Do you want to grow your business? If so, then it’s time to start thinking outside the box. In this blog post, we are going to show you how video can be an excellent way for your company to market itself effectively and stay ahead of the competition.
What is Video Marketing?
Video marketing is the use of video to market your business. Video marketing is a strategy that basically any type of company can employ. You won’t need a massive camera crew or a major movie studio (although, there are companies out there that make videos at those levels). Most businesses have everything they need to get started – an iPhone, tablet, laptop, etc.
Video marketing is so powerful because it allows you to connect with your audience on a more personal level than other mediums. People like videos over text or other types of content. When they see and hear someone, they trust it more. Since the beginning of time, people have been using storytelling to get their point across, teach lessons, and educate their audience. It seems only natural to continue that tradition in our new world of technology.
Why Should You Use Video to Market Your Business?
You’ve probably seen some off-putting marketing videos. There are a plethora of them out there (think: “Call Me Now!” or “Get the Most from Your Car Insurance”). But, the fact of the matter is that video marketing can be extremely effective when done correctly.
Video marketing can appeal to people because it helps them solve their problems by educating them about your business and what you have to offer. This is a great opportunity for small businesses to compete with larger ones. If people believe in your product and service, they will go out of their way to support and buy from you!
Types of Videos That Can Be Used in Marketing
There are three main types of videos we see most often:
Explainer videos (or how-to), testimonial videos, and live footage/streaming. Tutorial videos – These are perfect for explaining how a product works. As we said, people like to see and hear things that they find helpful. A tutorial video is a perfect thing to show all of your potential customers.
Testimonial Videos:
These types of videos are excellent because they show how your product or service has helped other people. They provide a testimonial that is important to others who may be trying to decide whether to do business with you or not.
Live Footage/Streaming:
These types of videos provide an inside look at your company and what it’s like for someone to visit you in person. People are interested in seeing reality vs just reading about it on the screen, which is why this type of video can really work well for marketing purposes!
How can you create a video for your business?
Once you’ve determined what type of video your business needs, it’s time to get started and create the content. You can easily make a marketing video on your phone or tablet.
To begin, take some time to formulate a script for your video. This will be really helpful for those who are not used to getting in front of a camera! Then, pick out the location that you would like to film in. Make sure whatever room (if filming indoors) has plenty of natural light coming through windows or other sources. This will help cut down on the overall lighting needed when editing. Do not forget about background noise either! The last thing you want is dogs barking in the background while someone is trying to talk about a product.
Finally, once you have your script and location figured out, it’s time to start filming. It’s not a bad idea to have someone else in the room with you – someone who isn’t as nervous as you are about getting in front of the camera. You can also get another person involved if needed when editing the video later on.
The last thing to consider is what type of resolution your video needs to be so that it shows up well on social media or wherever you plan to post it! You will want at least 1080p but preferably 4K quality for most situations. Keep these things in mind while making your marketing video! Create something people will watch!
Common mistakes when creating videos:
Focus on something interesting or funny instead of what your company does: It can be hard to speak about a topic you know very well in a way that is informative and not boring. That’s why it’s important to have clear goals for your video content so that you can meet those goals while also providing an entertaining video for people to watch! Also, try referencing things that others may find funny like celebrities, memes, etc.
Don’t have a specific goal for your video:
It’s easy to create content without really thinking about who you are creating it for and why. Make sure that what you are creating is something people will enjoy watching (if it’s an explainer video) or find useful in some way (if it’s a product review). Know the audience!
Giving away too much information too soon:
It can be tempting when showing off a new product, service, or technology to dive right into all of the details. However, unless you want viewers to become
Have poor lighting/audio quality:
One thing we always stress when creating videos is to make sure the lighting and audio quality are good. When filming yourself on camera, this means making sure no shadows or uneven light are coming from behind the camera; this will lead to uneven footage (which is never good for marketing videos). If you are filming something like an interview, make sure there is plenty of natural light coming in from the window behind you; otherwise, people will have trouble hearing what is being said. Also, remember to turn off any electronics that could be making distracting sounds in the background (i.e. music playing through speakers, fans on a device doing work in the background).
Use shaky camera footage:
It’s hard enough to keep your composure when looking at the camera while talking or watching someone talk – but giving yourself extra challenges doesn’t help anyone! When shooting video with a handheld device and walking around or moving as well, this can lead to very shaky footage that needs editing to fix later on. Keep your camera steady!
Where should you post the videos on social media so they get more views?
When using video to market your business, posting it on different platforms instead of just one will lead to a wider reach. For instance, if you can post your video on Twitter as well as Instagram while also putting it onto Facebook and YouTube, this will ensure that all potential viewers see it multiple times (and not just once). Try to find appropriate hashtags for each platform and use them where applicable. This makes the video searchable by those who are interested in what you have to offer. Also, make sure that there is a link back to your website or other information about your product/service within the description of the video. This way, people can click through and find out more about what you have to offer.
Tips when posting your videos on different social media platforms
Besides using it as a tool for advertisement, you can also use videos for other aspects of your business such as training or creating tutorials on how to do something with your product/service. You can create “how-to” videos on YouTube that give visuals but aren’t necessarily intended to sell anything directly (although the hope is that it will lead those watching to want more information). By giving tips and tricks that someone can follow along easily, making videos like these helps customers already familiar with what you do to learn something new! You could even record yourself doing an activity related to your business and uploading it onto a platform like Instagram stories or Facebook live!
Using Video to Get More Views
When creating videos to market your business, you want them to be seen by as many people as possible. You have invested time in the creation of these videos (so why not do everything you can to maximize exposure?) which hopefully means more customers for you in the end! Here are some ways that video marketing can help increase visibility in both organic and paid searches:
Add keywords to the title of your video
This helps those searching on YouTube or other platforms find exactly what they are looking for. Think about words that someone would type into a search engine when looking for something related to what your company is offering. Make sure that in your video, you mention those words but also include them as part of the title. If someone is searching for an item similar to yours and they happen to see your video on the first page of their search results, this could lead to more views!
Adding annotations to videos will optimize their ranking
If you are uploading a video onto YouTube or another platform with viewers, make sure and add closed-captioning immediately. This helps with SEO (search engine optimization) which can mean being seen by more people who are looking for what you have available. Also, if any customers share your video on social media sites such as Facebook or Instagram, adding these captions makes it easy for others to read it. Not only is this helpful when trying to market your business, but you are showing that you care about the customer experience and want to accommodate them with something that will make it easier for those who aren’t able to listen or watch in person.
“Appear”—you should be using video!
If someone has already taken the time to look at your company’s page on a site like Facebook or Google Plus, they have an idea of what your business is about. So now, instead of just having words telling your potential customers why they should buy from you or sign up for new services/features, include demonstrations so they can see exactly what you are talking about! This can make all of the difference between getting more and getting less business from the same number of page views.
On YouTube or other video sites, it is very important that you have a good description and that you include your keywords throughout it. Make sure to also link back to another page where someone can find out more about what you do!
The first image in the top left corner of your video should be a plain background with no text on it at all (if possible). This will help give people a preview of what they are going to see within the first second(s) of your video. The title/description of this image needs to be clear, visible, and put people in the mood for what they are about to watch. Make sure not just that there are keywords but also the call to action (what you want people to do from this video).
If possible, make your videos looping so that they can be viewed over and over again. People often see them while scrolling through or in between other videos, so having a longer video will give viewers more time to view it! If you are on YouTube, make sure that when you first upload your video onto their site, that it is under 15 minutes long. It’s not hard to edit the length down if needed later!
When posting a full-length video on Facebook or Instagram, use stories as well for maximum exposure! This gives others a chance to watch even if they only have a few seconds available before they move on to the next content!
Other great ways to use video for marketing include recording live events and “Instagram stories” which can be seen as many times as desired by viewers! Both of these are a great way for your brand to get more familiar with current customers and gather emails from potential ones.
Here are some other resources for you if you are still looking to learn more about using video as an effective form of marketing for their business:
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/video-marketing-how-to-create-a-great-video/268930/
http://videopromotionstrategies.guide for a blog with other great tips like the ones here!
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/make-video Hubspot’s guide for making video
In today’s digital marketing world, a video is a powerful tool in your arsenal. Whether you are using it to promote your company or product line, create buzz for an event, or share useful information with the masses, videos can be just what you need to get noticed and build momentum for your brand. I hope you found this article helpful. Don’t forget to share this blog with someone you know that really needs this kind of article.
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