In an age where the majority of people turn to video for their information and entertainment, any business that overlooks the importance of this medium, is no doubt missing out. In short, video is the future of content marketing, as it’s peerless.
Think of You Tube – more than a billion unique visits every month. Twenty million visits in the UK each week (that’s just the UK)! There’s a huge potential audience out there. Are you doing everything you can to get a slice of it?
Videos Gone Viral
It sounds like the title to a film, but viral is the holy grail of returns. Think of #Buster The Boxer on his trampoline at Christmas (John Lewis 2016) – with over 221 million views – that’s a successful campaign! Engage viewers and they will share – it’s earned media at its best.
Information Overload
There’s so much to look at, you have to stand out. And for small businesses without huge budgets, it’s a challenge, but it’s not insurmountable. Production costs have fallen with rising competition, and there’s so much more you can do yourself. Here’s our top tips for making a successful video as part of your portfolio.
1.Tap into the zeitgeist… move people, anger them, make them laugh – get into the general consciousness and tailor your content around this. Pass on a message, give people help, inspire with the information you’re sharing, put out some juicy gossip – whatever it is that will capture their imagination.
2.Engage People. Whatever the motive, give them reasons to keep watching. Did you know that 7 out of 10 people feel warmer to a brand after watching something that appeals to them? (Axonn Research)
3.Consider The Audience. Although so much is done online, you still have to make sure video is the correct medium to reach your potential clients. If not – try another way.
4.Look At Other Video Channels. It’s not all just You Tube either. Instagram rolled out Instagram Stories recently. This is like Snapchat embedded into Instagram’s app. Facebook has been improving its offering too, encouraging lifestyle brands and publishers to produce engaging content to share. Buzzfeed is another channel to check out.
5.Remember short and engaging is the way forward. If you’re a cookery school – 1 min short videos aimed at recipes for students would be ideal. Make-up tips for cosmetic companies. DIY stores could produce ‘how-to’ videos – these are some of the most popular of all. It’s all about being genuinely useful to the viewers.
6.Optimise for #Autoplay. When users scroll through newsfeeds on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, the video will automatically play as it passes over their screen. And that means they’re more likely to watch.
7.Add A Subtitle: Something that shows up immediately. Something, short, catchy, funny or relevant. Again – it’s a way of drawing in attention.
8.Optimise For Search: The headline and descriptions in your post are the key factors here. Key words and phrases, and hashtags for Twitter and Instagram.
9.Once your video is made – don’t forget to promote it across other media channels.
Video Content Is Expected Of You
Brands should always bear in mind that their audience will expect to be offered video content. If they don’t, it’s a guarantee they’ll be left behind, as consumers turn to those who do. Future trends predict there’ll be more video ads than ever, especially on Instagram and Facebook, as these offer a higher click through rate and much more engagement than traditional advertising.
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