The world of content seems to have shifted from classic blog articles into video marketing, evident in the rise of YouTube as the second largest search engine in the world (behind Google).
YouTube started in 2005 with only a few dozen uploads and has since grown into the largest video platform with over 30 million visitors and five billion videos watched every day. On top of that, the emergence of live streaming platforms like Instagram Story, Instagram TV, Facebook Live, Periscope, and Snapchat further proves the case.
For many consumers, video is the preferred and most memorable way to learn about a brand. For brands, here are video marketing tips to get started.
The definition of video marketing is not complex. In fact, it’s rather simple: using video to promote or market your brand, product, or service. A strong marketing campaign incorporates video into the mix. Customer testimonials, videos from live events, how-to videos, explainer videos, corporate training videos, viral (entertainment) videos — the list goes on.
Video marketing is a long-trending marketing technique. According to Cisco 79% of internet traffic is video content, with a rising trend. Here are some reasons why it is useful for your business to employ video marketing as a marketing strategy:
For a video to be successful, it usually needs to have a high production value. Oftentimes these videos tend to be larger in size which quickly eats up your server’s bandwidth. Slow loading speed and other issues with performance are commonplace.
Furthermore, it isn’t surprising if a viewer encounters compatibility and quality issues along the way. So the best way to circumvent the problem is by hosting your video on a site dedicated to this purpose.
Here are five of the most common questions you need to ask yourself before choosing a video marketing platform-
Most people prefer going with free solutions such as Vimeo or Dailymotion. These websites are fun and are very popular. However, if you wish to promote your business, perhaps you need to consider sites such as SproutVideo or Wistia.
These websites require payments but they have numerous advantages for business owners. For example, they don’t have ads, they provide advanced analytics, A/B testing features, and so on. You can even use them as a testing platform before sharing on some bigger, more popular free sites.
Everybody knows that YouTube is the most popular video platform there is. It is also the platform with most videos posted. That being said, if you wish to maximize your reach, it is best to post content on this site.
YouTube is especially great for businesses as you are able to post almost anything there. Still, they do have a quite strict policy so make sure to create content within the allowed limits. Another good alternative is DailyMotion. Of course, if you want to get even more views, you can always post videos on multiple platforms, both free and paid.
Different platforms have different options and features. This is especially true when it comes to customization. Brightcove is a website that is pretty awesome in that regard. Some platforms have the option of asking viewers for a password to watch them, which makes the videos more exclusive.
There are also video-sharing sites that allow adding of call-to-action links, something that all entrepreneurs can appreciate. It is best to learn more about customization options beforehand especially if you wish to go with a paid platform.
A marketing budget can be a really restrictive thing. Most small and medium-sized companies don’t have a lot of financial resources when it comes to promotional activities. So, if you don’t want to pay too much, you might want to focus only on free platforms.
On the other hand, if you have some more leeway, you might want to consider sharing your content through multiple websites. This will not only give you more exposure but will allow you a better analysis of results.
One of the biggest drawbacks of a lot of free video-sharing platforms is the ads. This is something that can easily ruin the viewers’ experience.
In terms of marketing and viewer retention, ads are also one of the worst things for video creators. They significantly reduce interaction and if you want your message to be seen, it is much better to post it on sites that don’t use ads.
DotcomPal provides a great video hosting and marketing solution that is made by keeping all these points in mind. DotcomPal video hosting and player provides you with features like fast loading of high-quality videos and better-optimized videos that you can manage from a single dashboard.
You can effectively utilize this platform for your video marketing strategy that ultimately helps in boosting conversions and sales.
A video is an excellent tool for increasing traffic to your website, keeping people there for longer, and, as such, reducing your bounce rate. Here are tips that can help you boost your website traffic-
In terms of video marketing, storytelling is one of the best ways to boost more traffic. Try to create a video that should be centered on the story and not the sale. It must appeal to your consumers’ needs and hidden desires.
If you want that people watched your story then tell stories about yourself, what your company is offering and what it can do for them. It is best the more you share yourself with people, the most they know about your brand and services.
If you want to grab the attention of your audience then start focus on them. To attract the audience you should focus on your targeted audience. Try to know their needs and preferences or also determine what channel they are using for consuming video, the type of videos they like, etc.
Moreover, if you understand all these things, you can easily connect with them and boost better outcomes towards your business needs and requirements.
Whether it is Facebook or YouTube, Thumbnail is essential. It is a great way through which you can easily grab the user’s attention and get them excited about your video before it starts playing.
When it comes to thumbnails don’t make use of a blurry, motion-filled shot because your thumbnail represents the video is of high quality.
Headlines and titles both are also important parts of video marketing that you need to focus on. An emotionally charged title helps you to easily attract users and drive more traffic to your website.
There are things you consider to create the best headlines and titles such as use tickle emotion such as “How to Double Your Income without Leaving the House”.
Generally, CTA’s are at the end of the video content. It’s essential to include specific calls to action because it helps people to follow you after watching videos. Your Call- To –Action is where you tell your viewers about what is your next step.
Adding a simple and powerful CTA to your videos can help you engage more interested viewers. There are several ways through which you can easily add CTAs for different purposes. This includes suggested another video, send them a landing page, ask frequent questions about the video, free trial, etc.
Take the time to SEO your video marketing. To that end, one of the best things you can do before uploading your video to sharing sites is to host the video on your own domain.
When thinking about search engine optimization of your videos (remember, YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine on the Internet), your video descriptions are a great starting point.
Your potentially award-winning 3-minute video is worth nothing if you don’t hook people within the first 5-10 seconds.
Yep. Your typical Internet user has a very short attention span. In fact, about 1/5th of viewers will be on to other things within 10 seconds of your video starting.
Make sure that your video answers the question “Why should I watch it?” within the first 10 seconds.
For starters, your story has to be compelling. Most people want to feel something. If you’re just taking the same content that you already have in other places on your website and adding some video clips you’re probably not going to be getting the results you want.
Videos, particularly brand videos, give you more freedom than most other marketing formats to show off your values to your customers and potential customers.
Since website visitors are anywhere from 64% to 85% more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it, create short promotional videos that show off the main benefits and features of your products and put them on your website.
For example, if you have an apparel store, instead of just posting photos, add a video of a model wearing your clothes. If you offer a service, use video to explain what problem your service solves and how it goes about doing so.
How-to videos catch viewers with prime buyer intent. They have a problem they want to solve or something they want to learn. It is up to you to show them how to do it. In fact, nearly 1 in 3 Millennials say they purchased a product as a direct result of watching a tutorial or how-to video about it.
Come up with and share the uses of your product. For example, explain to consumers how to tie a tie or show home cooks how to make certain recipes for your ingredient. Don’t try to sell your product in this type of video, just focus on instructing your audience.
As P.T. Barnum once said, “Nothing draws a crowd quite like a crowd.” Showcasing customer testimonials is one of the most powerful ways to communicate your value to a website visitor.
Ask some of your most loyal customers if they would be willing to record a testimonial for your business. If they are local, invite them to your store or office, or meet them with your camera gear.
You can also set up a spot at an event and approach customers there. Have them describe their experience, as well as what problem your product or service solved.
That’s it! With these simple video marketing tips, you’re basically an expert in video marketing, so we can’t wait to see what awesome things you come up with. Video is everywhere today and a lot of marketers are seeing great results.
There are many types of videos you can create for effective marketing that drive traffic and conversions for your business. Focus on your company’s strengths, and find ways to showcase them via video to current and potential customers. Don't forget to share your thoughts and experience in the comments.