5 Steps Of A Video Marketing Strategy
With the rise of video popularity, each company is trying to include video into its business. To achieve the best results, the video has to have its own video marketing strategy that will be incorporated into your marketing or sales strategy.
That is why we bring you 5 steps of a marketing strategy.
1. Do the research
Whatever you do, research is the first step you take. The same goes for your video marketing strategy. It sets a good foundation for the path that is in front of you.
Research is not one and done. With industry trends that are constantly changing, and preferences that differ from day to day, staying up to date is anything but easy.
Always start with your target audience. What are their interests? Why do they need your video content? Then, think about the video from your company’s point of view.
Some of the questions you might start your research with are:
- Who is your target audience?
- Has your organization used video? If not, why not? If yes, what were the results?
- Why do you want a video strategy now?
- What do your customers or leads want?
- In which way can your video strategy improve my marketing/sales strategy?
- What are the new trends in the industry?
- What style represents your company the best?
2. Set SMART goals
Video provides extra value to your brand, business and sales strategy. That’s why it should be incorporated into all aspects of your business.
Set the goals. Without knowing your final destination, you won’t know which path to take and you might get lost. Your goal can be selling a product, promotion of an idea or initiative, driving traffic to a website… Options vary and differ from company to company or project to project.
When setting goals, you should think short and long-term. Like all goals, your video goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
Assigning tangible goals is fundamental for measuring your video achievements. But, be careful! Avoid using metrics like view counts as the goal of your video. Having 50,000 viewers on your video is meaningless if it didn’t help you achieve your video’s goal!
3. Do not use equipment as an excuse for not having the video strategy
Many times, people are intimidated by the high costs of recording a video. That’s why it’s sometimes easier to bypass video than face the fact that over 90% of people claim that video plays a big role in their purchase decision.
The reality is completely the opposite. Yes, there are a few things you can’t start without, but forget the fact that you need a fancy camera and lightning to reach your audience.
Welcome to 2018 – the year when smartphones have amazing cameras. It’s not just about pressing record; there are a few things you should have in mind while recording with a smartphone.
First of all, think before recording! While your Instagram story is a perfect example where you should record a vertical video, for your laptop, television, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook feed, and website it is a big no, no.
Also, keep your smartphone steady while recording. No one wants blurry or shaky videos. Even if you hold your smartphone with two hands, a slight movement can ruin a great video. For about $20, you can get a tripod adapter for your smartphone which will save you from making these beginner’s mistakes.
One thing you can’t start without is a good microphone. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but you have to have it. Video with bad audio is just a failure. Investing $30 for a start is enough to get going. If you want to invest a bit more, you have plenty of options. TurboFuture has a great article about the best budget audio video gear in 2018.
Next on the list is the lightning in your videos. When recording with a smartphone camera, to avoid unnecessary shadows and grainy areas in your video, shoot it in bright areas. So, if you are indoors, choose a place near a window. When it’s daytime, windows are a great source of light. It can be used as your front light, backlight or key light.
4. Choose the type of video you would like to record
Like any other content, you can’t record video content just because everyone else is doing it. It has to have a purpose.
The first mistake you may be making is using video with the goal of selling a product. Let’s be realistic; it’s everyone’s goal at the end of the day, but it’s the wrong approach.
The recipe for success is easy: Educate, don’t sell! Start with your customers, their needs and interests. Discover questions your target audience is asking. How? Keyword searching tools like Keywords Everywhere will provide you with great ideas in which direction your video content should go. Not only will you benefit from SEO optimization, but you will become the number one advisor for your target audience problems.
Whatever your topic is, there are a few types of videos that you can include in the video marketing strategy of any business:
Thank you video
If you are a bit camera shy, “Thank you” videos are a great start. Send them to people you know and have a collaboration with. Shoot the gratitude, surprise people, build and expand your network. It will be a thoughtful way of showing how much you appreciate working with them. Your existing partners, clients or customers will definitely appreciate it!
Company culture video
A “Company culture” video is a great way to establish a positive image that is important for your future employees and customers.
The best way to do this is to create a “Day at the office” video that will show your true team spirit. The viewers will get a chance to take a peek behind the walls of your company and see how it looks like to work there. This kind of video is great when hiring or recruiting because when you are looking for new employees, the best way to reach out to them is with a video about your company. Be sure your video is not just a made up of moments collected in one video, but that it shows the story behind the company’s name.
People love stories, so why not record one about your company?
Customer testimonials
Up to 88% of customers say that they trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations. So, imagine the impact a video testimonial would have. Not only do your video testimonials increase trust and incentive, but they also drive sales and generate new leads. Isn’t that what all of us want?
A video is the type of content that will engage your existing and potential clients like no other. It will remind them who you are and why they should do business with you. Sharing the experience your current customers have will help your potential customers see if you are the right option for them. With video, chances are that their decision will be beneficial for your business.
How-to videos
How-to videos are great answers to all Internet searches. Would you rather read a text or watch a video on how to do or use something? Your customers will probably have the same answer – video.
According to Think with Google, more than 100 million hours of how-to videos were watched in North America alone in recent years. So what are you waiting for? Think about what your customers would like to learn. Maybe it is just a simple idea of how to use your products for other purposes or maybe you will create a step-by-step guide on how to implement your services into their daily routine to achieve better results. It is up to you to recognize what your customers need, but be sure to provide them with something beneficial to them.
People like useful things that can simplify their activities in any way!
Webinars
You can announce your upcoming webinars in many ways. If you want to stand out, why not send a video announcement of your webinar? Record a 30-second video where you invite your readers and followers to join the webinar. That video material could be published on your website, shared on your social channels or even sent in your next newsletter.
Case studies
“Case studies” are always interesting to hear. We all want to learn from the best practices or be aware of what mistakes not to repeat. The only problem with them is that they are usually pretty long. Who has the time to do all that reading?
Instead, why not tell your case study through video?
If you wish to share your success story or maybe want to show your clients how your long-lasting partner is enjoying so many benefits from your products or services, the video is the right tool for you. Since the video is the content with the highest engaging rate, your next case story should be recorded, not written. Remember it’s about educating, not selling!
Product explainers
The best “Explainer” videos usually are 30 seconds to two minutes long and are used to explain your company’s product or service. They can be live-action or animated but are always fast-paced, to-the-point, and usually feature a professional voiceover. Your explainer video should tell people who you are, what you do and what your product is. There are so many types of explainer videos, and you should start recording yours as soon as possible.
Personalized message
“I just wanted to personally welcome you to our Start a free trial!” Who wouldn’t like to see a friendly face that says that? Indeed, people like to feel special and welcomed. 30 seconds of personalized video can change your business game forever.
Interviews with experts
Experts have better insights into the full picture of your industry. Short interviews with them are a great way to build trust and authority with your target audience. Also, it gives you the opportunity to drive traffic from their website.
Live videos
“Live videos” are a must-have these days. Not only does the audience get a “behind the scenes” look at your company, but it also engages your target audience more. Nowadays, live video is probably the best marketing conversion tool that you can use. When people are watching you on live video, they know you’re not faking it. When selling something or trying to lead people into a funnel, live video is great because of the conversational call to action.
Internal videos
We can’t talk about video marketing strategy if we don’t talk about internal communication as well. Your employees are as important as your customers. Why not include videos in your internal communication? The list of benefits is endless: it saves your time, you can easily motivate your employees for a better result by spreading your enthusiasm about the new project, screen sharing options give you the ability to demonstrate complex tasks easier than ever.
Apology video
Before or later, we all face customer complaints. However, the crucial thing is to react to them fast and in the best possible way. That’s where “Apology videos” step in. While the face-to-face apology is not always possible, a video apology gives the real feeling that plain text is missing. Put your customers first and don’t be scared to show that you are sorry. We all make mistakes, but the best of us know how to correct those mistakes. Using video will show your customers that you really took your time to understand the situation and that your apology is sincere.
5. Measure it
For many people, numbers might be scary, but not knowing if you reached your goal might be even worse. With video marketing platforms, measuring is easier than ever and it doesn’t have to be an obstacle for you. On the contrary, it can be a great tool for sharpening your video skills.
What should you track? In each video campaign, you can find a few key metrics:
Click-through rates (CTR)
Click-through rates (CTR) in the video metrics is the ratio of viewers who clicked on a specific CTA that you included in your video content. CTR is a great size guide of your viewer’s engagement. It encourages viewers to take action, and they won’t do a thing if your video is not appealing enough. Make sure your CTA fits inside the video.
Play rate
Play rate shows the percentage of page visitors that clicked the play button and began watching your video. It is a great tool for measuring the relevance of your video content to the location where it’s placed. Make the video worth watching!
Attention span and drop-off rates
Viewers attention is shorter than ever. You can’t fight it, you can just work with it. That’s where the attention span chart takes the stage. Knowing how long your video was able to grab the viewer’s attention and which part was the most engaging gives you great directions for the future.
The total video length is the first factor we all connect to high drop off rates. But it’s not the only reason. High drop rates are the results of not clear content or not a clear CTA that will lead your viewers to the next step. If less than 60% of your audience doesn’t make it to the end of your videos on average, you should reconsider your video marketing strategy.
Feedback
Of course, when it comes to social media, it’s all about commenting, liking and sharing. The important thing about feedback on social platforms is that you should react to them and show the people that you appreciate their opinion.
So, start with your perfect video marketing strategy today!
Covideo provides video email software that helps businesses and individuals communicate more effectively, build relationships faster and reinforce their brands with easy-to-make personalized videos.
