How to Market Your Business with Video
There is no denying the power of online video for your brand. This media format engages the average consumer and enthralls the savvy marketer. It is one of the fastest growing marketing methods in the world and shows no signs of slowing anytime soon.
Online Video Statistics
According to comScore Inc, a well-known organization that measures the digital market, 83.5 percent of the U.S. Internet audience viewed online video in March. Video sessions, which lasted an average of 15 hours per person throughout the month, included entertainments clips, news reports, personal videos, and advertisements.
The bulk of the video viewing occurred on Google sites, such as YouTube.com. AOL, Yahoo! sites, and Microsoft sites also netted a high share of viewers. Vevo and Facebook made it on the top 10 list as well, with nearly 50,000 unique viewers each.
Getting Started with Online Video Marketing
The amount of video competition online can be intimidating for the average small business, but it should not deter anyone from entering the medium. Online videos are easy to make and can be a cost effective addition to any marketing campaign.
The types of videos that you can create are endless. Popular options include product demonstrations, how-to’s, customer testimonials, and video tours. You can also use video to introduce members of the company, highlight new services, and show community or charitable involvement.
If you have never made an online video before, it is probably best to plan something simple and keep production costs relatively low for your first attempt. If you are going to be on camera, try to act natural and avoid reading from cue cards.
Finally, be sure to include some sort of “call to action” at the end of the video to engage the viewer. A call to action may be a trackable URL, a unique phone number to call, a request for comments or feedback, a coupon/discount, or a link that allows viewers to share the video through the web or email.
Posting Online Videos on YouTube.com
YouTube.com is a fantastic resource for any small business. It is the second largest search engine on the web (after Google), and it relies on user-generated content. You can launch your own YouTube.com channel for free and post as many videos as you’d like. Uploading is quick and easy. If you have never done it before, you can find instructions in the YouTube.com Help Center.
Other Places to Distribute Online Videos
YouTube.com may be the “granddaddy” when it comes to online video, but it is not the only outlet for distribution. You can also post your videos on social media sites like Facebook, Vimeo, and Digg. Embedding your online videos on your company website can also increase viewers and make your campaign more visible.
Tips on Online Video Marketing
There are several proven strategies that may help you boost the effectiveness of a video marketing campaign. To increase your chances of success, keep these strategies in mind as you are producing and distributing your online videos.
- Optimization. Your videos should be optimized for search engines. Creating an interesting title with appropriate keywords will improve your search engine placement. If you have the opportunity, you should also write a good meta description and include tags when uploading the video.
- Value. Online video competition is stiff. You can cut through the clutter and bring your video to the forefront by offering something of value to viewers. Whether it is a how-to or a testimonial, your content needs to be useful to succeed.
- Length. Online viewers have short attention spans and rarely enjoy long videos–no matter how good they are. Keep your video short and to the point. If you have a lot to convey, break your long video into a series of shorter videos.
- Shareability. Internet users love to share the things they like. Make sure your video can be linked to and shared online or through email.
