How to get started with Video Marketing

Internet users watch more than 500 million hours of videos on YouTube every day. So, it’s no surprise that video represents a whopping 82% of all internet traffic in 2021. This calls for brand-specific video marketing strategies. While this idea has been around for a while, what has changed is how essential video has become on every platform and channel.

Video is no longer merely a component of your total marketing strategy. It’s vital to your outreach and campaign activities, particularly your social media strategy. The mere mention of the term “video” in your email subject line raises open rates by 19%, while video on landing pages can increase conversion rates by over 80%. Customers also say that videos help them make purchasing decisions in 90% of cases.

1. Determine your goals

Video content is thought to be “simple to retain” and provides a nice diversion from the “overabundance of textual stuff online.” Holding your phone in your hand, aiming it in the right way, and pressing the “record” button may seem obvious, but there’s a lot more work that goes into creating video content. You must set goals based on your strategy and track measurable outcomes. Increasing brand exposure, educating or entertaining customers, delivering quality material to prospects, selling items, and displaying authority in your industry are some popular objectives. Keep this in mind when setting goals:

Is it a specific goal?: General objectives such as “raise traffic” or “grow subscribers” will not provide you with any insight in the long run.

Is it a realistic goal?: There’s nothing wrong with having lofty goals, but hoping to reach 1 million YouTube followers in your first six months might be pushing it.

Is it possible to track this goal?: A realistic objective that you can track is an important part of goal-setting. Whether you succeed or fail, you’ll have vital data in the end.

2. Understand your target audience

Create video marketing content that your audience will enjoy to increase ROI. Examine your most popular social media and blog postings. Examine which emails were the most likely to be opened by your subscribers. Discover what your consumers are asking your salespeople. Then think about how you’d use videos to answer questions, entertain, inform, and provide solutions.

3. Where can you reach the maximum targeted audience

Video content is shared 1200 percent more than text and image uploads combined, making it an ideal target for companies trying to expand their organic reach. As a result, be certain that your videos are posted in the appropriate place. YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Linked In, and Vimeo are just a few of the places where you may create and share videos. You won’t be able to use every platform. For example, 71% of Snapchat users are under the age of 34, and they prefer B2C content that is fast and fun. Men make up 62 percent of YouTube users, and the 35 to 55+ category is the fastest growing. YouTube has over one billion users, accounting for approximately one-third of all internet users worldwide. Determine where your audience is most likely to watch your videos using your internal demographics. You may also post your videos to YouTube and link to them from your blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed, and LinkedIn company page.

4. Decide what type of videos to create

You must first decide what type of video(s) you want to make before you begin filming. Check out this list to know and understand more about your options.
1. Demo Videos
Demonstration videos showcase how your product/solution functions, whether it’s by giving viewers a tour of your software and how to use it, or by unboxing and testing a real product.
2. Brand Videos
Generally, brand videos or promotional videos are created as part of a wider advertising campaign to highlight the company’s high-level vision, goal, or products and services.
The purpose of brand videos is to increase brand recognition while also engaging and attracting your target audience.
3. Event Videos
Is your company organizing an event like a conference, discussion, fundraiser, or seminar, or charity event? Make a highlight clip or provide more interviews and presentations from the event.
4. Expert Interviews
Sharing the views of internal experts or industry thought leaders is a wonderful method to establish trust and authority with your target audience. Look for industry influencers, regardless of whether or not they support your point of view or not and bring these conversations in front of your target audience. Aim for a deep dive with an industry expert delivering tangible takeaways for viewers interested in developing viral content, not just a surface-level chat. Don’t hesitate to be strategic with your interviews; your viewers will enjoy it.
5. Educational or How-To Videos
Instructional videos or how-to videos can be used to educate your viewers about something new or to help them gain important knowledge they’ll need to better understand your company and its products. Your sales and service personnel can also use these clips when dealing with customers or during training new recruits.
6. Explainer Videos
This form of video is designed to explain to your viewers why they need your product or service. Many explainer videos involve a fictional journey of a company’s primary buyer persona who is having difficulty with something that is addressed by the company’s USP. This person solves the problem by adopting or purchasing the company’s offering.
7. Live Videos
Your customers will get a unique, behind-the-scenes glimpse at your organization through a live video. It also upholds longer streams and draws in higher engagement rates. People watch live videos 8.1 times longer than they do for other videos. Interviews, presentations, and events should be live-streamed, and spectators should be encouraged to ask questions and should be answered live.

5. In house or external video production company

You’ve got your idea and you’ve decided where you’ll post or broadcast your video. It’s now up to you to actually make it. You have two choices: do it yourself or engage a marketing firm or a video production firm. You’ll need to invest in solid equipment if you choose the first choice. Good audio, sound, and lighting are the video trinity. On the other hand, if you hire a video production company, all of the tools you’ll need to get started should be available with them. Inquire about their equipment and examine their films to confirm that the content is of great quality. If you’re doing it yourself, be sure you have the correct equipment.

6. How to Create a Video Social Media Strategy

Creating and sharing films on social media should be done in tandem to achieve your current marketing objectives. If you want more people to download an ebook, you might make a short teaser clip or how-to video and include the complete link to the ebook’s landing page in the caption of your social media post. The best results are usually found in short, easy-to-consume videos. For further visibility, try pinning your video to the top of your profile on Facebook or Twitter. Since most users watch videos on the go, integrate text or captions to allow viewers to follow along even if the video is on mute. On Facebook, lighthearted and fun brand awareness videos tend to do well. To reach more people on Youtube, create useful, instructive videos that are in great demand and establish a dedicated channel of subscribers.

Important things to keep in mind

The shorter the better: Make your videos as short as possible. Instagram videos should be no longer than 30 seconds, Twitter videos should be no more than 45 seconds, and Facebook users are unlikely to watch anything longer than a minute. The most interesting YouTube videos last no more than two minutes. However, if you want to go longer, YouTube is the finest site because its viewers are more willing to watch a lengthy video.

Don’t forget keywords: Remember to use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and platform keywords to ensure that people can locate and view your video.

CTA is a must: At the end of the video, include a call to action, so that folks can find out more about your business or buy a product.

Promote your videos: Increase the number of people who see your video by sharing it on social media, mailing it to your email subscribers, and writing blog entries about it.