We’re big fans of video. And why not? Video is a powerful tool, and one that should be part of every brand’s content marketing strategy. For some proof, just take a gander at a few of these stats:
- Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
- More customers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. This is really key when it comes to software or consumer tech, where it’s easier to watch someone walk you through a product than reading about it.
- Video marketing will account for 80 percent of all Internet traffic by 2019 (that’s next year!) Better get on the video content marketing train and not get left behind.
- One billion users watch over 1 billion hours of video each day. That’s…Well, that’s just a lot of videos being watched.
Despite these eye-popping statistics, there’s still an opportunity to further increase engagement and ROI from your video content marketing. Here are five ways:
1: Add visual elements. For pre-recorded product videos, this necessary and practical element will ensure mobile users will stop scrolling and watch.
Nearly half of millennials watch video only on their mobile device, and 85 percent of that video (on Facebook) is watched without sound. If they see a video and there’s no animation, subtitles, or graphics to back up that voice-over they’re not listening to, then they’ll just scroll on by.
When creating video content, keep in mind your audience. Commuters, millennials, casual Facebook and Twitter users will want to “read” your video—as they watch it.
2: Use live video to engage in dialogue with your audience. According to Facebook, live videos gain six times more interaction, on average, than regular videos. That’s because live videos offer users the chance to interact with businesses, organizations, and other content creators in real-time through comments, likes, and reactions.
Brands can answer real-time questions, provide behind-the-scenes peek into how businesses create products, or simply show off a new product or service.
Its live nature creates a sense of urgency, or the dreaded F.O.M.O. (that’s “Fear Of Missing Out”), and keeps users glued to the screen to see what happens next. Considering millennials spend more time watching social video than anyone else, consider making live video part of your video strategy.
3: Respond to the comments. 83 percent of B2B marketers are using social media. Video, for the most part, goes hand in hand with social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube all allow real-time comments, which usually scroll by quickly beneath or next to the video.
Don’t ignore them! While the on-air host is on camera doing their thing, designate someone to comb through the comments section for the best questions that the host can answer. The designated social manager should also respond to comments themselves in as helpful a manner as possible. Keep in mind, this is also a great opportunity to generate new business leads, since some questions will be about products and services that your brand offers.
The team dynamic should make for an entertaining, informative show that makes the audience feel engaged. Just have fun and be authentic.
4: Channel your inner late-night talk show host. Live videos where you answer audience questions and solve problems boosts engagement and creates a sense of community. These types of videos also increase credibility, trustworthiness, and brand loyalty – all of which are incredibly important goals for both B2B and B2C brands these days.
For an added dose of engagement, invite people from outside your company—the influencers, industry leaders, and experts who really know what they’re talking about—to share their expertise as well. Pick their brains, have them answer audience questions, and be sure to get them to help with the call-to-action without sounding like a salesman. 70 percent of millennials prefer watching non-celebrity influencers and trust those types of endorsements.
5: Tell a good short story. Video is huge. A video on Facebook, on average, gets 135% more engagement than a still photo. Videos are also six times more likely to be retweeted than photos on Twitter, too. Those are some big platforms for small stories, which you can tell (or better, show) in short-form videos.
Why short? Because videos up to two minutes long get the most engagement. Oh, and brevity is the soul of wit, or something like that.
Give it a simple three-act structure (beginning, middle, end), make it emotional (tell the story of your company’s founding), and publish it everywhere you can. Your followers will share it and if it’s really good, you’ll gain more followers, and, potentially, more conversions.
The best way to see if this all works? Just try it out. Pay attention to your analytics over a few months and see what changes. Video content marketing is constantly changing, so one thing that works today may not work so well a year or two from now thanks to algorithms and trends that shift as often as the wind. A little guesswork can be fun, but if you’re aiming for a surer bet then give us a ring and we’ll figure out a video content marketing strategy for you.