You can hardly surf the web these days without coming across a video. Videos posted to social media sites are the most effective way to get your message to an online audience. Creating a video beats other content distribution methods since it is more interactive and educational.

For example, suppose you want your marketing material to go viral. In that case, one of the most excellent strategies is to make videos since viewers interact with them more than text or images on practically all social media sites. Also, social media videos are generally discovered casually, not by search.

Videos are abundant on most social networking platforms. However, the number of individuals watching the video essentially depends on how well it can capture and maintain viewers’ interest.

It’s normal to be confused by the various ways to create videos, particularly when deciding which is ideal for your business. This list includes the most critical videos your company can produce to improve brand recognition, generate new leads, and extend its client base:

1. Interview and Q&A Videos

When a company’s social media account consistently provides valuable information for its audience, they attract followers. One of the best ways to fulfill your audience’s need for information is to address their most immediate concerns.

Video interviews and Q&As are a terrific way to show off your knowledge and skill in your field while attracting new followers. Produce videos in which you talk to influential people in your area, your staff, or even your customers. 

It is possible to record the interview ahead of time and upload it whenever it is most convenient for business. On the other hand, if you make a short live video, you may engage directly with your viewers. The audience may submit questions in advance, and you’ll respond live.

2. Events Videos

Making videos of workplace events is a fantastic way to showcase your organization’s culture and raise awareness for your most important causes. In addition, you may record and put together recap videos to live stream on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

Sharing updates about your brand’s upcoming events might make people anxious that they will miss out. However, with video, you can show your audience how engaging your brand event is.

3. Tutorials / How-to-videos / Explainer Videos

Tutorials are one of the most-looked-for types of content online. The original purpose of YouTube was to host user-generated videos, but the site has now expanded to do much more.

It’s the go-to video streaming destination and doubles as a powerful search tool. It’s no secret that more and more people are turning to YouTube to learn new skills and information, whether preparing a smoothie or how to make cool YouTube intros.

The primary purpose of social media is entertainment. However, it’s also a source of information and answers. To satisfy the thirst for knowledge from their audience, marketers may employ explainer videos to provide purposeful, product-focused content. 

4. Promos and Deals Videos

Deals are always a hit! To get the attention of your social media followers, you should promote a sale or promotion using an engaging video. A video is a practical approach to step up your marketing efforts and increase interest in your event.

These videos offer a quick but thorough summary of the event you’re marketing and a Call to Action to register or save the date. Motivating viewers to act will hopefully result in new leads or increased attendance.

5. Behind-the-scenes (BTS) Videos

Most people can’t resist looking at what’s hidden from plain view. It’s a terrific method to display your company’s culture and develop trust with your audience.

You may take your viewers behind the scenes of an event you’re involved in or give them a tour of your workplace. Alternatively, you may video the production process or employees at work. It’s a great way to engage with your target market more personally and establish credibility with them.

6. Social Videos

Videos hosted on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or a mix of them may generate traffic to your website or develop brand recognition.

Be mindful that many viewers won’t have time to watch lengthy stuff since they’ll be swiftly swiping through on their phones. Brief and to the point sum up the social gaming vibe. These short, catchy videos often succeed as social media advertisements, too!

7. Feature / Product Videos

A firm’s social media activity affects consumers’ purchasing choices. Sharing a video on social media is a fantastic method to draw attention to a product or show off a helpful feature.

Videos like these are a great way to demonstrate a specific benefit of your product or service. In addition, they might help inform prospective clients about your business and its offerings.

8. Announcements / Reveals Videos

In today’s connected world, it’s essential to keep your target market up to date on the newest products from your company, and social media is a terrific tool for doing just that.

About one-third of all consumers now learn about new businesses and brands via social media. This is why it’s a good idea to use video to display product launches and other announcements.

9. Testimonial Videos

Even in the current digital era, one-on-one feedback is still a vital tool. In addition, using reviews and testimonials has increased confidence in a company and consumer loyalty.

Before purchasing a product, up to 93% of shoppers read product reviews. Honest reviews might persuade us to buy a product or alter our opinion of one. It’s in your best interest to share video testimonials from satisfied customers with potential customers.

Conclusion

Every level of your marketing funnel may benefit from videos, from drawing in new leads with attractive video advertisements to converting them into paying clients. However, to get the most out of your video marketing efforts, you must regularly test, measure, and improve your videos’ performance.

Video is a terrific way to grow your brand and engage with your audience. Creating them may also be a lot of fun, so unleash your imagination!

Not so long ago, the phrase “content marketing” meant a quite different thing. Perhaps a decade ago, useful content marketers were good writers. They wrote good blogs, articles, and webpage copy. While this is still true today, “content marketing” means something more inclusive. Besides just writing, the best content marketers can also create video, infographics, and podcasts. The most in-demand of these new skills is video. But why?

In the past decade the digital marketing landscape has been drastically altered. People have begun phasing out traditional laptop and desktop computers in favor of mobile devices when they want to search the web. After all, it’s much more convenient to simply pick up the smartphone everyone has attached to their hand.

Another way the industry has been altered is that digital technology is much more affordable in the current market versus at any other point in history. With no boundaries in how or when people can interact with content, success relies heavily on delivering your company’s message in a way that customers prefer it.

That is where video marketing comes in.

Video Marketing Statistics

To understand how important video marketing has become, you only need to look at the numbers. According to an infographic shared by HubSpot:

• Experts predict that by 2019 video content will claim over 80 percent of all web traffic, leaving little room for other formats.
• Clickthrough rates on emails with embedded videos range between 200 and 300 percent higher.
• Conversion ratings on landing pages are increased by 80 percent when a video is included.
• 90 percent of customers state that product videos help them with their purchasing decisions.
• Nearly 90 percent of digital marketers are now incorporating video content into their strategies.
• Of the time spent online, customers report that a third or more of it is spent watching videos.
• 35 percent of online advertisement spending goes towards videos.
• Almost 60 percent of company decision markers prefer to watch a video versus reading an article or blog.

Another survey saw that major online retailers saw an increase in conversion ratings to as much as 9 percent when they began incorporating video into their marketing strategy.

Nine percent may not seem like an incredible amount at first glance. Yet when you think about the fact that 9 out of every 100 viewers purchased the product, that’s amazing. Imagine if a single video produced conversions at this rating and had one million viewers? That’s 90,000 conversions.

But why do customers prefer video content over written content and how can you leverage this to help your digital marketing efforts succeed?

Easier to Remember

Customers are more likely to remember a video they watched versus a blog they read. This is largely because videos appeal to all the senses in a more realistic, memorable matter. By using a combination of written or audio content, visuals, and a range of audio, the customer can hear and see the message presented versus simply seeing words on a screen (with or without attached graphics).

Everyone Can Engage

Something many marketers don’t think about is the fact that some of their audience may not be proficient readers. This may not hold true for certain sectors, such as B2B or luxury products, but the average product meant for the average person reaches farther than college graduates.

While an article may be hard for some individuals to understand, a video using speech instead of words is easily digestible – regardless of reading level.

Great Mobile Performance

Remember how we mentioned earlier that more people than ever are turning towards mobile devices? See, there was a reason for it. With more people using smartphones or tablets to access the web you need content which performs well on those devices. That would be video.

Not only does video perform great on mobile devices but it also works well on traditional laptops or desktops. No matter how your audience chooses to access your website or social platform, your videos will be presented in a high-quality, unaltered way.

Strengthen Company Branding

Your company’s message becomes more realistic when paired with a relevant, inspiring video. The video could be based upon a lifelike scenario which resonates with your buyer persona, or it could be your message paired with music which compliments the message. Not only are consumers more likely to relate to your company’s brand when presented through video, they are also more likely to remember it.

Video Goes Viral

Experts estimate that 92 percent of people who consume videos on mobile devices share them with other people. That is only 8 percent shy of every mobile user and the highest share ratings of any mobile content.

Tips for Creating Valuable, Sharable Video Content

Just like the world of written content, not all videos are created equally. Some perform significantly better than others, because they are designed better. If you’d like to create videos which are valuable to your consumer base and more inclined towards being shared or even going viral, check out the following tips:

• According to research by John Cecil (author of Online Video Revolution), the ideal length of an online video is typically between 20 and 60 seconds. Sometimes, promotional videos can be up to two or three minutes, but these are typically those targeted towards repeat customers or educational niches.
• Ensure you catch your audience’s attention within the first 12 seconds. Around 33 percent of viewers will never make it past that.
• Skip the auto play function. Despite more businesses using the function, many consumers find it to be annoying – and it can also lower screen loading times.
• Use a descriptive, relevant thumbnail when promoting.
• Develop videos which are entertaining. For an example of what we mean, it’s worth checking out BlendTec’s “Will it Blend” During the series they try blending crazy items like an iPhone – and these stunts have launched them straight to the top of their industry.
• If you use writing or titles make sure they are clear and easy to read.
• Any images used should be of the highest quality and never pixelated or unfit for the screen.
• Always keep your audience in mind. Choose to create content based on their wants or needs, and not your own. All content – video or otherwise – needs to be designed in such a way that your audience will relate to it.

All these things combined equate to higher conversion ratings for your business. While written content still has a place in the digital marketplace (and always will), video marketing is the chosen format of the future. If you aren’t already allotting some of your time, effort, and resources towards this sector, now is the time to do so.

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.

Are you interested in starting a video marketing campaign?  We think that is a great idea!  There are tons of benefits to video marketing.  Your company can generate even more leads, engage more customers, build brand awareness, increase blog traffic, and so much more.

However, diving into the unknown is often a bit daunting.  If you are unsure of where to begin, here are some simple tips and suggestions to get you started.

1. The best on-camera talent might not be the most obvious candidate.  Your marketing and sales professionals are, undoubtedly, good at their job.  However, put them on camera and they might not be the most convincing representation of your company.  What about the administrative assistant who always greets everyone with a smile?  Or the night-shift manager whose natural exuberance seems to be contentious?  You may find that your company’s best cheerleader is actually a hidden gem!
2. Don’t worry about the details, just get started!  If you spend tons of time worrying about the tiniest of details, you’re bound to push your start date further and further back on your calendar.  Don’t worry about which camera you should use.  Don’t worry about editing out all the “mistakes.”  Just get your message out there.  Start publishing video.  Once you get started, be consistent – post regularly.
3. Be authentic.  Viewers will appreciate the passion you have for the topic and the honesty with which you deliver the information.  Don’t worry about impressing your audience; just be open and honest.  As a result, your viewers will accept you as an authority.
4. Become a guest author on other blogs.  Imbed your videos in articles and reach an even bigger audience.  Not only will you form a valuable, long-term relationship with other prominent members of your field, you’ll also entice more readers to visit your blog.
5. Create video tutorials about various topics in your industry.  People love visual, step-by-step demonstrations.  The popularity of this type of video has the potential to spread like wildfire.
6. Start a video contest.  A contest is a great way to get user-generated content.  Plus, you can make the contest social – encourage participants to share their submission and gather voters.

Do you have any ideas we left off the list?  Let us know!  We’d love to hear from you!

About Author

Lindsey Davidson does marketing for Custom Corntoss.  She recently helped them make a video about how funny cornhole is – watch it here.  As a small business, the company is just getting started with video marketing possibilities.

Image Source: Flickr

Video marketing is on rise in the current scenario. Experts believe that it gives a business much more boost than one can expect from a traditional advertising media.  Bonuses on this are the online global buyers who can take a look at the products and services offered by a particular business entity, and a couple of them can even turn out to be really potential ones too. Hence, this is the simplest way to go global. But this is equally true that if you have opted for video marketing  then you need to find out whether you are getting the benefit from the deal or not. So, let’s find out what are the primary advantages that you might not be enjoying at all!

Boost in search engine ranking

Video marketing works as magic wand in boosting ranks in popular search engines like Yahoo, Google, Bing, etc.  Marketing experts as well as a few businesses, who have already implemented video marketing for salability of their products and services, comment that while SEO enriched contents might take several weeks to get to the top lists of the search engines, video marketing does the same within hours of being created and published.

Reduction in bounce back rate

While a carefully created profile page may fail to hold back traffic, video marketing can keep them glued to the same.  The reason is perhaps needless to explain – 2-dimensional exhibition of a particular product, its method of use and other related things will always have less impact in comparison to a 3-dimensional, highly responsive system.  The interactive footages in video marketing make much better representations of the products in comparison to plain texts and images. Thus, it is inevitable that the online traffic will have better understanding of the products. This reduces bounce back rate, engages visiting traffic and generates more clients.

Social Networking sites help the business further

No video marketing is successful without its active connection with social networks. Marketers can never think of an advertisement in such a stream which cannot be shared and liked in Facebook or tweeted and re-tweeted in Twitter.  Basically, the tie-up of video marketing profiles with that of the popular social networks helps them to go viral and expand their markets much conveniently. If you have never tried it out till date then you have definitely missed your opportunity to expand your target market and increase your chances of earning more profit!

Economic deal

Have you spent loads of money so far in order to showcase your products to a profitable result through video marketing? You might have hires technical persons for the purpose too.  But the practical story is that you have made a fool of yourself.  This happens to be one of the cheapest form of online marketing that can be managed successfully even by a novice business owner who does not have extensive technical knowledge.

Author Bio

I am Francis Boyle, a research analyst at a video production firm in London. As a part of my job, I often have to do a lot of research about various products and services. I write blog posts related to corporate video and video marketing.

Do you post videos on YouTube frequently and nothing ever seems to happen? You are not along so don’t worry you might just need a little tweaking. There are some things you could be doing to help your video move around quite a bit. It is all about the little details sometimes with YouTube to get things visible and jumping around.

Below are some helpful tips to get your videos visible:

1. Frequency

One video in your account is not going to build traffic but a handful of videos over time will. Put yourself on some sort of schedule and make sure you drop a new video whenever you can. This will get repeat traffic coming back to you. Over time more and more will make it to your website which is sort of the ultimate goal.

2. Titles

I know it can be very enticing to want to put a very cutesy type title into your video but if you do that you really won’t appear in any search results for the intended purpose of that specific video. Take a taste full approach and a combination of cute and keyword rich and you will see great results over time.

3. Descriptions

You wouldn’t believe how many videos I see with no description filled in. Fill in your description area with meaty information pertaining to your video and make sure to utilize some of your industry keywords into the description text. This is like leaving a meta tag description empty on an important page of your website. Don’t forget to put a link to your site in the description also for people who bump into your video directly through search results.

4.Keywords

Each YouTube video has a keyword section. Make sure to put all keywords that target your video into this section. Each field is an opportunity to maximize your search ranking efforts so don’t hesitate to fill in these or any sections when submitting a video into YouTube.

5. Voting & Comments

If you don’t plan on visiting your video profile for a little while don’t let people leave ratings or comments. At least set up your video so you have to approve all comments. If a competitor comes by and decides to give you a bad rating that will hurt where your video appears in search results when some searches on YouTube.

Follow these tips an over time you will see results increase for the better. Be patient because it takes time to grow a successful anything online. Keep shooting videos and writing and eventually you will be rewarded.