Liz Papagni — October 26, 2017 — October 26, 2017
It takes a lot of work to create marketing videos for your business. After you go through all the trouble (and money) needed to write, film, produce, and distribute your video, your ultimate reward is thousands of views, right? You want people to watch and share and watch again. So…what happens when your videos aren’t getting views?
Why wouldn’t your videos get the same amount of views as others you’ve seen go viral? There are several reasons, actually. You could be dealing with only one problem, or there could be a combination of issues. Let’s consider all the possibilities, and maybe you can narrow down the problem.
Your Video Is Too Long
There is no set “perfect” length for any marketing video, but you have to keep your audience and your distribution platform in mind. If you’re sharing on social media, then you should keep them short, sweet, and to the point.
Attention spans aren’t what they used to be. Most people want to consume videos in one minute or less. On platforms like Snapchat or Instagram where you’re likely to reach younger audiences, you should keep them even shorter—less than 10 seconds at the most.
Does that mean all of your videos have to be crammed into less than a minute? Of course not. Sometimes the subject matter requires that you spend more time, specifically with tutorials and how-to videos. These can live comfortably on YouTube or your website and take as long as you need them to. Besides, you don’t expect these to go viral anyway, right? The rest of your content, however, should strive to get the point across quickly and efficiently.
You Targeted the Wrong Audience
We talk all the time about how important it is to understand your audience. If your videos aren’t getting views or always get a lukewarm response, then you understand exactly why knowing your buyers is so important.
The gimmick one company uses to get noticed may not work for your brand. As much as you want to try the next Harlem Shake or Mannequin Challenge, ask yourself if your buyers will get any value out of it. If they’re not the type to be amused by such things, then you shouldn’t spend the time and money necessary to force it.
You Don’t Make Buyers Feel Anything
Emotion is a huge driver in determining if video will go viral. Whether you make them laugh or make them cry doesn’t matter—it’s the emotion that prompts people to share. If you’re not plucking at those heartstrings—humor, sadness, fear—then you’re not going to get the job done.
Sometimes you just want to share the facts, right? A fact-based video can come across as dry and even self-serving if you’re not careful. Keep those buyers in mind as you form your content. Determine which of their emotions you want those facts to tickle. Then create a video that evokes those emotions. You’ll see a huge difference immediately.
You Didn’t Optimize It
Until this point, we’ve discussed what buyers want from your videos. It is important to understand what will spur them to share, but it’s not all that’s in play. There are some technical aspects you need to consider, too.
If people aren’t finding your videos, there are a few possible reasons. First, you may not have used the description to your advantage. Are the keywords present? Did you use a description that matches the content? Does that description also play to the buyer’s emotions?
The same goes for your tags and the category you choose. If you haven’t bothered to designate tags and categories—or worse, you label them incorrectly—then you won’t get the additional benefit of appearing in searches. Always be sure to optimize all video, no matter where you distribute it. Otherwise, no one will even find you in order to share you.
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