Press play on video marketing

When did you last press the video play button?

Chances are within the last 24 hours, if not before you even ate your breakfast this morning.

The video play button has become one of the most engaging icons in the digital arena, and for businesses, potentially the most valuable tool in your content marketing strategy.

The question is, how do you maximise the medium for your business?

We think it’s all about generating content that provides the viewer with an experience that engages, informs, educates and calls them to action.

Check out our eight tips on how to make the most of video content and get in touch if you want to talk about how we make things happen.

1. Identify your goals. What do you want your videos to achieve? Each video you produce may have a different goal but be sure to clarify what it is before you embark on the video and above all make sure the video is aligned with your brand strategy.

2. Maximise distribution. Video is eminently shareable and the growth in social media platforms provides a wealth of opportunity, so plan from the start how to integrate the most appropriate channels in order to give your video maximum visibility. Given that around 49% of videos are viewed on mobile devices, make sure your video is optimised for mobile viewing.

3. How will you measure success? You may decide on a simple measurement like how often the video is viewed, how often it’s shared on social media platforms or what success the call to action generated. Analytics show which videos and associated social media are working.

4. Establish what your audience wants. If your video is going to engage, it has to contain a message that engages with your audience. Identify what they want and above all keep it short and clear. Keep in mind that not every video has to directly drive sales. People purchase on emotion and now more than ever, people want to feel an emotional connection with a brand.

5. Make it interesting. You don’t need a big budget to make an interesting video, but if you don’t have the in-house resources there’s never been a more cost-effective time to outsource.

6. Include a call to action. Consider what you want the viewer to do after watching your video and include an appropriate call to action both visually and audibly.

7. Don’t produce videos for one time use. From the outset consider how you can maximise exposure for your video. Short out-takes can be embedded into blogs or social channels such as Vine, or into rich media advertising. Use video testimonials to target prospects or key messages into your e-marketing campaigns.

8. Measure your results. Videos are measurable. Analytics are easily accessible and will tell you not just the number of viewers, but how the video has been shared across social media platforms, how long people have viewed and the success of the call to action.

Have a look at how we’ve implemented these tips for our own clients here.