So what is video marketing, anyways? Video marketing is simply the use of video content to market your products and services to customers. This style of content ranges from product tutorials, testimonials, and social media shorts.
If you aren’t already using video content as part of your digital marketing strategy, it is time to start. Nowadays, video marketing isn’t just important - it’s essential, with the demand for video content rapidly increasing. Today, there are nearly 245 million digital video viewers in the US alone and 91% of those people want to see more video content from brands. As a result, video marketing is roughly 1200% more effective than other types of marketing content. The numbers don’t lie - video marketing is the way to go.
That said, with all the buzz around video marketing, it may feel overwhelming to even consider incorporating it into your marketing strategy. However, effective video marketing doesn’t have to be complicated, as it can be as casual as going live at an event or keeping up with the latest TikTok trends. Whatever your business needs, there is a form of video marketing that will work for you. The moral of the story? Video marketing isn’t just a buzzword, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
If you are struggling with your SEO rankings, audience engagement, or standing above your competition, including good marketing videos in your advertising strategy may be the solution you are looking for. By sharing videos on your social media platforms, posting them on your website, or airing advertisements on YouTube, you will bring in a wider audience while also deepening your relationship with your existing customers.
Increased engagement and brand loyalty happens when you offer your viewer something of value through your video. As a result, they will begin to view your company as one who made them laugh or solved a pain point in their lives.
The advantages to video marketing don’t end there. The best video marketing videos offer the following benefits, and more!
As you can see, creating a video strategy can go a long way in reaching your marketing and overall sales goals.
Dedicating the time, resources, and energy necessary to create effective video content can feel overwhelming, especially when there is no guarantee that your video will work. Fortunately, there are some best practices for video marketing that you can put into place to help ensure your video content is successful every time. Check out the following video marketing tips for ideas on how to best accomplish your video marketing goals.
What makes a good marketing video? Simply put, effective marketing videos should make the viewers' lives a little better. Whether it is by offering life hacks or making them laugh, they should finish your video either entertained or feeling like they learned something new. This is the best way to ensure that your video sticks with them long-term.
Whether your goal is entertainment or education, don’t be afraid to use humor to your advantage. When it’s used appropriately, humor can be a very effective tool in video creation. Yes, this is true even for B2B marketing.
That said, not every video needs to be funny – there’s a right time and place for humor and it is up to you to determine when that time is. Including humor when addressing a serious topic may come across as making light of said situation. Consider your audience, your industry, your platform, and the topics you are covering when deciding if you want to include humor as part of your video.
Regardless of your audience or marketing goals, one of the most effective tips for video marketing is to prioritize connecting with your viewers. At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel seen. One of the easiest ways to ensure your video content performs well is to always empathize with the customer. Make sure they feel acknowledged and understand that you are here to make their lives easier.
To do this, you should figure out key pain points and speak to those pain points with targeted solutions. For example, if you own a gym but recognize that not all your customers have the time to regularly come into the gym, consider making short videos with at-home workout solutions. This will offer them an alternative to hitting the gym every day, while building their trust in your company which will ultimately encourage them to stick with you and your gym when they do have the time.
As previously mentioned, your marketing videos should provide the viewer with something of value. Educational videos can help you stand above the competition. Sometimes, one of the biggest barriers to purchase can be a lack of understanding or confusion about how to use your product. By creating educational videos, you add value to your customers’ lives which can lead to increased brand loyalty and sales.
For example, as a skin-care company, you may be seeing low sales for a specific product. You can address this by creating videos that explain what the product is, how to use it, and what benefits customers can expect. Similarly, a digital video marketing agency may create videos educating customers on the benefits of video advertising. In turn, viewers will have a deeper sense of understanding regarding your products and feel more confident in their purchasing choices.
Nowadays, attention spans are only about eight seconds - maybe even less depending on external factors. As attention spans decrease, it is increasingly important to make sure you are capturing the viewers’ attention right away, and keeping it for the entirety of your video.
The best video marketing agencies recommend making your content easily digestible to ensure your video content performs well. You don’t want to add confusion or create needlessly long video content. In general, the shorter, the sweeter it is. Short-form content tends to perform better, but keep in mind that there are times when long-form may work better.
One of the simplest yet most effective strategies of a good video marketing agency is to prioritize the thumbnail. A thumbnail, the photo that offers a preview of your video, can sometimes be a make-or-break deal. Choosing an engaging thumbnail can draw potential viewers’ attention to your video. This is your first opportunity to catch their attention and set yourself apart from the crowd.
To put this into perspective, think about doing a YouTube search for a video and then seeing the list of thumbnails to choose from. Would you be more likely to choose a video with a clear thumbnail that offers a preview of the video you’ll be watching or one with a blurry image unrelated to your search?
To guarantee your content is being seen by the intended audience, it’s important to only focus on the channels where your target demographic spends time. There’s not enough time in a day to maintain a presence on every single platform and attempting to do so will only lead to burnout and lower quality content.
You should only publish on platforms where your target audience spends most of their time. This helps ensure you’re not wasting time on channels where you likely won’t see the best ROI. If you’re unsure about what the best solutions are for you and your company, consider reaching out to your local video marketing agency for assistance.
Remember, video marketing isn’t just a buzzword, but an effective tool to add to your toolbox. To see the best success with your video marketing strategy, create videos that resonate with your audience and offer them something of value. By doing this, you’ll see increased organic reach and SEO, higher levels of web traffic, and a rise in sales.
Do you need a little more assistance in getting your video marketing strategy up and running? Consider reaching out to Charter & Co. We offer simple, yet effective video marketing solutions for businesses of all shapes and sizes.