There are approximately six billion people on the planet, and together we all watch four billion YouTube videos every day. If our online video watching were evenly distributed among the entire population, two out of every three humans would watch an online video every single day, including the tiny babies.
Leveraging video marketing is an excellent tool for gaining brand awareness and improving the online presence of your business. A Forrester study found that having a video on your website makes you 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of Google search results. About 90% of consumers who make regular online purchases says product videos help them make buying decisions.
If you’re going to make an online video, it’s important to do it well; a cheap video shot with a smart phone might leave your target audience with a negative impression of your business. Here are a few tips from professional videographers on creating a compelling video as part of your online marketing strategy:
- Before you do anything, set a budget.
The creation of a video can cost as little as a few hundred dollars and as much as several thousand dollars, depending on the length and how elaborate the video is. Knowing your budget limitations before hand will make sure you use the money in a way that packs the greatest punch. - Use professional video production help.
Using professional videographers for your online video means that it will be created using high quality equipment and editing software, which you wouldn’t have access to. They also can help you create engaging content that will draw more attention, if you aren’t naturally inclined to be a creative script writer. Just make sure to review the previous work that any videographers you’re considering created before you hire one, to ensure it meshes well with your brand. - Make your story engaging.
The human element to your video is what is going draw viewers. If your video is just an infomercial for your product, very few people are going to intentionally watch it, and even then, never more than once. Make your viewers laugh or cry, and you’ll get them sharing it and watching it more than once. - Maximize the impact of your video.
You can make an Oscar-worthy video, but if no one sees it, the impact of it is nill. You have to get it out there for people to see. The best way to use your video to improve your search engine optimization is put an enticing teaser of it on YouTube with a link to the full video on your website. The link building between YouTube and your site tells Google, “Hey there is something on this site that others are talking about, rank it high.”
Leverage every other tool of your online marketing toolbox to promote your video. Create a 15 second clip of the video and post it on your Instagram, with a link to the full video, with effective hashtags and a link in profile. Embed a link on Twitter, reaching an audience that might not even know of your business.
Do you have any great tips for using online videos in a digital marketing plan? Please share them in the comment section below!
