Are you looking into video marketing for the first time? People in the 18-34 age bracket receive more of their entertainment from YouTube than television, making it a powerful and relatively cheap way of reaching a wide audience. Rather than just being a straightforward advert for goods or services, video marketing content can also work alongside conventional SEO campaigns and high quality website design to improve web traffic, and increase sales. But it’s still fairly new territory for most companies – so how do the professionals do it?
Eight seconds to connect
Users are like butterflies when it comes to browsing content – you have eight seconds to gain their attention, otherwise they’re gone. The most important thing that a video can do to retain users is to reference the title immediately, and then start answering or explaining its topic. Any waffling, hesitation, or contradiction in those initial seconds will lose most people.
The title of your video is extremely important. It is one of the first things your audience will see. With a title that is clear and enticing you will draw attention to your video and persuade your audience to watch. This is one of the main aspects to consider when video marketing.
You also need to consider your target audience when using videos in your online video marketing. You will need to be able to fully engage your audience and give them information that is relevant, so they haven’t just wasted their time watching your video. With video marketing you have the opportunity to emotionally connect with your target market, and emotional connections drive brand loyalty, making customers feel as if they can trust your product.
Your video description is key to success. This is what will show underneath the video in search engines. You will need a description that stands out to your audience, as well as being clear and to the point. Your description should also include your keywords. This will give your video marketing a better chance of appearing in search results for your target market when they type in your specific keywords.
Analysis and feedback
Video marketing might seem like a creative medium where anything goes, but without a framework and guidance it won’t serve any purpose. Marketing professionals use analytical software to see exactly where people are dropping out of videos, and whether it relates to a specific aspect of the content, such as a particular topic or style of address. They also make sure to gather feedback before content is released – like any other form of website design and online marketing, it’s important that the tone is consistent with the product.
Video marketing might seem like a creative medium where anything goes, but without a framework and guidance it won’t serve any purpose. Marketing professionals use analytical software to see exactly where people are dropping out of videos, and whether it relates to a specific aspect of the content, such as a particular topic or style of address. They also make sure to gather feedback before content is released – like any other form of website design and online marketing, it’s important that the tone is consistent with the product.
Hiring and firing
Another important aspect of professional video marketing is personnel – you need the right person to present your videos. A good presenter won’t necessarily be the right fit for every product, and it can take time to find someone that really connects with the people you’re trying to reach.
Aspects to consider
Around 64-85% of users are more likely to buy your product or service after watching your product video. So be creative! You will need to grab your audience’s attention within the first 8 seconds otherwise they will click off your video. The shorter the video the more viral it will get; it has been proven that shorter videos that are usually around 15 seconds are much more likely to go viral than a video that goes on for 2 minutes. 26% of Consumers Turn to YouTube for Shopping Inspiration, so if you have a product to sell, YouTube is the platform for you.
Making it count
As a final point, it’s important to remember that videos are about capturing leads, which usually means gaining subscribers and providing calls to action. Good marketing means finding methods that provide a real incentive for users to stay in touch, such as simple gateways prompting users to leave details.
These are just a few of the key points that marketers have to bear in mind when creating content that works. But there’s an awful lot of skill involved in actually putting these tips into practice.