Video marketing is the leading form of marketing today, and it’s like if you’re not making videos, you’d be left in the dust. Brands are catching up and are now using videos as their main form of marketing. Reports show that marketers who use video grow revenues 49% faster than non-video users.
The heavy demand for video only makes sense because it creates a deeper connection with your customers. It’s different from text because your audience gets to see your mannerism, tone of voice, and surroundings. It creates an intimate connection with them that builds trust in them and makes them like you.
And as a business, this is what you should strive for because, as Simon Sinek said: “We don’t do business with companies. We do business with people.” Connecting to your customers individually is how you win in marketing. And video marketing is a sure way to get you there. That said, here are six ways to strengthen your video marketing strategy.
Identify your target audience
It’s not just about making videos; it’s about reaching the right people — your ideal people. Yes, everyone wants to make a viral video, but will they get people to convert?- This is why the target audience is important. By identifying your target audience, you can now focus on the people who need what you offer. How do you identify your target audience for your video marketing?
- Find out their demographics (gender, age, location, language, income bracket, education)
- What are you trying to achieve with the video? Is it for brand awareness, sales, nurture leads, or generate leads?
- What channels would they consume their videos?
Every business aims to have a positive ROI, but no business will get this if the right people aren’t coming to them. So, when you can pinpoint who your target audience is and go after them, the process becomes easier.
Who will create the video?
Should you use your in-house team or outsource? Not many small businesses have the capital to incur filming equipment and pay an in-house video production team. The only logical step will be to hire a video marketing agency to do the work for you.
By hiring a video production agency, you get access to top talent, save yourself from equipment costs, and you can scale quickly.
Tell your brand story
There’s no point in creating video content if you don’t tell your story. Video content allows you to be more expressive, so you shouldn’t hold back.
Storytelling takes the connection you both have to another level. It’s like going out on a date with your audience individually and sharing your experiences with them. But what exact stories can you share? Storytelling takes many forms. Here are some things you can share:
- An Inspirational message that captures positive feelings in them
- Customer success stories
- A personal experience
- Show the behind-the-scenes of a process.
- A trend that’s going on
- A data-driven account of facts
Spotify is one company that leveraged data to tell stories. In 2017, they dropped a “how students listen” content that highlighted how students from different colleges and universities listen to music in the US. This attempt naturally got people talking, and it’s the brand awareness every brand seeks.
Optimize your videos
The point of optimizing your videos is because every platform has its rules. So, to scale on these platforms, you need to understand the rules and play by them.
It’s best to keep things short for social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). Then for Youtube, you’re free to make it longer and target it accordingly. So, to improve the SEO of your videos, you can follow these tips.
- Do your keyword research.
- Keep your titles short — below 60 characters.
- Add links to your website.
- Include tags for the various keywords
- Optimize your videos for mobile users
Add Subtitles
Subtitles improve your video’s accessibility, engagement, and SEO. With subtitles, you can reach on-the-go people, deaf people, and people who don’t understand the language the video was produced in.
A study found out that viewers were 80 percent more likely to watch a video to the end when there are subtitles. And this is what everyone wants because the longer people can watch your video, the higher their chances will convert. Facebook says adding captions to your video can boost view time by 12 percent.
Platforms like Youtube and Vimeo add captions for you, but it’s not always reliable. This is why it’s necessary to get your video production team to add them to the videos. This way, it’s more accurate.
Promote on the right channels
Every marketing collateral aims to reach out to find new business for you. With your videos, you must promote your videos on the right channels to get the desired results.
To back up this claim, Simon Brisk, the CEO of the digital marketing company, ClickIntelligence said, “The beauty of video content is that it not only offers a more visually appealing type of content, but it allows your business to reach out to more customers and expand your online presence.” And using the right channels helps you achieve these. So, how do you select the right channels for your video marketing?
The most effective video marketing channels are Youtube, search engines, blogs, emails, and social media. But you have to select a channel based on your target audience user-behavior and demographics.
Always include a call to action
What’s the point of marketing if you’re not turning them into leads or paying customers? Yes, using the videos to create awareness is great but what’s even better is the conversion.
Customers need a nudge, and a call-to-action provides that nudge. It directs them on what to do and also motivates them to do what you’ve asked. So how do you leverage your call-to-action to get people to take action?
- Use a CTA at the beginning of the video.
- Suggest a video related to the one they just watched
- Use a lead magnet to get their information (free ebook or free trial)
- Please direct them to a landing page or your website
- Make sure the CTA is easy to find and click.