Video marketing campaigns offer brands of any size a chance to reach a wider audience. Video content was once only affordable to large corporations. Now, higher-resolution cameras and streaming enable businesses of any size to tap into the power of video for promotions .
You can learn from others' experiences, whether you're new to the video marketing game or are an old pro. Here are some key takeaways and tips to maximise your efforts and get an excellent return on investment (ROI).
1. Know your brand persona
According to the Small Business Administration, 33.2 million small businesses exist in the United States alone, with new businesses starting every day. Many stream live videos on Facebook and YouTube and upload content to various social media platforms. You must know your mission and values as a brand to have any hope of standing out.
What is your brand personality? Take time to build a persona to showcase the type of person you imagine your company to be.
2. Speak to your audience
Video marketing campaigns are most successful when they go viral. However, getting people to share content is challenging since so many new things are released daily. Tap into the things your customers care about to make an impact.
Start by thinking about the pain points your average customer faces. What drives them to look for your product or service in the first place? Figure out the emotions behind the problem. For example, someone seeking advice about the next steps for growing their business may have an underlying fear of running into cash flow problems.
Take on the tone that will speak directly to users. When you hook them on an emotional level, they're much more likely to watch your video to the end and share it with others.
3. Set yourself up for success
Poor video quality can ruin your chances of reaching new customers. Worse, a shoddy production can turn them off your brand forever. Take the time to set yourself up for success.
Invest in the best equipment you can afford. Ensure you have decent lighting, the microphone picks up your voice and the composition is visually appealing.
If you aren't comfortable handling a camera to create footage, consider hiring a professional company. At a minimum, invest in proper lighting, as low light makes your creation difficult to view.
You should also consider the platform where you plan to publish content. For example, people will have different expectations for a video posted on Facebook than an ad placed on your website.
4. Write a script
What is the goal for your video marketing campaign? Take the time to write down what you want to accomplish and how you will get there. Having a script and even a storyboard ensures you include all the major selling points that will convert viewers into new leads.
You want to avoid sounding robotic in your speech but make sure you know what points you want to make and why. Most videos require several takes and editing to get them right so expect to spend time on your video marketing.
At first, it may take you a lot longer to get all the elements in place. As you make more videos, you'll learn the tricks and hacks that make editing and production easier. For example, freezing in a position as you finish speaking and being in the same one when you start again makes editing a breeze as you cut and trim your videos.
5. Set a budget
Around 45% of people watch an hour or more of videos on Facebook and YouTube each week. Content creators have spotted this appetite for new content and so are releasing new content to satisfy this interest and desire.
It would be easy to throw a ton of money at video marketing without seeing much ROI. It's crucial you don't overspend on video marketing and neglect other areas of branding, such as providing excellent customer service or posting content on your website and social media pages.
6. Add brand elements
Add brand elements throughout your video to create a consistent experience. Even before reading the title or description, people should know it comes from your business.
Think about the background. Can you add something distinctive that makes it immediately recognisable? Place your logo over the thumbnail for each video. Look for ways to incorporate your product into the footage, even if it is just sitting behind you on a table. The more branding you can offer within your videos, the more people will come to recognise your image and react to it.
7. Measure ROI
Investopedia states that calculating ROI is as simple as figuring out how much you earned from a campaign, subtracting your costs and multiplying the number by 100. While there are many other factors to consider, such as ongoing word-of-mouth marketing and brand name recognition, knowing your ROI gives you a starting point for deciding if a campaign was worth the time, expense and effort.
Only you can decide if a video helped elevate your brand and whether it should be repeated in future efforts or relegated to the annals of company marketing history.
Test your video marketing campaigns
Test your video marketing campaigns as you go for the best chances of success. Set your targets and track how well you achieve them with each new video. Keep the things that perform best, repeat them in future footage and lose whatever falls flat. Over time, you'll become such a pro at video marketing that you'll see a higher ROI each time you release something new.
Copyright 2023. Featured post made possible by Eleanor Hecks, founder and managing editor of Designerly Magazine. She's also a web design consultant with a focus on customer experience and user interface.