Video marketing is a great way to get your business or brand more exposure, especially as Google starts to favor videos more and more in their search results. Most people are more likely to watch a video than they are to read a piece of text, making it the best way to engage with a wide variety of consumers.
Many businesses believe that they have to buy an expensive camera and hire dedicated video production staff in order to master this kind of marketing, but the truth is that you probably already have the equipment and skillset that you need. Here are ten things you should know in order to start video marketing:
1. You don’t have to be on camera. One of the major roadblocks many business owners face is not actually wanting to put themselves on camera. Just because the video is about you and your brand, that doesn’t mean you actually have to be the star of every video if you don’t want to be. Videos of your office, an explainer or whiteboard video, or even animation can be a great way to market yourself, without you having to be the center of attention.
2. Find someone that does want to be on camera. While you don’t have to be on camera, it can be helpful to give your business a human face. There is probably someone in your office that doesn’t mind being on camera and would be willing to take on the role of cheerleader. This should be an enthusiastic, effusive person that can communicate the message you want to communicate clearly and concisely.
3. Make videos a regular part of your publishing schedule. Don’t just make one and then never make another one again. The only way to be successful with video marketing is to actually make lots of videos. If you have a smartphone with a built-in camera (if you have a smartphone these days, you probably do), then this is all you really need in order to make engaging content for your viewers.
4. Be authentic. Just like consumers can sniff out phony marketing a mile away, they can sniff out lies and deceit. One of the biggest mistakes companies make is to write a script and have someone read from it in a monotone voice. Even if this isn’t what you’re trying to do, it is what you end up doing when you do not let the person in front of the camera just be themselves.
5. Feel free to collaborate. Is there another brand in the area that could help you provide great content? Is there someone already making content online that you want to collaborate with? Don’t be afraid to ask those people for their help—most are more than willing to get it, especially when you’ve pinpointed them as someone who is successful and who could lift your own business.
6. Do interviews. Interviews, or even just conversations between two experts, are excellent pieces of content that your audience is very likely to be interested in. While writing a few questions out ahead of time is the best way to make sure you stay on track, interviews that feel natural are going to be more successful. As long as the information there, it is going to be engaging.
7. Show how to use your product. If you are a brand that sells a physical product or something like a piece of software, you can easily create a video that shows your customers and clients how to use that product. There are lots of inexpensive screencast options for those who sell an online tool or software, but a well-shot video of how to use a physical product will also be appreciated.
8. Make your videos personal. Especially if you are sharing your videos on social media, it is a good idea to keep them as friendly and personal as possible, as this is what people expect to see on social media. Less than ninety seconds, with one person talking directly into the camera, is usually the best formula.
9. Use the same greeting and sign off every time. This is a tip straight from successful video bloggers. No matter what you do during the bulk of your video, us the same greeting and sign off every time to give your videos a signature that your viewers will come to recognize and appreciate.
10. If anything, invest in audio. Nothing is more annoying than not being able to hear what the person in the video is saying. If you are going to buy any equipment, start with audio equipment that makes sure the voices of the speakers in the video are recorded clearly.
Hopefully these 10 tips will help you on your journey to beginning video marketing. No matter the methods, video marketing is something that you definitely need to implement in your 2016 search marketing campaigns.
Video marketing is a great way to get your business or brand more exposure, especially as Google starts to favor videos more and more in their search results. Most people are more likely to watch a video than they are to read a piece of text, making it the best way to engage with a wide variety of consumers.
Many businesses believe that they have to buy an expensive camera and hire dedicated video production staff in order to master this kind of marketing, but the truth is that you probably already have the equipment and skillset that you need. Here are ten things you should know in order to start video marketing:
1. You don’t have to be on camera. One of the major roadblocks many business owners face is not actually wanting to put themselves on camera. Just because the video is about you and your brand, that doesn’t mean you actually have to be the star of every video if you don’t want to be. Videos of your office, an explainer or whiteboard video, or even animation can be a great way to market yourself, without you having to be the center of attention.
2. Find someone that does want to be on camera. While you don’t have to be on camera, it can be helpful to give your business a human face. There is probably someone in your office that doesn’t mind being on camera and would be willing to take on the role of cheerleader. This should be an enthusiastic, effusive person that can communicate the message you want to communicate clearly and concisely.
3. Make videos a regular part of your publishing schedule. Don’t just make one and then never make another one again. The only way to be successful with video marketing is to actually make lots of videos. If you have a smartphone with a built-in camera (if you have a smartphone these days, you probably do), then this is all you really need in order to make engaging content for your viewers.
4. Be authentic. Just like consumers can sniff out phony marketing a mile away, they can sniff out lies and deceit. One of the biggest mistakes companies make is to write a script and have someone read from it in a monotone voice. Even if this isn’t what you’re trying to do, it is what you end up doing when you do not let the person in front of the camera just be themselves.
5. Feel free to collaborate. Is there another brand in the area that could help you provide great content? Is there someone already making content online that you want to collaborate with? Don’t be afraid to ask those people for their help—most are more than willing to get it, especially when you’ve pinpointed them as someone who is successful and who could lift your own business.
6. Do interviews. Interviews, or even just conversations between two experts, are excellent pieces of content that your audience is very likely to be interested in. While writing a few questions out ahead of time is the best way to make sure you stay on track, interviews that feel natural are going to be more successful. As long as the information there, it is going to be engaging.
7. Show how to use your product. If you are a brand that sells a physical product or something like a piece of software, you can easily create a video that shows your customers and clients how to use that product. There are lots of inexpensive screencast options for those who sell an online tool or software, but a well-shot video of how to use a physical product will also be appreciated.
8. Make your videos personal. Especially if you are sharing your videos on social media, it is a good idea to keep them as friendly and personal as possible, as this is what people expect to see on social media. Less than ninety seconds, with one person talking directly into the camera, is usually the best formula.
9. Use the same greeting and sign off every time. This is a tip straight from successful video bloggers. No matter what you do during the bulk of your video, us the same greeting and sign off every time to give your videos a signature that your viewers will come to recognize and appreciate.
10. If anything, invest in audio. Nothing is more annoying than not being able to hear what the person in the video is saying. If you are going to buy any equipment, start with audio equipment that makes sure the voices of the speakers in the video are recorded clearly.
Hopefully these 10 tips will help you on your journey to beginning video marketing. No matter the methods, video marketing is something that you definitely need to implement in your 2016 search marketing campaigns.