful information. While there’s no perfect length that will guarantee your video will go viral, it’s good to keep in mind that videos that are between two and five minutes are more likely to get the maximum number of views. According to AdWeek, for example, the ideal length of a YouTube video is three minutes. You don’t have to take this number too literally, but it provides a useful guideline.

Not Optimizing Your Videos

Videos, just like blog posts and other written content, should be optimized for the search engines. For one thing, make sure you use a title that contains at least one important keyword. At the same time, your title should always be relevant and honest. Don’t use a title as click bait, promising something that’s not in the video. You can also optimize your videos with keywords in the description. Be sure to include some long tail keyword expressions as well as your primary ones.

These are some of the most common mistakes made by video marketers. You should, of course, adapt these guidelines to your own particular goals and business model. It’s also important to track your results, taking note of which videos provide you with the best results. This will help you improve your video marketing results and increase the size of your audience.