Reel DesignerYou're no doubt aware: quality online videos are increasingly becoming more and more valuable in the world of marketing. Time you get on board? This article will be a great resource for intermediates, and an excellent primer for newbies!
Well done video grasps the interest of prospect audiences far faster than comparable static text, images or audio. Expanding upon the famous cliché, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, video mixes all three elements, connecting your brand and/or personality to the messages your business conveys. Not only that, it's all wrapped up in an enormously efficient and easily consumable social-friendly format!
YouTube’s incredible success and continued growth is evidence enough of the popularity of video as a communication medium offering incredible value to the end viewer!
Consumers look to internet experts to influence their decision-making processes. And every problem imaginable requires a solution. Videos, on all topics, convey information so that it presents the necessary information in an entertaining, yet easily consumable manner.
The power that the viewer receives is also driver. With YouTube, Netflix, TiVo and others, we've gotten addicted to the play/pause button that lets the us make a choice, sit back, and let the video do all the hard work. That we can pause, rewind and in many cases share, at any time. And it's not all entertainment – for businesses, promotional and educational video offers a large breadth of information to be conveyed easily when compared to other methods of information sharing.
There are many popular ways which people can gain access to video with content they're seeking, so filling the need to “watch something’ on topic X” is rarely a problem. Keep in mind, if it’s not your video a viewer is watching, it’ll be the next best alternative – James Zem, a YouTube engineer has pointed out that approximately 30% of videos account for 99% of the views on the site!
It's also no longer a secret of the benefits of video marketing when compared to other marketing methods – the impression a emotive video makes can really, really stick.
Video has the ability to cut through the noise and touch an audience – just look at the insider's look we got with the BC Cancer Foundation and their campaign! If the video has made an emotional impact, then the audience has identified with the story itself, and the method in which the story was conveyed falls away in their mind.
This is great – it's no longer marketing, it's a story or an experience! The viewer now owns the experience they've felt, and feel an affinity with message – it just so happens that it's an easily sharable experience, and entirely repeatable, and who doesn't feel the need to be better understood? Et voila! It's engaged with, and shared! Note, for some videos, these steps are the spark of a video partaking in the “going viral” effect!
[embedit snippet=”ad2″] Starting out, you may wish to try various video styles – just be aware that what you publish is your first- impression making splash. If you'd comfortable perhaps instead of a ‘”boring” talking-head video piece if you try using emotion – humor, surprise, sympathy, you’re probably on the right track. If you’re unsure as to why this is necessary, we recommend you read Purple Cow Review [Amazon Link]
Before breaking out each of the key tips, keep in mind that you ought to build a reasonable understanding of basic video creation in order to make a noteworthy marketing presence – and avoid embarrassment. You have to take into account the need for good sound and decent lighting in shooting your videos. Read the enlightening interview with professional sound engineer Eric Lamontagne!
Also, you should possess sufficient equipment which needs not to be costly but it should rather produce good quality videos for online consumption. As stated earlier, if the quality (sound, script, or visuals) of your production is just too low and the viewer finds it more effort to watch then they’re willing to invest, other videos are only a Google or YouTube search away!
Get Seen: Your Website Video Implementation Plan
A book not in the hand of readers will never be read. A video does no good if it’s not put in front of an audience – figure out your website implementation plan before the video’s complete. Even a basic plan will do. Will the video go on it’s own special landing page, or will it be embedded directly on the front page of your site? Will you make various videos, for each of your products on each of their pages? Will it be housed on YouTube which has an massive audience ready and waiting for content, or will it be running off your own web servers servers? If you hire for your online-marketing talent, bring it up with your web developer and video producer so everyone’s on the same page. Having them read this article would be an easy move too! Video extends a hand in encouraging your prospect customers to inspect your business offer, and the ideas that you have presented in your advertising pages are strengthened further through your videos. But only if they've there to be seen!
Present a Clear Message
As the public speaking adage goes, “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you've told them”. Use this too when you communicate, especially to new audiences! Videos are quick – in the first 10 seconds, let your viewer know what solution you’re going to address. Concentrate fully on your topic and do not go off track. Prior to creating your video, it is always good to make an outline first so that your focal topic is identified. If you feel that you went even more structure and a script is needed, then write a simple script or hire a writer/marketer, and test read it out aloud before recording live. At the end of the video, tell your audience what you told them and where they can go deeper and find more information on the topic – either by contacting you, or visiting a page, or watching another related video.
Compel Action – Do X Now
Desired action in response to your video should be focused and simple. Convey in a clear manner to your potential customers how you want them to act following to listening the Call to Action at the end of your video. But do not suggest a big number of choices for these will just bring confusion to them – keep it simple. Sign up for Newsletter, or join your Facebook page? Make a phone call for more information, or a free appointment? Redeem a coupon code given in the video? All of these actions bring you prospect the value of more information while trading for their attention and some contact information, which is of value to your organization. Win win!
Make Use of Your Videos!
You don't invest in ‘the perfect repeatable sales pitch' and then just use it once – you get that baby out there, working for you, 24-7! Far too often I've seen business create a video and then not set it up properly – what a waste!expos views and exposure a video gets, the more highly it gets ranked in organic search results with Google, Bing and YouTube, which continues to push it higher, faster! Without that initial proper push, there's no way for the snow ball to get even started rolling. Frankly, a video is useless without the proper support.
Make use of your video as much as possible. You can tie the knots of various forms of marketing with the use of the link to your video. You can do this by connecting your video to all your contacts as well as to the other marketing means that your business has used. Utilize each aspect of each of your your social media channels. Embed your video links all though the networks, sharing your expertise where relevant. Then branch out to new networks. Aside from linking your videos to other social media channels, you can as well distribute your videos through Podcasting and video syndication websites such as Blip.TV for free!
The Sweet Spot: Keeping it Short
Stick to 1 to 3 minutes in length. Yes, really. It sounds short, but TV advertisers can sure do it. Hell, 1 minute is long for them! But just watch a :30 ad in TV – there is a lot of information packed in there! It's done all the time – you can do it. Or hire a professional to work with you – they'll get it done. In addition, ensure that your videos do not go beyond 5 or 6 minutes in length. If you think that the main point of your video has to be broadened to more than 4 or 5 minutes, we advise to make a series of videos to encompass the whole subject. Your audience will be enticed to see more of your videos if you hand over to them the idea in small and intriguing parts, so as to avoid losing interest. Also, by keeping the content bite-sized, it's more easily consumable!
Summary
Video marketing is truly an excellent aspect of a solid online marketing strategy. Always bear in mind that your video has to be short, value-laden and have a specific and easy to grasp agenda. As simply as possible, your video marketing presents how you can be of help in providing solutions for the problems of your audience. Continue reading on how to get started on your strategy today…
SOURCES:
Daily Telegraph: Almost all YouTube views come from just 30% of films
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I did not know that it was very important to make sure the videos we make are fully prepared to be used when they are shown. You are right! Some videos I have been a part of few or almost no views at all and it is because the videos have not been placed in places where people that will watch and share them will see them. I will recommend that each video I am a part of now has 3 different areas to be seen at the very minimum so that it is spread out instead of being in one area. Great information here!
Kristine, you’re absolutely right – it can be such a rude awakening when an organization realizes all that time and effort invested in dreaming up, raising funds, investing in and wrapping up the decisions in the edit phase isn’t seeming to do any good online! Online video’s won’t get viewed for the sake of being there – they have to be in the field of view of the target market. Marketing is needed – video marketing! Video production is just one step of the process, but an overall strategy encompasses all the aspects (when properly done)! I wish you well with your current video project, and would love to hear back from you later when it’s complete and ready to be seen!