Ed Heil — January 16, 2017 Congratulations! The boss says you’ve got the green light to begin producing video as part of your marketing strategy and the leadership team supports you 100%. All you have to do is put together a video marketing strategy that they will sign off on! It sounds simple enough, and yet, there are a number of roadblocks that can make this simple exercise not so simple. The first will be budget. Yep, you’ll soon find your boss doesn’t really know how much video costs to produce and you’ll feel like you’re going into a fight blindfolded and with one arm tied behind your back. Secondly, there’s a good chance your boss will think you’ll produce one video and all of a sudden leads will start to roll in — like a commercial that just hit the airwaves. Unfortunately, this is a different ballgame.
So, what to do, what to do? Before you get too far down the road, here are some essential considerations when developing a video marketing plan.
Why Video?
First, start by asking yourself or your team, “why video”? Are you feeling like you need to produce video content because you read somewhere that it’s a powerful marketing tool and every business should make videos? Or, do you have a product or service that will come to life through video in ways that words and pictures fall short? Remember, video is a visual medium. Of course, you can produce video of talking heads, but to fully leverage the power of video, use this medium to take the viewer somewhere, show them something, or teach them something they didn’t know. If you’re going to use a talking head, an effective application is to introduce yourself to someone. Too often people use video in situations when words and pictures will do just fine.
Who are you trying to reach?
You knew this one was coming and yet so often people produce videos without considering the audience. Who will see the video? What do they expect to see when they click on the clip? Why should they care? So often, marketers get tangled up in producing video content that is based on what they want to share, rather than what the viewer wants to watch. This is an old mindset that came from the days of television advertising. The world has changed, help your viewer by providing an experience that is worthwhile for them. And the only way you can do this is if you know who you’re trying to reach.
“…figure out what singular point you’re trying to make in each video, then break down each video into a single message.”
What are you trying to communicate
When considering your video marketing strategy, figure out what singular point you’re trying to make in each video, then break down each video into a single message. Too often, people try to fit all the important information for their entire company into one video, and while that was common practice in 2005, it’s no longer effective. Here’s an anecdote: Years ago we produced a video for a golf club that wanted to show off the course, the clubhouse, the restaurant, how they do corporate events, and also showcase their weddings. Unfortunately, you had to watch 5 minutes until you got to hear the bride’s testimonial, and today, that viewer would’ve been gone 30-seconds into the video. So, get specific and focused in each video.
Timeline
Let’s agree on something here — a video marketing strategy is more than producing one video that will go on the homepage of your website. In most cases, organizations do not have the time, resources, and, frankly, vision, to wage a long-term battle in video marketing. However, the truth is, the best video marketing strategies begin with a long-term vision in mind. Try thinking of your video strategy in the same way you think of your buyer journey; you’re leading the customer with an assortment of videos. For example, in the attraction phase, you may produce 5-10 videos all with the goal of driving organic search. There may be another 3-5 videos that can be used in various channels for buyers in the consideration phase. And lastly, there may be another batch of videos aimed at conversion. Producing all this video takes time. It could be over a year before you have the key elements in place and then what? Well, by then, it just may just be time to start refreshing, or adding to, your current library.
How will the video be used?
The go-to answer for 95% of the organizations we work with is, “the website.” Yes, of course! That’s exactly where it should go. And still, I like to ask this question — what page of the website? The homepage? About Us? Our Customers? Specific content should have a specific home. Of course, if it’s an overview video (no more than 2-minutes) then the home page is probably just fine. Beyond that, where else will it be used? Landing pages? Email campaigns? Will you use the video in social media or as part of a Facebook Ad campaign? You’ll also want to create a free and premium channel for your video so you can drive organic search while also drive conversion. I’m obviously throwing a lot of options out to illustrate a point. There are many ways to use video today and when you know how you’ll use the video, you’ll have a crucial first step in developing the foundation for a video marketing strategy.
If this is all new to you, don’t fret. A generation of people are growing up on YouTube, which has made producing video look fast and simple. No question, some video is fast and simple but that usually involves babies and cats. Unless you’re in the business of trying to strike it rich with viral videos, I suggest you take some time to consider some of these questions when planning your video strategy.
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