Videos are becoming an increasingly essential type of content for businesses of all sizes. Online marketing is evolving, and videos have a number of benefits over other content types.
Here are some of the main benefits of using videos in your marketing along with some of the best ways to start your own video marketing strategy.
Why Use Video Marketing?
There are many good reasons to use video marketing as part of your overall marketing strategy. One of these is that with the rise of mobiles and faster data speeds, videos provide the most accessible type of content.
Anyone can watch a video on the go without having to zoom in to read small text, and this has been largely responsible for the increasing popularity of videos.
If you are only creating text content, you may be missing out on all of those potential customers who are more likely to access their content in video format.
Video is also great for building trust, and this is especially true of live video. It shows another side to your business, the more personal side that is often hidden, and this can help to create a more personal brand image and improve your business’s relationship with your customers. You could do this by interviewing your CEO or providing a behind-the-scenes tour of your business, for example.
Videos also provide you with more visibility. Simply having a channel on YouTube is enough to help get you found by more people. But because videos are popular to share, they can be a natural way to build links quickly. That’s great for SEO, which is important for most businesses these days.
Videos are also very popular on social media. People love visual content on Facebook and other platforms, so this is a great reason to make them. Videos are quick to watch, they provide information without much effort on the viewer’s part, and they are easy to share.
How to Start a Video Marketing Strategy
So you know about the benefits of video marketing. But how should you get started? Here are a few easy ways to launch your strategy and start taking advantage of videos.
1. Get Brainstorming
Start by coming up with some ideas for videos you could create. Talk to your team and all brainstorm ideas to see what you come up with. These could include:
- Turning your old blog posts into videos
- Interviews with team members
- Whiteboard videos that provide a lesson on a specific topic
- A tour of your premises
- Industry events that you visit
- A message from the CEO
2. Create an Explainer Video
Explainer videos are very popular right now and for good reason. They provide a quick and simple intro to your business as soon as someone lands on your site. They can also encourage visitors to take a specific action like getting in contact or downloading a white paper.
Explainer videos are usually short, often no more than a minute or so in length, so they can be quick to create and upload to your site, making them worth experimenting with.
3. Create Live Videos
Live videos are the hot trend on the internet right now, and they are only going to get bigger. They are popular because they are not carefully edited and so they present a more raw image of your business, which comes across as more honest—great for building trust.
Try out Facebook Live. This is one of the biggest platforms and a great place to start. But you could also use YouTube Live or other platforms.
What should you create? There are endless options, but a few ideas include:
- Q&A session with the boss
- Going behind the scenes at the office
- A demonstration of your new product
- Industry events
4. Launch Your YouTube Channel
You will need a YouTube channel if you want to take your video marketing seriously. A branded channel can become the home for your videos, and you should make an effort to add videos to it regularly to build a stronger presence on YouTube.
YouTube is the second largest search engine, so a strong presence here can be great for your brand visibility. You can then embed your YouTube videos on your website and elsewhere.
5. Look Beyond YouTube
As well as YouTube, don’t forget about other platforms. For example, Vimeo could be a great option for you.
This has no ads, the content is typically of a higher quality, it has powerful analytics tools, and it can be the ideal platform for branding.
It’s ideal if you want something more professional. For example, perhaps you’re hiring video crews to help you create your video, and Vimeo can be the place to show it off in its full glory.
Videos Are Only Getting Bigger
If you have not yet launched a video marketing strategy, now is the time to do so. Video is fast becoming one of the most popular types of content, and the possibilities are endless. So use some of the tips above to launch your video strategy, and enjoy the many benefits video provides.