Traditional marketing ways are losing value these days; video marketing has pushed its way to the forefront of new-age marketing. As an integral part of digital marketing, videos are vital for establishing the brand name, improving customer engagement and driving sales. Over the last couple of years, video marketing has become a powerful component of marketing goals for all businesses, irrespective of the size. According to a Cisco report, video content is expected to make up 82% of the overall internet traffic by 2022. With videos having a huge influence and popularity, it would be damaging for any brand or business to ignore the concept of video marketing.
Social media is an overcrowded, ever-changing and competitive space. And to stick out in the chaos takes effort. The success mantra is simple. Getting your content to the right audience. With all the advantages of social media and unlimited choice of Online Video Editor tools, connecting with the audience through attractive video content is an easy task.
Take a look at the following simple ways to use video marketing to target your audience and convert views into sales.
- Set video marketing goals
In the current scenario of digital connections, it’s crucial to think beyond sales and profit. A well-thought-out marketing strategy is key to your brand’s success. What should be the purpose of your video and where in the marketing funnel should it fit? Outline your marketing goals and targets and track your performance down the road.
- Choose the right platform
Each platform has something distinct to offer. When you know who you are marketing for, it’s easier to choose the medium. For instance, Facebook and YouTube have a wider audience than platforms like Instagram, where the users are more from the younger age group.
Your business goals and market also plays a role here. If your content caters to a more focused list of professionals, LinkedIn might prove to be a better platform.
- Select the video type
Experimenting with your content type and finding the one that resonates the most will help gain more viewers. Social media analytics tools can be of great use in understanding how different demographics respond to and interact with your content.
Here are a few examples of content types that have proven to connect well with different sets of audiences.
- Behind-the -scene videos: A sneak peek into the daily operations and the team behind your service and business gives your brand a humane image.
- Explainer video: The type of video constitutes a major share of online videos. The how-tos and product demonstrations are informative and play a big role in convincing the viewer to buy the product or service.
- Testimonials: Customer reviews and testimonials are what create a social proof for the brand. These help build the credibility and authenticity of your brand.
- Polls and Contests: These are the best choice for audience interaction and engagement. This kind of content is exciting, fun and draws in more audience.
- Live Content: Another form of interactive content. These types of videos help create a sense of community where brands can interact with potential customers in real time. They could be in the form of product demos or Q&A sessions, what’s important is to provide value and be authentic.
- Understanding SEO
Optimizing your content for search engines is a critical step in your marketing plan. 64% of buyers use search engines to find products and services. And pages with video content have been ranking high in search results. Just a few simple steps can get you a big boost in SEO.
- Make use of relevant keywords where appropriate.
- Create eye-catching thumbnails
- Simple yet effective title and descriptions
- Distributing the video
It’s not necessary to limit your sharing platform to just one. The greatest advantage of social media is its global reach. Leverage multiple channels to ensure the broadest reach. Promote your content across different networks and encourage social sharing. Alternatively, different clips of the same video can also be shared on different platforms.
- End with CTA
Not having a call to action is like an open-ended story. Having a call to action or CTA at the end of your videos is the simplest way to convert leads to sales. Just adding that bit of information makes the buying process smooth. CTAs need not necessarily always be about signing up for your service or making the purchase. They can include comment, like, share, subscribe or link to more content.
- Performance Review
Tracking the performance of your videos to know what’s working and what isn’t is the last step. Watch time, view counts, likes, comments, shares etc. speak a lot about the success of your video marketing plan. Analyzing these statistics can give insightful information that could help you make changes for your future strategies. Every platform has its own set of metrics, and understanding them right at the start is important for creating impactful content.
If your video marketing strategy checks off everything in the above list, then here are some additional tips to keep in mind.
- Avoid the hard sell: Create value in every content you post. Tell your story rather than making a direct sale pitch.
- Consistent content: It’s easy to get lost or missed in the overwhelming volume of content posted on social media. To stay relevant and noticed, regular and valuable content creation is significant.
- Engage with your audience: Respond to the comments proactively. Regular and prompt interaction with your online community can help build trust and loyalty.
- Organic expansion: Gaining genuine followers and customers might take time, but it’s definitely beneficial in the long run.
To sum it up
Videos have the proven ability to convince viewers to become subscribers, leads and ultimately paying customers. The growing popularity of video marketing presents a great deal of opportunities for businesses to grow and flourish. With the support of online editing tools and ‘how to’ articles, creating engaging video content is no longer an overwhelming concept.