The video marketer’s role has changed significantly in the last few years. Gone are the days of just filming a funny cartoon and sticking it on YouTube. Now, digital marketers and PR professionals are taking the lead in shaping consumer behavior by distributing playful, humorous, or exciting content in short-form video tutorials.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced marketer, knowing how to harness the power of video is essential. The following will guide you on how to make the most of online video marketing services, including YouTube.
Set A Strategy
The first step to taking advantage of online video is to set a clear video marketing strategy and then to stick to it. Although many people try to wing it when it comes to video marketing, content creation, and distribution, pure luck often plays a big role in your video’s performance. Having a plan, sticking to it, and being deliberate about your process will better ensure your success.
For instance, did you set a goal to increase brand awareness or to generate leads? Did you intend to use YouTube to gain traction in your industry or to simply satisfy your curiosity? Before you begin your video marketing journey, it’s important to have these questions answered, as they will impact the way you approach and execute your strategy. Having a video marketing plan and strategy will also help you identify the best platform for your specific needs and the weaknesses of each platform.
Additionally, the platform you choose will have a significant impact on your overall video marketing experience. For instance, did you know that YouTube creators can charge advertisers for the ad space on their videos? That is a lot of revenue, which is why many creators choose to do so. It is also one of the reasons why you should avoid publishing your video content on TikTok.
Diverse Content Is the Key to Building an Audience
Varying your content to attract as many potential customers as possible is critical in today’s digital marketing world. That is why you should always be creating content that is relevant to as many people as possible regardless of their interest or needs. It is also one of the primary reasons why you should avoid publishing content solely on social media platforms like TikTok.
If you’re new to video marketing or simply need a refresher on the importance of variety, check out this blog post by Michael Crichton, CEO of 360i. In it, he discusses why he believes marketers should strive for video content that is relevant to as many people as possible and why sticking to one platform isn’t enough.
Additionally, did you know that video consumers across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and others prefer content that is between 15 seconds and one minute? That is about as much time as it takes for a television show to cut away, allowing you to change the channel. Creating short-form videos around topics that are both relevant and interesting will allow you to stand out among your competition and drive more engagement.
Make Sure You’re On The Right Platform
YouTube is the second-largest video platform in the world, boasting over a billion monthly active users. It is, therefore, the most popular choice for video marketers. Additionally, content creators on the platform can generate thousands of views in a few hours, making it a popular choice among marketers trying to build an audience.
Unfortunately, not all video platforms are created equal. Some are better than others when it comes to building an audience, engaging with viewers, and distributing content. For example, if your goal is to drive traffic to a particular website, social media videos that link to a product or service you’re promoting are more likely to do so than a general interest video on a random topic. If you decide to pursue this route, be sure to do your research before diving in.
Plan Out Your Video Content
Let’s face it, creating video content for marketing can be fun, but it can also be frustrating. There are so many platforms, software, and gadgets to consider and keep track of. Plus, you have all of the content you create to maintain. Planning out your content before you dive in is essential. That way, you can ensure you will have enough content to promote throughout the year and across multiple platforms.
The following are some of the platforms and tools you should consider using to plan your video content:
- Wistia
- Hootsuite
- Buffer
- HubSpot
- Venue Labs
- Vidyard
- Gmail
- Facebook Live
- Skype
Each one of these platforms offers a tool to help you plan the content you will create. Wistia also has a nifty content planner that you can use to map out the different kinds of content you will create and then schedule them.
Keep To The Theme
Keeping your content relevant and interesting is essential to attracting and retaining your audience. The best video content today is that which is most relevant to the audience you’re trying to reach. However, that doesn’t mean that every video needs to be tied to a specific theme or that you need to pick one straight away. That is why it is important to take your time and find a theme that speaks to you as an individual or a business. Once you’ve found that theme, you can start to integrate it into your videos. The theme doesn’t need to be tied to your content or marketing plan, so take your time finding the one that will best serve you.
Distribute Your Video Content
Once you’ve figured out the best platform for you, the next step is to start distributing your video content. Choosing the right distributor will depend on your target audience and whether you’re looking for brand awareness or leads.
If you want to increase brand awareness, you should consider distributing your video content to as many people as possible. The more people who see your video, the more likely they are to recognize your brand and connect it to your product or service. Additionally, content creators for brands can generate a lot of buzz and interest around their content, making it a potential platform for growth.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to generate leads, you should consider distributing your video content to key contacts in your industry. When you enter into a partnership with a publisher like Buzzfeed, you will gain access to a massive audience of connected individuals. Through a platform like HubSpot, you can collect leads and turn them into paying customers.
Measure the Results Of Your Video Campaign
After you’ve launched your video marketing campaign and started to see some traction, it is time to measure its success. Fortunately, Google has made it easy to track the results of your video marketing efforts. With Google Analytics, you can see your audience’s gender, age, interests, and even the countries they live in. Additionally, you can dive into performance by device, platform, and even individual video views.
From here, you can continue to see your audience’s engagement with your content and determine what is and isn’t working.
Videos that connect with and engage with your audience are the ones that will reap the most benefits from your video marketing campaign. Analytics can help you identify these videos and tell you what is and isn’t working so you can continue to improve.
By following these guidelines, you will be able to build and grow a profitable audience for your product, service, or brand. Additionally, with each new generation arising since the pandemic, the demand for video content grows ever more. Thus, if you’re looking to expand your video marketing efforts, here’s a look at how.