Video is the future of content marketing, and it’s not just a fad. We’re seeing an increasing number of marketers using video in their online marketing strategy, and we know why: it works. Video is easy to digest, it feels more personal than a blog post, and it allows you to connect with your audience in a more meaningful way.
It makes sense that companies are starting to shift their focus towards video—after all, 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute! That’s an incredible amount of content being created every second—and your customers are watching it!
So how can you use video in your online marketing strategy?
Here are our top tips you can implement today.
Why Is Video Important In Digital Marketing
It’s important not to get in a rut with your marketing strategies. What worked yesterday and works today may become obsolete in a year. Keeping an eye on what the popular trends are will help keep your marketing fresh, and you’ll mitigate the risk of falling behind. Here are a few fast facts on why video is going to be so huge today and why you should jump aboard.
Video is the future of online marketing – The reason behind this is simple: people love video! It’s been shown that there is a greater engagement rate with video than any other form of content. If you want to capture someone’s attention, show them something worth watching!
People want more from their businesses – Customers want to know who they are buying from, what makes them different from competitors, and why they should choose them over anyone else. Video allows businesses to showcase their personality and show off how their company culture differs from others. This helps customers feel more connected with their brand and builds trust between buyer and seller.
You Audience Wants To Watch Video Content
If you want your business to grow, then you need to start thinking about adding video content to your marketing strategy. Video is growing in popularity, and more and more people are watching videos online everyday.
- Around 500 million people watch Facebook videos every single day
- Nearly 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube everyday.
- 250 million people watch Instagram stories everyday
- 82% of Twitter users watch video content on the platform
Basically the point we’re trying to make is that people want to watch video. If you’re not creating video for your business, you’re missing out on the potential for massive audience growth.
So how do you get started? Here are a few tips:
- Start small with one idea per week: The key here is not to put all your eggs in one basket; instead, focus on one idea per week until it's perfected. Once you've got that down pat, then move on to another idea!
- Make sure it's simple: Don't try too hard! Just be yourself and let your personality shine through. People will connect with your brand much more easily if they feel like they know who they're talking to when they watch your videos!
Video Builds Trust
Video is one of the most effective ways to connect with your customers, and it’s also one of the most powerful tools in your online marketing arsenal.
Not only that, but when you are creating video content, you’re likely putting yourself on camera and giving your audience a more personal look at who you are, or who your company is.
People are more likely to buy from somebody they trust, and your audience will feel like they know you and trust you more once they’ve been able to “look into your eyes” while watching your videos. There’s nothing more powerful than a genuine human connection.
And don’t just take my word for it. Adding a video to your sales page can increase your sales by 80%.
Increase Your Google Search Ranking With Video
There’s no denying it: Google loves video.
That’s right—Google ranks videos 53 times higher than text content, and they are much less likely to be deleted by search engines than text content. As a result, the search engine giant is constantly updating its algorithm to favor video over other formats like flash and animated gifs.
And this makes sense—the more time people spend on your site, the more likely they are to link back to it or share it with friends. So if you want more people to visit your site and stay there for longer periods of time, you need a video strategy for your business.
What Types Of Videos Should You Create?
When it comes to making videos, there are countless options. From the casual vlog to stop animation, there’s the right kind of video for everyone.
Depending on your niche, you may find fun videos that help your audience get to know you work for your audience, or perhaps informational explanation videos.
Doubting that video is right for your unique business idea? No worries! There are other options as well. With so many different types of videos out there, you can be sure that there’s something that will fit all tastes and purposes.
Think about YouTube, you can find basically any topic imaginable, serving all kinds of people and interest.
- Enjoy the peaceful and nostalgic atmospheres of some of the most famous fictional worlds.
- Noah Kagan: Lessons from an 8-figure founder on how to start a business, grow a business, improve your marketing, and more.
- Clean My Space: Videos designed to help you clean, declutter, organize, and simplify your life.
There is an audience for every type of content. If you’re a fashion blogger you can create videos on how to style outfits. If you’re a survivalist you can create short videos showing survival techniques. If you’re a lifestyle creator you can film day-in-the-life vlogs.
Video is the perfect medium to connect with your audience because it allows them to see what they otherwise couldn’t, like behind the scenes footage, or a day in the life of your business.
Video Types
There are a lot of different ways you can use video in your online marketing strategy. If you’re new to video, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are three types of videos that we think are worth trying out:
- Talking head: these videos are where you’re simply sitting down in front of the camera and speaking. You can add fancy graphics or animation when you edit, but it’s not necessary. This can be formal and scripted or really casual and conversational.
- Screen Recording: These videos are where you record whatever you’re doing on your screen. For example, if you’re teaching people how to use Photoshop, you can record yourself editing an image.
- Slide Presentation: These videos are the fancy big brother to the PowerPoint presentations you may have had to give in high school. These are great for giving clear instructions.
If in doubt, the classic talking head video is always a winner. Sitting down and talking to your camera can feel awkward, but it’s something that’ll become easier in time.
Video Channels
There are many video distribution channels to share your video message for your audience.
YouTube
YouTube is a powerhouse when it comes to video content, and also acts like a search engine. With its search capabilities, people can stumble upon your content on accident and from there you can convert them into a customer.
Of course, when you say “video” everyone immediately thinks of YouTube. And for good reason. YouTube is a powerhouse when it comes to video content, and also acts like a search engine. With its search capabilities, people can stumble upon your content on accident and from there you can convert them into a customer.
YouTube champions a few things:
- Regular uploads
- HD quality
- SEO optimized description boxes
Now, you don’t need any of those things to be successful on YouTube, but they will certainly help.
Instagram is a great platform for video because it’s a lot less formal than YouTube and you aren’t expected to be polished or perfect. This platform gives you three opportunities to share video content: posts, stories, and live videos.
When using Instagram as part of your online marketing strategy, think about how your audience prefers to consume content and make sure that you’re making it easy for them to see your video. If they want to watch it on their phone, make sure that the video is optimized for mobile viewing.
You can also use Instagram Live Video to interact with people who are watching your broadcast – this can be very valuable in building relationships with potential customers!
TikTok
TikTok is a great social platform for marketing to younger audiences. Learn how you can use it to increase audience engagement and brand awareness.
Nearly 90% of all TikTok users are younger than 50, so it’s a great place for startups and small businesses to reach new customers who are likely to be receptive to their messaging.
TikTok for Business users can create TopView Ads, In-Feed Ads, Brand Takeover Ads, Branded Effects and Branded Hashtag Challenges.
TikTok is great for increasing your audience reach, consumer engagement and creativity. This article is for startup and small business owners who want to use TikTok to market their business.
If you run a business, chances are you will eventually use some form of social media for marketing purposes. In 2022, nearly 4 billion people are estimated to use social media worldwide – a number that has been steadily increasing each year – which makes social media ripe with opportunity for companies to reach their target demographics.
Website Videos
If you want to use video in your marketing strategy, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to talk about why it’s so important for marketers, and how to get started using it for your business.
First of all, Google favors websites with embedded videos. Meaning, if you use video on your site, you’ll increase the chances of that page showing up in Google search results. If you just wanted to create a handful of videos and never think about video creation again, embedding them on your website might be the way to go.
Sites like YouTube give a boost to people who are consistent, so even if you wanted to host your videos there, you should still add them to your own site if you won’t be publishing regularly.
Your embedded videos can live on individual blog posts or on stagnant pages on your website such as your sales page or “bout me.” Embedding videos on accompanying blog posts can be really beneficial as well because it gives your audience the option to decide whether they want to read or watch.
Using Video In Your Online Marketing
Video is arguably the most intimidating medium to work with. After all, most of us have likely been working on computers for the last twenty years and playing on social media for the last decade.
But for a lot of us, the last time we were on video was at our 8th grade choir concert.
So it can feel a bit….unnatural. Like anything, it’ll get easier with practice, but here are a few fast tips to get you started:
- Don't be afraid to look like an idiot! If you're doing something wrong or saying something weird, just keep going! You'll feel better about it later when you realize that your audience doesn't care what you look like or say so long as they learn something from it.
- Keep in mind that your video content doesn't have to be perfect! It can be as simple as talking directly into your phone camera or using a basic webcam set up (like I did here). The more real human connection you bring into your videos, the more authentic they'll feel for your viewers. And authenticity is key when building trust with potential buyers or clients!
Now start (or keep) creating videos to power your online marketing and grow your business. Contact us when you’re ready for everything to be done for you!
