If you’re considering adding video to your content marketing strategy, you are making the right decision. According to Cisco, 69 percent of all consumer Internet traffic will be the result of video. In addition, 79 percent of B2B marketers are starting to utilize video. Yet, video doesn’t just work magically. You need to have intent, post something relevant and tell a story. If you want to have a higher engagement rate with customers, consider adding more video to your content marketing mix.
Most of your target audience already watches video
Many site visitors will often scan pages for videos. It’s quicker, visual and can make an impact immediately. In addition, video can make a positive impact on your return on investment. Not to mention, it can be easier to track. Moreover, it is the most popular type of content marketing. The objective is to use it to get a H2 return on your effort.
You can produce videos cost effectively
It is no longer cost-prohibitive to produce high-quality HD videos. You can start out with a good smartphone, if needed. Cameras and microphones are also dropping in price. As the world has become more digital, video editing software is also becoming cheaper. This means that businesses of all sizes can afford to create professional looking videos. Finally, Facebook is expected to be all video in five years.
You have a wide variety of outlets
A decade ago there were fewer places to load your videos where customers could see them. Today, you can place them on your website, landing pages, mobile sites and places such as YouTube and Facebook. You can even send videos via email, text messages and instant messages. Furthermore, smartphones and tablets have more capacity to handle videos than they did in the past. This means your customers and prospects can watch your videos from anywhere.
More companies are increasingly using video
YouTube already receives over one billion unique visitors each month. In addition, around 64 percent of marketers believe video will claim the majority of their strategies in the near future. When you do video well, you can get access to millions of prospects.
For example, I am part of the content marketing team with SEO Service Crew, the fastest growing digital marketing company in Texas. Much of their growth is fueled by small businesses building successes in the video space. When you realize that Google is building a deeper understanding of images with SEO, it only makes sense to get more visual with your marketing techniques.
The success stories keep coming
Volkswagen is just one global company that has used a series of videos to boost engagement. In fact, one of their trios were viewed over 155 million times. This demonstrates how easy it is to view and share video. When customers see video on your site, they will spend even more time interacting with your brand. Intel is another company that understands how to use video successfully with their “Meet the Makers” series.
This is about people using Intel’s products to make a difference in the world. Essentially, Intel’s customers are the stars. The video ends with the question, “What will you make?” Their clips have millions of views. Sometimes, sharing the spotlight can provide major reach for your brand. Another video success story is Samsung Mobile. Their videos are focused on helping users build new skills. It showcases experts sharing insider information.
Another option is to entertain your customers such as what Hootsuite has done with their video, “Hootsuite’s Game of Social Thrones.” Timing was right since they released the video when the new season of GoT just started. Yet, Hootsuite created its own version of the opening credits.
The company then states, “…uniting warring kingdoms is a story we know a thing or two about. Hootsuite unites social networks under one platform so businesses and organizations of all sizes can collaboratively execute social media strategies across multiple platforms and accounts all from one secure web-based dashboard.”
What about small businesses?
The good news is you don’t have to be a professional cameraperson to make a good video. Whether you post on your site, YouTube, Vine or Instagram, you can keep it short, but still achieve a good ROI. The main points to remember are:
- Keep your videos relevant to your target audience.
- Promote your video across multiple channels.
- Make it easy for views to find and share.
- Set it up to be mobile ready.
- Be creative.
- End it at three minutes or less.
As you can see, you don’t need a 12-figure revenue stream to get into the video content marketing niche. If all you have is a smartphone and some great ideas, you have the perfect place to start. As you increase your engagement, you can start to think of even more ideas for a video series that is relevant to your target market. Plus, your videos do not need to be longer than three minutes. So, what are you waiting for?
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