If content is king, video marketing is its most trusted knight.
Gone are the days when video advertising cost tens of thousands of dollars to produce and were aired between TV programs.
Also gone are the days of having one branded TV ad that was replayed over and over again for years.
With it becoming increasingly easier for brands to make high-quality video content, it’s also becoming increasingly competitive and demanding as brands need to have a consistent stream of new video content all the time.
Why is Video All the Rage?
According to educational psychologist Richard Mayer when image and text are used to relay information, people retain 42% more than from written text alone. This makes it a powerful marketing tool.
Video is more engaging than still image because the content is constantly moving and changing. It piques our natural sense of curiosity and storytelling.
According to Wyzowl, video marketing increased software and app purchases to 8 out of 10 people who watched branded videos.
In a world where people are exposed to an average of 5000 marketing messages a day, you either stand out or you stand down.
As a result of this, people are becoming blind to marketing messages. Banner blindness is a term used to describe how people subconsciously dismiss banner ads.
What Does Google Think About Video?
Google algorithms actually prioritizes websites with video. This is because Google algorithms are designed to look for “relevance signals”.
Keywords are the basic relevance indicator that a webpage matches a search description to, but Google will then look for other indicators, like video.
Relevant content in different mediums helps Google determine that your page isn’t just stuffed full of keywords.
Optimizing Videos for Search
There are a number of tricks you can use to boost your videos in search engines.
It’s interesting to note that Google and YouTube use different algorithms for ranking video, so what features on YouTube won’t necessarily rank high on Google from the same search term.
Use Transcripts
Using a video transcript (captions) boosts video SEO by giving search engines text to crawl. It also increases engagement and shares because 92% of people view video with the sound off.
Optimize Title and Meta
Make sure your videos title and meta description include keywords relevant for searchers. Think of your video title the same way you think about a blog title. Include keywords, but also make it compelling.
Tags and Categories
Wherever you can, add the relevant tags and categories to your videos when uploading. This helps search engines put your video into context.
Where Should Your Videos Be Online?
This depends on your goals, what type of business you are, and who your customers are. As per any marketing effort, the first thing you need to establish is what you want to achieve.
Facebook, Instagram, and IGTV
Facebook attracts a very different age demographic than Instagram, generally between the ages of 25 to 34. If your target audience is over 50, Instagram might not be worth bothering with as its main user age is 18 to 24.
You don’t want to exhaust yourself managing every video platform on the internet.
Instagram allows for video uploading directly to its site, and also has a separate video app called IGTV. Facebook owns Instagram, so the advertising process and targeting options are very similar.
IGTV allows brands to upload long-form videos, unlike Instagram where your videos are cropped at one minute. It’s also made specifically for vertical video since it’s primarily a mobile app, but (unlike Instagram) can be used on desktop as well.
YouTube
YouTube is the second largest search engine on the web after Google, which makes it essential. It may not be your most effective platform for paid advertising, but people should be able to find you there if they look.
TikTok
TikTok is a relatively new social media video app with 500 million active users. It’s immensely popular with Gen Z who make up 60% of its users.
Short-form video is the focus on TikTok, making it highly engaging. There is a small range of paid advertising options available. TikTok’s high engagement and fun nature make it a great opportunity for earned media.
A Note About Formatting
Each video platform accepts different video formats, and it pays to make sure your videos are optimized properly for each one.
Instagram only accepts low definition videos, and will automatically compress your video if your file is too big. This can leave your video looking like a blurry mess when Instagram’s auto compressor has squashed the life out of it.
YouTube and Facebook accept high definition videos with no problems.
It’s also vital to make sure that your videos look good on mobile. 70% of YouTube videos are viewed on mobile, so you need to make videos with this in mind.
Things like small fancy print are not going to be readable on mobile. Stick with clear, easy to read text.
A Note About Audio
Getting your video audio right can make or break your video’s success.
This doesn’t necessarily apply to videos that are meant to have a casual vibe about them, like a funny backstage clip, but if you are going for a tutorial or professional vibe, getting your audio right is a must.
Bad video can be ignored, bad audio cannot.
Getting your audio right can be a steep learning curve if you spend a whole day filming only to realize it all sounds terrible and you’ve got no separate audio take.
Often the audio caught on your iPhone or camera will be poor quality. If you’re going for that professional vibe, make sure you set up some room mics to catch the sound for your video to add to your footage during editing.
Video Marketing Trends
Now, let’s take a look at what video marketing trends you need to pay attention to.
Tutorials
Tutorials are a great way to provide value to your customers while increasing brand awareness and authority.
With YouTube being such a powerful search engine, having useful content that people search for is a great way to tap into a larger audience.
This is a great pull marketing strategy where the focus is on drawing the right audience to your brand.
Video Ads
There are a number of ways that you can use video for paid advertising. You can create short video advertisements and pay to have them showed before other content on YouTube.
These come in the form of skippable, or shorter non-skippable ads.
The other option is to simply pay to promote your video. Most social media sites have this option. Instead of having your video play to people who are watching other YouTube content, your video gets in front of your target audience appearing as organic content on the site.
The other option is to display advertising with Google Ads. You can set up a campaign to have your video ad displayed on websites that attract your target audience, giving the option to click through to a landing page.
Video Profile Pictures
In 2015, Facebook rolled out a feature allowing video profile pictures. As video is much more eye-catching than still image, this is a great way to get attention on a flooded social media market, which is nothing to be sneezed at.
This is a great example where it pays off to invest a bit more of your marketing budget into one professional video. It will be at the front and center of your Facebook every time users visit your page.
Wibbits and Other Video Automation Services
These services have created an easy way for businesses to quickly make short and entertaining videos, but they are limiting.
The content is a bit like junk food, it can appear tacky if overused. Being fully automated also means that they can easily clash with your branding.
These sorts of sites are great for ease of use and budget, but definitely shouldn’t dominate your video content.
Using Templates
Video templates are a great way to make professional-looking, engaging videos. They are easy to use and are perfect for product advertising and businesses starting out with video content.
Because they allow for so much consistency they can be a useful tool for staying on brand.
Video template services are easy to find with a Google search. If you’re a bit more tech-savvy, you can create your own templates with headers, watermarks, and filters.
Another handy thing about templates is they allow for making consistent and easy video thumbnails.
GIFS
GIFS are addictive to watch because they are so short and easy to consume. They pack a lot of punch for such a simple medium. They are also quick and easy to make online.
They work well for quick product displays and CTA’s. You almost can’t avoid paying attention to them which makes them a great option for any saturated platform.
Short-Form vs Long-Form Video
Long-form is the new short-form.
Studies are finding that longer videos retain more viewers than shorter ones, but this will onlywork in context.
The length of your video needs to match your goals. This really cannot be understated.
It’s important to understand the difference between advertising and content marketing, and how this should shape your marketing video content.
Long-Form Video and Content Marketing
Content marketing is what it sounds like, using content as a marketing tool.
This is also what we call “pull marketing.” The idea is to create content that meets a need for the customer instead of trying to push products onto them via advertising.
Dove nails this in their long-form video about how women view each other. It’s engaging for the audience, and it’s not until the last minute that you realize it’s actually made by Dove.
Another term for this is branded content.
Short Form Video and Advertising
Traditionally, TV ads go for about 15 seconds. This is because people get bored of this content quickly. It’s really offering them nothing except to have brand after brand shoved in their face.
This is also called push marketing because the message basically has to be pushed onto the viewer.
Content marketing is the opposite of this.
Keep your advertising videos under 30 seconds if it’s only offering information about your brand or product. Engagement will drop off the longer the video goes for, so keep it short.
Invest in Inexpensive Video Accessories
These days cell phone footage rivals that of video cameras that cost thousands of dollars. They are often used by professional videographers.
You can also invest in inexpensive equipment like iPhone gimbals to make your video footage look professional.
Plan for Your Customers, Not Yourself
Think about what your customers actually care about.
Will it add to the user experience to see a $5,000 3 min professional video ad about your cafe, or would they get more from a cheeky 1 minute TikTok video of the chef dancing in the kitchen?
It’s tempting to get carried away by going as big and professional as you can, but if you want your video marketing to be sustainable, you’ll have to make it timely and affordable.
Wrapping Up
Video marketing trends are never-ending and constantly evolving. The most important thing is to set goals for your videos and be creative in how you can meet them.
As video becomes more demanding, it also produces impressive results for businesses.
Look for inspiration on YouTube and spend the time to learn what is really important to your customers.
Want to know how your business is doing? Request a digital marketing review today.
Owner and Chief Marketing Officer, Jason Hall, and his team specialize in creating brand awareness / traffic and lead generation / marketing funnel and conversion optimization, while utilizing the appropriate marketing channels available within your industry. With diverse clients throughout the world, Jason's team is well connected within many industries to assist with your marketing strategies. With no long term contracts and various levels of service, Jason's team will increase the quality of your online traffic, leads, and sales.
About the author...
Located in the heart of the Emerald Coast - Destin, FL, founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Jason Hall, and his team specialize in creating brand awareness / traffic and lead generation / marketing funnel and conversion optimization / and PR campaigns, while utilizing the appropriate marketing channels available within your industry.
With diverse clients throughout the world, Jason's team is well connected within many industries to assist with your marketing strategies. With no long term contracts and various levels of service, Jason's team will increase the quality of your online traffic, leads, and sales.
Request a digital marketing strategy session today and we'll show you what you've been missing!
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