Published In Blog, Business, Has Vid, Video Marketing - - April 17, 2023
Stats show that 86% of marketers now use video.
Video marketing campaign strategies can help you build brand awareness, generate more leads, and catapult conversions.
But creating a successful video campaign isn’t a matter of throwing up a few videos here and there.
Around 64% of marketers view video as the most difficult content type to create. It’s resource-heavy to produce and competition for viewers’ eyeballs is steep.
Wanna make sure your videos don’t fall flat?
Keep reading for 7 must-know video marketing tips that can supercharge your campaigns.
One of the first steps for all types of marketing is pinpointing your target audience. Video marketing is no different.
Before you flesh out the details of your video marketing strategies, you need to know who you’re targeting and where they hang out.
It doesn’t matter how great your videos are, if you’re posting them in the wrong place, you’re not going to gain traction.
One of the first ways to figure out where your audience consumes content is by evaluating their demographics.
For instance, it’s no secret that TikTok is dominated by younger demographics. If your target audience is between 18-24, TikTok tops the distribution channel list.
But young viewers aren’t just haunting TikTok. More than 25% of Gen Z adults say they use YouTube more than any other platform.
And if you thought Instagram was only for beauty bloggers, think again. Almost 70% of Gen Z adults are on the gram.
So what’s the takeaway? Your audience might be spread over multiple platforms.
Fortunately, it’s very easy to repurpose content across platforms. For instance, you might want to create a core set of long-form instructional videos on Youtube.
But let’s say there’s a segment of your audience that primarily watches short-form content on TikTok or Instagram.
You can make your video marketing budget do double duty by repurposing your long-form content into short, bite-sized videos for YouTube Shorts, TikToks, Reels, etc.
Don’t forget that you can also leverage short-form content to grow your brand on YouTube via the new Shorts feature.
YouTube Shorts has exploded in popularity, and many creators have found increased exposure through it.
For more tips and tricks, check out How To Repurpose Long Form Videos To Short Videos For Maximum Engagement
As we said earlier, video isn’t cheap or easy to create. But it is highly effective.
One of the mistakes brands make is jumping at the benefits of video marketing without laying out a road map.
Here are some questions to ask yourself before clicking record:
What is our video marketing budget?
How many videos will we create over what period?
What style of videos will we create?
How will we inject our unique brand voice?
What keywords should we target?
What resources, skillsets, and tools do we need?
If you rush to create your first video without a well-fleshed-out game plan, you’ll quickly pay a price.
You might blow your whole budget within a few months.
Consistency is key to building an audience on video sharing and social media platforms.
If you stop producing videos for a few months, this will kill the momentum you’ve built up.
Not having a game plan for your video marketing strategies can make your content random, bland, and generic.
Are you planning to pump out a high volume of videos based on the latest trends?
Hopping on a social media trend can drive results, but it’s not a copy-paste recipe for success.
If you tap into trends, they have to be relevant to your brand, company culture, and target customer.
You should also be able to put your own spin on it.
Yes, you might need to throw stuff at the wall until something sticks, but this shouldn’t be your primary approach.
Instead, you need to have a long-term plan for your video content.
Part of this should be creating videos that address each stage of the buyer journey.
First, you want to attract viewers.
During this stage, you’re working to turn strangers (people who’ve never heard of you) into visitors (people who return to consume your content).
Here are some examples of the videos you should create at this stage:
Shorter videos that drive value
Explainer videos
How-to videos
Videos that address your target audience’s pain points
The focus should be on providing value rather than pushing your brand or offerings down people’s throats.
For marketers, viewers aren’t worth much unless a portion converts.
You could have a massive following on social media, but if none of them show interest in your offering, you’re leaving the fruits of your traction on the table.
So, once you’ve attracted viewers, the next step is to turn them into leads.
In most cases, this involves gathering their contact information.
Some examples of the videos you can create at this stage include:
Webinars
Detailed how-to videos
Explainer videos
From here you can direct viewers to a sign-up form, either for a free trial, free resources, newsletter, updates, waiting list, etc.
Once viewers have converted into leads, they need something meaty and detailed to sink their teeth into.
This can include things like:
Testimonials
Detailed product demos
Videos that go in-depth on how your product or service can help them
In short, viewers need content that demonstrates why your offering is right for them—and video is the perfect medium.
Why? Because 69% of people prefer watching short videos to learn about a product/service.
Video marketing shouldn’t stop at the closing stage. Enter the “delight” phase.
During the delight phase, the aim of the game is to deliver additional value with things like:
Welcome videos
Educational courses
Product training videos
This kind of content can turn new customers into delighted customers that become loyal to your brand.
For a marketer, these types of customers are worth more than gold.
It doesn’t matter how great your video is, if it doesn’t have a good title and thumbnail, it won’t get the traction it deserves.
This is less important for TikTok videos and Shorts, but it still plays a role.
For long-form YouTube videos, your titles and thumbnails are the keys to the kingdom.
An attention-grabbing title is vital, but if you don’t want hate, don’t clickbait.
And we didn’t write that just because the words rhyme.
Yes, you must try to create a title that gets clicks, but your content needs to deliver what you’ve promised viewers.
Otherwise, you’re wasting their time and eroding trust.
Speed is also key.
You’ve got approximately 10 seconds to convince viewers they should continue watching.
If you’re not engaging them or showing any signs of providing the info you promised, most people will move on.
Therefore, one of the most important video marketing tips is to dive into the meat and potatoes of your topic right away.
Don’t keep viewers hanging on during a rambling, repetitive, or vague 5-minute lead-up.
If you do, viewers’ thumbs (or cursors) will be itching to scroll, swipe, click off—anything to get away from the video that’s wasting their time.
Don’t forget, your video is competing with dozens of other selections.
If a viewer isn’t captivated right away, there’s a high chance they’ll get bored and move on.
Here are a few tips for creating videos using a video strategy that hooks your viewers right from the get-go.
Skip longwinded introductions
Don’t include drawn-out video bumpers
Don’t do a generic “like and subscribe” CTA
Eliminate umms and ahs from your content
Share a sneak peek of the end result to prove you’re going to deliver
Open with an attention-grabbing fact
Ask a difficult or enticing question
Introduce a problem
Utilize words that get people mentally engaged, such as “imagine,” “what if,” or “picture this”
We can’t emphasize it enough, slow intros are a retention killer.
It might feel like you’re warming up viewers, but in most cases, you’re probably doing the opposite.
Another way you can lose viewers right at the beginning of videos is by doing a generic “like and subscribe” mantra.
These CTAs are important and can increase video likes and subscriber numbers.
But, most people have heard the familiar “if you enjoy the video, like and subscribe” hundreds of times.
Instead of a generic CTA, think of creative ways to call your viewers to action.
One of the best ways to do this is by timing it at a point when viewers have a natural reaction.
Here are a few scenario examples:
After an especially valuable tip, insight, or piece of info
Right after a peak attention moment, such as something funny or engaging
If you voice an opinion: eg “Now isn’t that nifty? If you agree, hit the subscribe button”
The secret is to make your CTA feel natural and as non-self-promotional as possible.
Poorly timed calls to action can tank video performance faster than you can say “subscribe”.
But calls to action are still a critical part of video marketing.
So what do you do?
Besides timing your call-to-action in a way that’s not irritating (and inspires conversions), you also need to focus on the right calls-to-action.
Before you start peppering your videos with CTAs, sit down and evaluate what you ultimately want viewers to do.
What is the most valuable action for them to take?
Do you want them to subscribe to your brand’s YouTube channel? Hit up the comment section.
Or maybe you don’t want them to take an action related to the video platform at all.
Maybe you want them to sign up for your newsletter or visit your website.
The CTA you include should align with your marketing goals and KPIs.
Not all videos will require the same call to action.
If you’re trying to build up your subscriber base and gain traction on a platform like YouTube, your primary mission might be to get people to sub and comment.
If you’re launching a SaaS product, you might want viewers to click over to your website and take advantage of a free trial offer.
Search engines love video, but you have to kit your content out with the right keywords so the search engines can find it.
A lot of people don’t realize how important video keyword optimization is, and how many places you can incorporate it.
Besides placing your target keywords in the title, description, and tags you should also include them within the video itself.
Just because it’s a video and not a blog post, doesn’t mean the algorithm can’t hear what you’re saying.
Algorithms can pick up speech with a high degree of accuracy.
How else would YouTube be able to give auto-generated captions and video transcripts?
Once you’ve mapped out what keywords you want to target, sprinkle them through your video, starting in the intro.
But make sure you use them naturally.
Trust us, verbal keyword stuffing is not a good look.
If you want to use video to boost your SEO off-platform, you can also place links in the description of your website or landing page.
Video marketing strategies are highly effective, but they can require a lot of resources.
This is one of the reasons why many brands start off enthusiastically producing videos, only to falter after a few months.
If you don’t want your video marketing efforts to become a one-hit wonder, you have to streamline your process and make efficient use of your resources.
A few short years ago, there weren’t many shortcuts to video production.
All this has changed with the advent of AI.
Now you can create videos that skilled video editors took weeks to accomplish within a matter of days.
Why? Because AI-driven video marketing tools allow you to produce high-quality videos in a fraction of the time it used to take.
Not only does this save time and resources, but it also makes video marketing more accessible.
For instance, with Pictory you can semi-automate time-consuming tasks like video transcriptions and captioning.
You can create a polished video from a simple script or blog post.
You can auto-summarize long videos, create video highlights in a couple of clicks, and edit videos using text. You can even auto-remove “ums” and “ah” sounds.
Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Check out our list of features to learn more.
Want a winning formula for video or video ad?
If you combine these video marketing tips with Pictory’s revolutionary AI-powered video marketing tools, you have yourself a recipe for success.
Most marketers who fail at video do so because they simply don’t have the time or the resources.
AI video marketing tools are here to level the playing field.
Pictory takes away some of the time and costs barriers of video marketing.
Ready to witness the benefits of video marketing with the help of AI for yourself? Sign up for a FREE trial and see Pictory in action.
The world of marketing is constantly evolving, and video marketing is no exception.
As we cruise into 2023, it’s essential to keep up with the latest trends and best practices to ensure that your video marketing game is on point.
Gone are the days when horizontal videos were the norm, and vertical videos have arrived.
With the widespread use of smartphones and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, vertical videos are gaining traction.
Embracing this format will enable you to reach a broader audience and create a more immersive experience for your viewers.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with vertical video content to see how it resonates with your target audience.
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to build trust and credibility with your audience.
Encourage your followers to create videos featuring your products or services, and then share their content on your social media channels.
This not only increases engagement but also humanizes your brand and strengthens your connection with your audience.
The power of storytelling in marketing cannot be underestimated.
But in 2023, why not take it up a notch by adding an unexpected twist?
Surprising your audience with a clever or unexpected ending will make your videos more memorable and help you stand out in a sea of content.
Use humor, emotion, or a thought-provoking message to leave a lasting impression.
Podcasts have taken the world by storm, and now it’s time for video podcasts to shine.
Video podcasts are a fantastic way to showcase your expertise, engage with your audience, and provide valuable information in an entertaining format.
Get creative with your topics, and don’t forget to encourage viewer interaction through comments and social media.
With the increasing popularity of voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, optimizing your video content for voice search is more critical than ever.
To do this, ensure that your video titles and descriptions include relevant keywords and phrases that users might speak about when searching for content like yours.
Additionally, consider creating video transcripts to further boost your visibility in voice search results.
Live streaming is a fantastic way to engage with your audience in real time.
Platforms like Instagram Live, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live make it easier than ever to broadcast your content and interact with your viewers.
Use live streaming to host Q&A sessions, showcase new products, or offer exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
The possibilities are endless!
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are no longer just for gaming.
These technologies are making their way into the realm of video marketing, offering unique and immersive experiences for viewers.
Experiment with AR and VR to create interactive product demonstrations, virtual tours, or even gamified experiences that will capture your audience’s attention like never before.
While long-form video content has its place, attention spans are shorter than ever in 2023.
Focus on creating snackable, short-form content that can be easily consumed on the go.
Aim for videos that are under 2 minutes in length and deliver a clear, concise message.
Remember, less is often more when it comes to capturing and retaining your audience’s attention.
Optimizing your video content for search engines is crucial for increasing visibility and driving traffic to your website or social media channels.
To do this, pay close attention to your video titles, descriptions, and tags, making sure they include relevant keywords that accurately describe your content.
Additionally, create video sitemaps, embed videos on your website, and utilize schema markup to help search engines better understand and index your videos.
As we navigate through 2023, staying ahead of the game in video marketing is essential for any brand or business.
By embracing vertical videos, leveraging user-generated content, experimenting with new formats, and optimizing your content for both search engines and voice search, you’ll be well on your way to success.
Don’t forget to keep your videos short, sweet, and packed with value, and always be on the lookout for new trends and opportunities to engage with your audience.
With these tips and tricks in hand, you’re ready to make a splash in the world of video marketing this year!
If you found this article interesting, check out The Essential Guide to Creating Video Marketing Content for My Company for more!
And sign up for a FREE Pictory account to start creating engaging video content for your business today!
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