Nick BuchheitWhen you want to communicate with prospects and clients in a way that is engaging and memorable, nothing beats video. Across all different internet platforms, videos are the most appreciated and shared type of content and the most efficient format for turning viewers into customers and raving fans.
It feels strange today to imagine that only 20 years ago, hand-held multi-media devices seemed like science fiction. Today, we all view all kinds of content on our phones without even thinking about it, and creating videos and distributing them globally is easier than ever before. This means that, on the one hand, we all now have access to extreme amounts of content where most of it is free. On the other hand, we’re faced with navigating all this content and choosing what to watch. As a result, people are getting increasingly picky about what they consume.
Video marketing is a highly effective way to connect with your audience, but it’s challenging to compete in today’s digital landscape since so many people are using video. It’s easy to drown in noise. Luckily, there are things you can do to help people find your videos.
Related reading: How to Get People to Pay Attention to Your Corporate Video
This article will first look at some of the benefits of video marketing and then at different ways of marketing video production to ensure your message reaches your target audience.
Video Is The Most Efficient Format For Communication
This is the age of information overload. Whichever way we turn, we’re bombarded by hundreds of marketing messages. Marketing is everywhere, and being able to filter out and ignore all that’s not relevant has almost become a survival skill.
At the same time, our attention spans keep growing shorter. Research indicates that you have around 2.7 seconds to capture your audience’s attention as a marketer. This is why more and more companies are now investing in quality video production. No other format is better at catching and retaining people’s attention than video. And the benefits of using video in your marketing go beyond that:
- Video can increase your overall conversion rates
- Video helps you boost customer retention and loyalty
- Video is excellent for SEO and to drive traffic to your site
- Video allows you to explain complex products and concepts in an accessible way
- Video is the format driving the most virality through social shares
- Video feels authentic and can help you build trust and credibility
- Video can enhance your overall marketing communication
YouTube – The 2nd Largest Search Engine After Google
It’s almost hard to grasp how potent of a platform YouTube is. Over 2 billion people are active on Youtube every month. And of those people, 85% state that the videos they watch influence their decision-making and purchasing processes. So why are some brands still hesitant about going all-in on video production? Well, sometimes costs are the answer. Producing videos cost more than writing blog posts or creating still images, making some companies reluctant to invest in video. However, the ROI of video is significantly higher than other content formats. At least when you manage to distribute and market your videos in a way that ensures they get seen by your target audience.
To get the most bang for your buck, it’s essential to not only look at the production of your video and allocate budget to that. You also need a plan for the distribution and promotion of your content. While this plan does not necessarily have to include paid distribution or advertising, it’s important not to treat this part of your video production as an afterthought.
So what can you do to market your videos in a way that helps people find and fall in love with them? Let’s have a look at six different ways of marketing video production.
Marketing Video Production: 10 Ways To Promote Your Videos
Include your videos on your website
Embedding YouTube videos on your company website is easy and has many benefits. All you have to do is copy the embed code under your video and add it to your site.
Integrating videos with your written content will not only enhance the experience for your visitors. It also increases the time they spend on your page, which signals to Google that your content is valuable. As a result, your ranking will improve.
Related reading: Corporate Video Production Essentials
Optimize your video production for each marketing channel
All social media channels have their own style and requirements, and optimizing for each platform will yield the best marketing results. Will your videos be shown on Youtube? Then optimize for that. Are they meant for Instagram? Then it’s a different format that will work best. For the best results, you should adapt not only the format but also the content to each channel. The Tone of Voice and type of content that will work on TikTok may not be the same that is optimal for LinkedIn, and the same content that performs really well on YouTube will need to be adapted to work for Instagram.
Create new videos regularly
Like most content platforms, Youtube rewards consistency. Decide on a cadence that works for your company, and then stick to it. Whether you choose to post something new every week, or every month, regular posting will result in better reach and more engagement. By publishing new, high-quality content on a regular basis, you train your audience to come back for more.
Related reading: Marketing Video Production – Trends and Strategies for 2022
Iterate and experiment
It’s impossible to know beforehand what will resonate with your audience. You can make qualified guesses based on market intelligence, and the more you know about your audience, the better those guesses will be. However, the best marketing videos are developed through a “learning by doing” process. By looking at your performance statistics, you’ll get the regular feedback that allows you to fine-tune your videos over time.
Related reading: Commercial Video Production – A Complete Guide
Craft effective YouTube thumbnails
The competition for attention on Youtube is immense, and people tend to scroll through large amounts of content at a high pace. In order for your videos to stand out and get noticed, the design of your thumbnails is essential. Make sure to create thumbnails that will grab the viewer’s attention and pique their curiosity.
Related reading: YouTube Marketing – 10 Steps to Strengthening Your Brand With Video
Don’t forget to optimize for SEO
To get more views on YouTube, you need to optimize your videos for search. Just like you use SEO tactics for your written content, you need a strategy to make your Youtube content visible and easy to find. The first thing to focus on is video keyword research. Then, just as you would in regular SEO, you pick the ones you want to target and create a structured plan for doing so.
Use Social Media to cross-post your videos
YouTube makes it easy for you and others to share your videos across all other social networks. To share a video, viewers simply click the “Share” button under the video and can then select where to publish it. But it doesn’t have to end there.
You can also share videos in newsletters, post them in forums, and link to them in answers and comments on social media. If your videos are part of a more extensive campaign or theme, use the relevant #hashtags when appropriate to make sure your video becomes part of the larger conversation.
Repurpose and recycle your videos
Remember, you don’t have to start from scratch when creating content for your Youtube channel. Repurposing is the name of the game here, and will allow you to scale your Youtube presence quickly. Think about what content you already have that can be turned into videos. It can be blog posts, news articles, pages on your website, or manuals.
Related reading: Dynamic Video Production – How to Make the Most Out Of Your Video Shoot
Leverage storytelling
People love a good story. And when stories are told well, they tend to take on a life of their own. People talk about them, share them with their friends, and link to them from their blogs and articles. The more engaging the story you’re telling is, the easier it will travel online on its own, through the “digital grapevine.”
Related reading: Why Your Story Matters – And How To Tell It In a Brand Video
Create series and build on themes
A great way to increase visibility for your videos is to create a series of content pieces. That will have a much higher impact than stand-alone video productions, and it allows your viewers to binge-watch your content. Try to think about themes and how you can turn one video into part of a more extensive campaign. As all marketers know, repetition is what drives brand recognition and, ultimately, marketing success.
This campaign that we created for Dollar Bank is an example of a successful video series. We wanted to create something authentic that would resonate with the millennial target audience. We used real individuals who fit the demographic and come from the regions Dollar Bank is targeting. This campaign has been widely seen and very well received in the three areas where it has aired on TV and social channels.
How To Build A Winning Strategy For Marketing Video Production
- Start with defining your goals. Why are you producing this video, and what is your objective?
- Identify your target audience. Who do you want to watch your videos, and how will you ensure your audience finds them? Where does your target audience like to hang out; what social platforms should you optimize your content for?
- Define your core message. What story do you want to tell? Get clear on this before you start writing your brief. Focus on what’s most important, as the rest will just add noise.
- Partner up with a creative video production agency. Take the time to do some research and find the right agency; what partner you choose for your video production will significantly impact the final result.
- Decide on your timeline and a budget. Don’t opt for the cheapest option by default, as it will often turn out more expensive in the long run. Invest in solid skills, and you will get a reliable result.
Related reading: What Is Corporate Video – Top Trends, Tactics, and Strategies for 2022
Partner With An Award-Winning Video Production Agency
Covalent is a marketing video production company. Based in Pittsburgh, we create videos for B2B, B2C, and D2C companies of all sizes, in a wide range of industries.
At Covalent, we’re known for combining experience and creativity with a strong marketing mindset. We’re happy to help you shoot and produce everything from TV commercials and brand videos to docu-style shoots and explainer videos.
We’re with you all the way from ideation and through every step of the execution. We produce videos at various price points, always focusing on creating the content you need to reach your business goals. Combining years of experience with cutting-edge creativity, our productions have received numerous awards and accolades over the years.
Get in touch to learn more about how we can help your brand get started with video marketing production to build a more exciting and engaging corporate communication!