The How And Why Of Video Marketing

This is a guest post by Jolina Landicho.

All you need to do is take out your phone, and scroll through your social media feeds to realize that video has far and away established itself as the alpha of both social media and digital marketing. And this Cisco white paper forecast that in 2017 video will account for 69 percent of all consumer internet traffic, appears to only be the tip of what’s being called a full-on video revolution for marketers.

If you need a bit more convincing, here are a few reasons why, if you haven’t already yet, you should utilize video to boost brand marketing.

The Why

The Numbers

• • According to HubSpot, by 2019, more than 80 percent of all web traffic will be video related.

• • 90 percent of customers say that product videos help them make purchasing decisions.

• • 87 percent of online marketers are using video in their content marketing strategies.

• • People spend a third of their time online watching videos.

• Close to 60 percent of decision makers would rather watch a video than read an article.

Promotes Brand Recall

As confirmed by Forbes, according to HubSpot, 80 percent of customers remember a video that they watched over the past month. That means that not only are videos easier to digest with its visual and auditory appeal, they’re much easier to remember than text-based content.

And with a big part of brand marketing tied up to building familiarity, there is no doubt that video is a major tool in trying to boost a brand.

Builds Trust

It’s a widely accepted principle that trust is the foundation of conversion and sales, and with video’s ability to provide engaging, interesting, and useful information that’s easy to consume and digest, it’s easier for people to trust a brand that doesn’t outright just sell to them.

According to Shopify, Video ads on Facebook for example, work great on brand awareness and Facebook retargeting.

Content marketing has always been centered on building trust and creating relationships; today, there is no type of content that does this better than video.  

Mobile Friendly

With more and more people consuming content on the go, and more and more people using smartphones, the fact that video content is compatible on virtually all devices not only expands its reach, it’s also user friendly and consumer-focused.

As well, Google says those who consume videos on their smartphones are 1.4 times more likely to both watch and pay attention to ads on their devices than TV or desktop viewers.

There are a plethora of other reasons why you should utilize video to boost brand marketing—a list that also includes its ability to bolster SEO, conversion, and sales, while also encouraging social shares. And now that the why’s of leveraging the video trend is established, let’s move on to how to go about it.

The How

Understand Your Audience And Industry

Similar to developing every other part of your marketing strategy, thoroughly researching your target market, and your industry will enable you to understand what types of video content will appeal to your audience, and what kinds of videos are being used by your competitors.

Define Goals

When you begin to understand how video is being used by similar brands, products, and services, you can then move on to defining what you want to accomplish with incorporating video to your marketing strategies. This will further guide you into determining exactly what types of video content to create and where to distribute them.

Video Styles

• Storytelling

These kinds of videos, fundamentally, present the company’s story and what it stands for. But they’ve evolved into something that’s not as straightforward as showing the company’s employees through some behind-the-scenes footage – rather, brands have become exponentially more creative in relaying the company and persona through stories that reflect the values of their brand.

• Explainers

Maybe you’re introducing a new software or online tool, rather than have potential customers sent to a corner on your website with a manual, a quick how-to video can show people, in the simplest way, how exactly your product/service works. These types of videos have been proving to do well for SEO, and consumers have been shown to trust this kind of format.  

• Testimonials

Because people always look for social proof, video testimonials are a great way to prove credibility by showing potential customers how your product/service has helped past and existing clients.

Make The First Few Seconds Count

Whichever type of video you end up creating, be sure to mind the length of your content. As noted by Smart Insights, a study has suggested that 20 percent of users abandon a video after 10 seconds when they don’t find it engaging enough. So you have to make sure that you create a video that will capture their attention almost immediately. Also, make sure you’re able to deliver your message in 60 to 90 seconds, as the longer the video is, the more likely you’re going to lose your viewers.

Use Across All Platforms

As mentioned, one of video’s advantages is its ability to reach a larger audience. You want to make sure that you optimize that by placing your content across all the platforms where you engage with past, current, and prospective customers.

• Website

People that visit your website have a general awareness of your brand. They want to know more about your products/services, so you need to make sure that your website has video content that will help them out with the information they need.

• Social Media

Because videos, by nature, encourage social shares, spreading your content on social media brings your brand the opportunity to connect with prospective customers who may not yet be aware of your brand.

You should also ensure that your social media videos pack a punch in seconds, as people on social media have generally shorter attention spans.

• Apps

You need to make sure that your videos are optimized for display, not only for mobile, but across all apps. Apart from the length of the video, also crucial is keeping the file size small, so it can be easily streamed.

Track Your Metrics

As with everything in digital marketing, it’s important that you track your video marketing metrics to help you determine not only how your video is performing, but who exactly are engaging with them.

Keeping an eye on your metrics allow you to further develop your video marketing campaigns, ensuring that your investment is well worth it.

Takeaway

As you can see, it’s no longer a question of should you incorporate video marketing, but when. When it comes to content marketing, it’s unlikely that you’re going to be able to keep pace with the ocean of brands without video. Take a look at your overall marketing strategies, and find out how video can help amplify them.

AUTHOR BIO: Jolina Landicho is a marketing strategist working with various brands online, and the content marketing manager of Avenew Media. She is devoted in helping businesses bridge relationship gaps by providing in-depth, actionable advice on online marketing, business development, and growth hacking.