As the digital marketing landscape continues to change, expect to see a shift toward more video content. Marketing with videos online and through social media is expected to grow, and while most brands are focusing on written content marketing, you can get ahead of the pack by producing videos today.
The shift toward video marketing is undoubtedly fueled by the addition of apps like Vine and Instagram Video. It?s also due to the fact that more and more people have mobile devices connected to networks with speeds that can support video playback. With today?s constant connection to the Internet, more and more people are looking for ways to quickly get the information they want.
With recent advancements in technology it?s no longer necessary to have video production equipment to be able to produce a high-quality marketing video. You do, however, need to have a few essentials.
You?ll need to have a decent camera capable of capturing video, as well as a microphone you can connect to the camera. You?ll also want to have proper lighting and some sort of video editing software you can use to edit the rough cut of your video.
Before you even begin filming, you need to identify your audience and cater a message specifically to them. Consider their interests, age, gender and the amount of time they are likely to spend watching your video. While a broader reaching video will likely reach more people, interest-focused videos often have higher conversions and result in more lead generation.
After you know exactly who your video is for, you can start to craft your message.Remember your video is not all about you?rather it should be about your customer. Identify areas in which you can lend your expertise to benefit your customer. This should be the same strategy you are using for your written content marketing efforts, applied to video.
Determine what type of video you will create, and what resources will be required. Interviews and product demonstrations are great for content marketing, as are testimonial videos from existing customers. There are several ways to produce each type of video, so don?t forget your target audience and identify what will appeal best to them.
After you shoot your video, you will take the rough cut and edit. Create a story?the more interesting the story, the more people who will watch the entire video through. Length is also important, as few people will watch a video more than a few minutes long. If you are having trouble cutting it down to size, consider making two or three videos from the materials, or an extended version for those who want to know more.
After your edits are complete, you need to determine which video hosting platform to use and how you are going to promote and share your video. Each video hosting platform has its own benefits, so use the one that will help you best reach your target audience.
Finally, you need to promote your video the same as any other content marketing material you produce. Optimize the video for search using tags and adding keyword-rich descriptions. Share it on social media, your blog, and you may even want to use paid advertising to promote it. Make sure it can easily be shared across all social media platforms.
Continue to create videos to complement your content marketing efforts. Experiment with different types of videos and remember to tailor content to a specific buyer persona for the best results. Video is likely to become an essential part of your marketing strategy in the near future, so learning how to best implement it now will put your company ahead of the rest.