Video is climbing the marketing charts as one of the most effective tools. Research shows 86% of brands use video in their marketing efforts, with most marketers using it as a lead capture tool, according to a state of video marketing report.
For those who are new to video or are just beginning to dabble with it, we’ll explore the reasons videos are so popular and give you some tips to transition to more video content.
Why video is so popular
Marketers have watched video popularity grow, but what’s fueling this interest? Video is:
A powerful storyteller
Video can convey a story in a way that pictures and text can’t. Marketers are quickly learning how to tell stories that share a brand’s history, highlight a product, or reveal unique facts that drive a company and its leaders.
Accessible
Just about everyone has a smartphone and a video-enabled social app, which means shooting a video is widely accessible to today’s marketers. Gone are the days of hiring a video production crew to shoot every clip of video.
Scroll-stopping
A video stands out in a social stream full of pics and text. Marketers are always looking for ways to stand out and video, particularly video that’s shared on social media channels, does just that. Sixty percent of marketers say video ads on Facebook get more clicks than image-based ads. Why? They say the appearance of video causes viewers to stop scrolling through posts and look at the video.
Tips to transition to video
In a world of ever-evolving marketing methods, it can be a challenge to adopt the next big thing. To help, here are some tips to add video into your marketing strategy:
Create a schedule
You should treat video marketing like you would any other asset. Schedule video as you would blogs and social posts. Doing so will encourage you to up the number of videos you create.
Generate video ideas
You want to create more videos, but what should you shoot? Before posting your first video, get the team together and brainstorm some ideas. To help, here’s a quick list of ideas:
- Shoot customer testimonials.
- Turn a blog into a short video.
- Interview an employee.
- Do a regular Q&A with a customer or company leader.
- Ask for user-generated videos.
- Shoot a video that shows how the company product solves a problem.
- Create short 10-second snippets of the product in use.
- Produce a behind-the-scenes video.
- Explain how a product is made.
- Offer a brief history of the company or product.
- Invite viewers to a webinar, event, or a contest.
- Share unboxing videos.
- Create listicles (like 5 Ways to Use Product X or 6 Myths About Product X).
Avoid a sales pitch
Video marketing, as with most marketing efforts, shouldn’t look or feel like a sales pitch. Videos are most engaging when they tell a story. Remember, focus on the end user and the ways you can help them, not on the product.
Hook the viewer quickly
Videos are scroll-stoppers, but you only have a few seconds to keep a viewer on your video. As a result, the first few seconds of your video are crucial. You need to explain the point of the video immediately or start with a captivating piece of information.
Add a call to action
Every video needs a call to action. Whether it’s a verbal call to action or a button placed on the video, it’s a necessity. Decide what you want viewers to do after they watch your video and give them direction to take action. Your call to action should be short, concise, and actionable.
Some of the most common CTAs include:
- Book a meeting.
- Book a demo.
- Get your freebie.
- RSVP now.
- Enter to win.
- Fill out the form.
- Shop now.
- Learn more.
Optimize your video
Google indexes your YouTube videos, so they need to be optimized. Include keywords in your video title, customize the link so it includes keywords, and use YouTube’s tagging feature, which helps your video appear in the “related videos” column.
The thumbnail picture is important
You should consider creating a custom thumbnail image for your videos. Ideally, you’ll work with the company’s graphic designers to create a template that’s adjusted with each video. The thumbnail should offer the title of the video, like a headline, and should be branded. Here’s a list of 25 thumbnail examples that you can draw inspiration from.
Connect with an influencer
Complement your commitment to video marketing by working with an influencer on a sponsored video. You can find an influencer that’s right for your brand and work together to create a video that highlights your company or product.
Transitioning to video can be a challenge, but by taking small steps and slowly adding to your video library, you’ll likely see big results.