Incorporating Video into Your Marketing Strategy

The weight of video in today’s digital marketing world can simply no longer be ignored. When it comes to content options, while written content is familiar and effective, mixing video content into your marketing efforts can be useful, too. Not only does your audience process images faster than words, they’ll get bored if you’re always showing them the same type of content. Did you know that the majority of marketers anticipate an increase in their digital video ad spend within the next year? Additionally, Nielson reports that 64% of marketers anticipate video ruling their strategies in the future.

In reality, regardless of the model you choose to follow for your marketing (though we would suggest a digital, inbound approach), you must post authoritative, educational content to keep up with the sophistication of search engine algorithms. Simple keywords will no longer suffice. In order to hook your audience, capture their attention, reel them in with lead nurturing practices and answer their questions throughout the buyer’s journey, you must have strong content.

Why Video?

Video content is the Boeing 747 to the locomotive steam engine that is written copy. Both methods will get you to your destination, but one gets to the point quicker, while the other plows along preset tracks. This is not to say that the written word is antiquated, but video is slowly and surely becoming a dominant medium for conveying content in a consistently unique and substantial way.

Video can make information more easily digestible – it allows for intonation and credibility in persuasive language. It can also prevent your audience from becoming washed-out and uninterested in your content by the time they get to the third or fourth sentence of your post. Not only is video information easy to absorb, it is ready to be shared. Social media plays a huge role in successful digital marketing practices, and videos are well-received on almost all platforms.

Video can help a company entertain, instruct and educate consumers with useful or interesting industry-relevant information. Oh, and did we mention that video is great for SEO? Search engines love video content.

Check out our 6 tips on marketing with video:

Target

The first step in getting your video marketing off the ground is to identify your audience. Which personas – or target audience groups – are you trying to reach with this content? Where are they in the buyer’s journey?

Create

Keep your video short and sweet. You have about 10 seconds to hook the viewer before they deem your content unworthy. Anything longer than 5 minutes, and your viewer is lost. Even this mark is a stretch. Shoot closer to the 2-3 minute mark to keep your audience engaged and eager to interact. The upside of keeping the videos short? You force yourself to get creative while cutting down on production costs.

Challenge

In the video’s message, include a call to action. Encourage your viewer to take action – something that can be measured by your predetermined metrics. For example, following the video, entice them to inquire about your product or service or invite them to like and follow your social pages.

Polish

Here’s where the technical bit comes in. Adding a unique aesthetic to your video content will set it apart from that of your competitors and add personality to your brand.

Imagine watching a video in a theatre. We are captivated by camera movement that does not mirror our own limited movement while sitting down. We can pan left to right with our heads and tilt up and down, but we cannot track left to right or fly into the air. With technical equipment such as Glidecams, Quadcoptors, sliders and shutter releases becoming affordable and widely accessible, the attainability of engaging video content is substantially increasing.

Evaluate

One of the most important parts of a digital marketing campaign is tracking and measuring progress. Data from your analytics and reporting should prompt you to tweak your marketing activities and how you’re hitting your target audience, if necessary. Most video platforms incorporate detailed measurement tools that allow you to see the exact second your viewers lost interest and stopped watching, the segments they skipped through and the parts of the video they went back to watch again. You can then use this information when creating your next video.

Engage

Monitor viewers’ comments on your video content and respond in a timely manner. Keep your viewers up to date with information about new projects and upcoming challenges. Nurture these leads throughout the buyer’s journey, ultimately into paying customers.

Is video something you’re interested in? Now’s the time to start integrating new forms of content into your digital marketing strategy. Not sure exactly how to get started? Reach out to us and find out what your first steps should be!

Updated: Jul 26, 2022