Video is well on its way to becoming the whiz-kid of content marketing. The form is mobile and dynamic, highly shareable, and, if employed correctly, can be far more engaging than standard text-driven marketing. Video also offers a brilliant way to give your company a human face, and to target a younger, more tech-savvy market. Despite these notable and proven assets, however, many marketers have been slow to dive in to this trend, and are now scrambling for ways to take advantage of video content marketing.
If you’re a marketing or brand leader who’s nervous about video, you may not be able to put it off any longer. YouTube predicts that soon 90% of internet traffic will be video. While that may seem like a bold claim, the fact that YouTube logs over 1 trillion hits per year makes that claim one to take notice of.
With that in mind, and to help you get started or take your video campaigns to the next level, we’re presenting some of our favorite do’s and don’ts for executing killer video content marketing.
1. DO explore multiple types of video content
From tutorials to testimonials and beyond. A video can and should be more than just a face and a camera, and each video medium has a different purpose and effect. Off-the-cuff Vlogs (video blogs) are a great way to show off the character of your brand. The viral TED Talks are essentially dynamic boardroom presentations on video. And consider the most compelling attributes of video as a form: the ability to show your audience something, rather than just telling them about it. Video is a powerful and visceral medium, perfect for content that is emotional, highly visual, or personal. Make sure you’re following Wistia’s blog for amazing how-to content for any video marketer.
2. DON’T go on too long
Studies show that audience engagement drops sharply after 30 seconds, especially if customers are unfamiliar with your brand. Certain types of content – calls-to-action which require more time to explain, for example, or in depth interviews – require a longer format, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for maximum impact in minimum time. Keep it simple…
3. DON’T bite off more than you can chew
While it’s true that anyone with a smartphone or laptop can make a video, that doesn’t mean that everyone should. A bad video – one with poor audio quality, shoddy lighting, or jumbled editing – can be even worse than no video at all. If you’re able to hire an expert, please do! If not, play to your strengths: try a short and punchy Vine or Instagram video, or if your company is bursting with industry thought-leaders, set up a regular in-house interview that’s simple to light and film.
4. DO invite your audience in
Include a clear call-to-action that will mobilize your viewers and potentially engage them to create a video of their own, such as in charity:water’s awesomely successful Birthday Pledge campaign. Video marketing is even taking this interactivity to a new level with real-time augmented reality digital content. Check out British Airways’ dynamic #lookup campaign, which paired digital billboards with real British Airways flights, or Tourism Victoria’s “Remote Control Tourist” videos, which allowed users to direct tourists around new cities by way of social media.
While these ideas may be beyond the scope of your current budget or expertise, they offer a unique look into how video is creating a multi-dimensional user experience and engaging audiences in fascinating new ways.
5. DO consider your video marketing distribution
YouTube, Vimeo, or Wistia are great places to host your video, but make sure you’re thinking about how to get your content out into the world. Embed the video player into pages on your site and make sure it’s clearly branded if it get’s embed elsewhere. Engage all of your social media outlets to promote your new content. Outbrain Amplify can be a great way to promote your video across a wider network, allowing a whole new audience to discover your work.
6. DO make sure your videos align with your overall marketing strategy and brand
While it can be tempting to seize the opportunity video provides to create spontaneous, loopy content, your messaging should be consistent even in this new form. Videos should adhere to your company’s tone and style, whether that be exploring animation and humor for tech startups or intelligent and informative interviews for financial brands. Video can enhance any company’s message, but only when used with an eye towards consistency.
BONUS!: 7. Do check out Directr
An awesome Boston-based startup that makes it super easy to create awesome videos.
What are some of your do’s and don’ts for creating great video content and executing awesome video content marketing? Share in the comments, we’d love to know!
Source: B2C_Business
6 Do’s and Don’ts of Using Video in Your Content Marketing Plan
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