If a picture is worth a thousand words, is a video worth two thousand? Five thousand? More? In the digital age, content is king. Engaging content is one of the most powerful promotional tools a company can utilize. But, what makes content engaging? How do you catch someone’s eye that has been scrolling 50 miles per hour since the iPhone was released all the way back in 2007? Yes, the iPhone, the internet, social media, and so much more has changed immeasurably since that first iPhone took the world by storm but marketings definition has essentially stayed the same. When marketing, your intent is to promote and sell products/services via market research and advertising. Research your product/services market and its customers, and advertise said product/service accordingly. Sounds easy, right? Not so much. Now that most of the world is accustomed to viewing and absorbing content daily (if not hourly) it can be hard to catch your customer’s eye and stand out from the crowd.
Aside from helping you market your product or service, video marketing can be incorporated in promotional videos, value-based videos/content, customer testimonials, how-to’s, or before and after examples (when applicable.) While the thought of going out and shooting a great video can sound exciting to some, quality video production is costly and shouldn’t be taken lightly when incorporated into your digital marketing plan. Ignore the basic principles of marketing (data-driven campaigns) and you’ll end up wasting money on a video that might look cool to you, but won’t actually do anything for your customers, your business, or your sales. Develop an effective video marketing strategy and you can be well on your way towards engaging with your customers and skyrocketing sales and brand awareness. Read on for our top 20 tips on video marketing.
3)Check Out Other Videos For Inspo
Reflect on video marketing campaigns that have caught your eye in the past. For example, one of the things that make the Superbowl so popular is the hype around the commercials they air during the game. A 30-second commercial during the game costs companies upwards of 5.2 Million dollars – so you know they are putting out their best content. Find inspiration in the way they use humor, or current social issues to catch America’s attention.
2)Have an Intriguing Intro
Like we said earlier, it can be hard to catch someone’s eye when they’ve already spent a good amount of time scrolling and absorbing content. You should aim to catch your viewer’s attention within the first 3-5 seconds of your video. Not long, right? Experts also suggest viewers should already get the gist of your videos purpose within the same time frame.
3) Tell a Story
When someone approaches me in person, over the phone, or via email in a “salesperson” way I am immediately turned off. While video marketing’s purpose is to promote your product/service and brand you also don’t want to put off potential clients by pushing yourself on them. Let your video tell a story – aim to resonate in some way with your customer. Strike an emotion that gets the viewer hooked before pitching yourself too hard, if at all.
4) Mobile-Friendly – Always
Similar to your website, your videos must always be mobile-friendly. Some things on this list may only be applicable to some people and businesses, but this tip is universal. Mobile friendly. Always. Mobile devices are the #1 devices people use to surf the web. If your video isn’t mobile-friendly you can guarantee viewers will skip over it and move on to one that is.
5) Include a CTA But Don’t Go Overboard on Sales
Similar to how websites, pages, blogs, etc. should include at least one call to action, your videos should too. Think about what you want viewers to do once they’ve finished your video. Do you want them to sign up for your newsletter? Check out the highlighted product? Fill out an Inquiry form? We stress not making videos too “sales-y” but this tip is critical if you want action to come from your video – just make sure your CTA is easily completed, and relevant to the info you just presented.
6) The Shorter The Better
Now that people are conditioned to scroll Instagram and Facebook a million miles per minute, their attention spans are gradually getting shorter and shorter. Not only should you grab viewers attention within the first five seconds of your video, but your entire video should be short and concise enough that customers don’t click through and move on before you get your message across.
7) Quality Over Perfection
Focus more on providing quality content, rather than the perfect content. As a small business owner, you likely aren’t spending your limited time and money on fancy video production equipment or studio time. With all of the advanced technology we have access to nowadays, focus more on creating a good quality video that resonates and appeals to the same level as your customer demographic. Aesthetics are important, but not so important that you dehumanize your business and alienate your target customer.
8) Build Hype Around Your Video Release
This might seem silly if you just plan on releasing a 10-second video on how to properly whisk your scrambled eggs, but the heads up can help put you in the forefront of your customers and followers minds. Depending on the content you’ll be releasing you can hype up your video release for weeks, days, or even hours. A quick “New Video Coming Soon!” can go a long way when promoting your video content.
9) Consider NOT Using Audio
Don’t get us wrong, audio might be critical in SOME video production situations. In most, you can probably do without it. The majority of people are scrolling through their phones on the go, at the office, in a restaurant, etc. Essentially, people can be scrolling at any given moment in any given setting and not all settings are appropriate for blasting the volume on a video you’re watching. Consider adding text if you need to get info, or instructions across. This gives people a chance to receive your message even in situations where they can’t listen to the audio. Trust us, if someone scrolls away from your video because they aren’t able to hear it, they likely won’t be coming back or see it on their next scroll. Thanks, algorithms!
10) Repurpose Past Blog Posts or Content and Recreate Into a Video
This is an easy way to jump-start creating video content. Want to get comfortable with making and distributing videos before investing time in new ideas? Repurpose past work of yours and deliver it in video form.
11) Use Live Video Streaming To Engage With Your Audience
Live video isn’t always the way to go, but it can be a fun way to engage with your audience. Doing a giveaway? Consider streaming your winner announcement live. Hosting, or attending a special event related to your company? Live to stream it and take viewers behind the scenes, or get them in on the action! Live streaming can be utilized in a lot of different ways, just don’t go this route all, or even most of the time.
12) Add a Video To Your Website Homepage
Simply put, Google loves video content. Any marketing campaign should include SEO in their plan, but don’t forget to include SEO when making your video marketing plan. Google is king and if you want your business to show up in their listings, you have to play by their rules. To ensure you’re getting all you can out of your latest video release include a well-written video description that uses relevant keywords.
13) Take Viewers Behind The Scenes
Similar to what we discussed about live streaming, taking viewers behind the scenes can make them feel more connected to your company. Have there been times you wished you could go behind the counter of your favorite store, or see the prep work it takes to make your favorite meal or snack? Inviting viewers behind the scenes makes them feel as though they know something others don’t – like they’re an insider at your company. Do this wisely, but have fun with it – you don’t need to give away your top-secret recipe in order to feel more connected to your customers.
14) Encourage People To Engage With Your Content
Similar to posting on social media, encourage viewers to engage with your content. This can be in the form of a call to action, but can be as simple as stating “LIKE this video if you love chocolate” or “COMMENT your favorite product of ours and why.” If you’re having trouble generating engagement, consider adding some incentive.
15) Include Employees or Customers in Video Marketing Campaigns
This can be a really easy and fun way for business owners to generate new video content while keeping things in-house and promoting customer/business relationships. Small businesses can often evoke feelings of family and unity. You’re likely working with a smaller team on a more personal level, and customers are more likely to recognize familiar faces. Go behind the scenes on the average workday or encourage employees to share their favorite product from your business. There’s a ton of ways you can do this, try it out!
16) Highlight In-House or Industry Experts
Similar to including employees or customers in videos, including an in-house or industry expert in your video can encourage viewers to stay engaged longer. This can not only add value for your viewers but can be a good selling point when promoting your video. “Master Yogi, Jane Doe, Gives Top 10 Tips To Kickstart Your Own Yoga Practice” is more appealing than “Watch This and Learn How To Open a Yoga Studio Someday.”
17) Consider Creating a Mini-Series
We don’t mean this in the sense that you should film a literal mini-series for your company (if that’s applicable to you, cool. Chances are it’s not though.) You don’t need to film a sequence of videos full of cliffhangers leading to a climactic ending somewhere down the line. But, consider releasing a themed video every Monday, once a month, etc. For example, if you’re a hairstylist you can post a video every Thursday highlighting different ways to style your hair to help beat the summer heat. Choose something that your customers will want to engage with time and time again and give them something to look forward to.
18) Include Tutorial Videos When Applicable
If you have a business that doesn’t sell a product consumers need to “use” you can still utilize tutorial videos! Have you ever seen those fast-paced cooking videos on Facebook? MAYBE you actually replicated a recipe you saw, but chances are you just enjoyed watching it first. While this can vary greatly from business to business, don’t limit yourself on what you can do. If you own a restaurant but don’t want to give away any recipes, consider making a video on how to cook the perfect fried egg. Easy, right?
19) Experiment With Different Length Videos
We’ve reiterated videos typically need to be quick and concise to really land with consumers. But that doesn’t mean every video you make should be fast-paced, and 10 seconds long. Put out videos of varying lengths. Tutorials can be longer, promotional videos can be shorter but have awesome music and graphics. Make sure you are paying attention to insights on the platforms you post your videos on – they can tell you which videos perform best based on length, time posted, and more.
20) Don’t Be Boring
Last but not least, just don’t be boring. Put your best foot forward and create content your AUDIENCE wants to see – not what you want to see (because they’re not always the same thing.) Follow these tips, keep things fresh and you’re on your way to creating video content that will not only increase sales but promote a stronger business and customer relationship.