Four failsafe tips for nailing video marketing
If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how much more powerful a video can be. Read on for four failsafe tips for nailing video marketing.
Video marketing is a forward-thinking approach that incorporates compelling videos into your marketing campaigns. And it is not something any company can afford to ignore.
Every company today that has a content marketing strategy needs a video marketing plan. However, video is more than just a component of a marketing strategy; it is prominent across all platforms and channels. Video is crucial to outreach and marketing activities, including your social media strategy.
Four tips to help you with video marketing
Social media is saturated with video today, so it is not longer good enough to just have video. It needs to stand out (for the right reasons).
Your video needs to contain the right information, be on brand, feel authentic and be of a minimum standard of quality. It also needs to fit with your general content marketing strategy.
So how can you ensure your videos do the job they are intended for? Here are four tips to help you.
1) Create quality thumbnails
YouTube thumbnails may seem like a small element of your video, however they significantly impact your chances of getting clicks. Creating thumbnails that get the attention and curiosity of your ideal viewers is essential if you want them to watch your videos.
A thumbnail is your video’s first impression; it is not meant to be the title and description. It is a video snippet that shows in social media feeds and SERP.
It is important to note that thumbnails can also affect your video’s bounce rate. So, while using a clickbait thumbnail may get you clicks, viewers will quickly bounce off if your video is different from the expectations you have built up.
Now that you understand thumbnails are essential, let’s look at how to create one that stands out.
Use the right size
A professional-looking thumbnail should have the right size and proportions. YouTube’s requirement for a thumbnail picture is 1280 × 720 pixels and a minimum width of 640 pixels. The optimum aspect ratio is 16:9, as it is commonly used in YouTube previews and players.
Making your thumbnail image too small is a big error. Thumbnail pictures in the YouTube search results are minimal, but you can include YouTube videos.
Add the first 15 seconds of your video
People have an extremely short attention span. So your thumbnail should be related to the beginning of your video to avoid confusing your viewers and to give them a smooth experience. In other words, you don’t want viewers asking themselves if they are watching the right video.
Incorporate text appropriately
Including text headings in your video thumbnail provides viewers with additional information about your video. Using just an image, regardless of how lovely it is, will not communicate how it can answer your viewer’s pressing needs. Instead, use a captivating title that captures your viewer’s attention and (hopefully) piques their interest.
2) Story first, sales later
Before social media, you would have to buy an ad slot on TV or in a prominent media outlet if you wanted anyone to see your advertisement. But now, brands can directly reach the same target audience through social media. Consequently, this means that branded content does not disrupt entertainment. Instead, it competes with it.
Your video needs to benefit your audience if you want them to see it. Viewers are more likely to overlook videos that drive sales or promote a company.
The best video content provides stories your audience can relate to through storytelling techniques. Your audience will be able to understand what your organization offers and what you can do for them if you share more stories about yourself, and your customers.
3) Maximize the first few seconds
Studies show that people’s attention spans are as short as 8.5 seconds. So it is essential to bring your story to life in the first few seconds of your video. If not, you risk losing people before they have even got to the key message of your video.
Ensure you clearly describe your video, giving your audience confidence about what they will watch. A hook briefly summarizes what your video is about. Using a hook at the beginning of your video is one of the easiest ways to grab your audience’s attention.
4) Invest in paid ads
Using paid media increases your chances of getting clicks. This is because you only spend a small amount of money on promoting your video and getting it in front of your target audience.
Increasingly, Facebook and Instagram-promoted videos are making their way to users’ feeds. And if you look closely, you will notice that the majority of these sponsored videos are related to a user’s interests.
So, taking advantage of this practice can improve the success of your video marketing. Fortunately, Facebook, Youtube, and LinkedIn video ads allow you to filter your audience through several categories. Narrowing your audience helps you identify them and increase interaction.
It’s essential you make videos that are successful
As you can read, it is not enough just to add video marketing to your marketing mix. It is essential you create successful videos. And these are not something you create overnight, they are a result of creativity, meticulous planning, and clever promotion.
You may not get it right the first time, but if you use some of the tips covered in this article, you’ll be well prepared to start. Over time you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t for your audience, and start creating powerful videos that grow your brand and business.
