8 tips for a successful video marketing strategy

It comes as no surprise to anyone: internet users are spending more and more time watching videos online. Many brands are taking a keen interest in this medium. However, like any other field, it has its own conventions and rules. It is not simply a matter of putting a video online and waiting for the view count to climb. As you might expect, more effort and thought will be required. With that in mind, we are going to discuss 8 fundamental practices for a successful video marketing strategy. Who knows — you might end up becoming part of internet users' daily viewing habits.

1. Define a clear objective for your video marketing

Imagine investing time and resources into a video campaign only to end up asking yourself, "Was that really a success?" This may sound like an exaggeration, but it is an entirely real situation you could find yourself in if you have not defined objectives and measurement indicators from the outset. Here are a few objectives you might consider:

• Are you aiming for greater brand awareness? In that case, a high number of views and high levels of engagement can be a good indicator of success.
• Are you aiming for more leads? Then measuring the number of users who sign up could be the success indicator you are looking for.
• Do you want to retain your users? The unsubscribe rate could serve as your indicator.

You may of course have other objectives — this list is neither exhaustive nor prescriptive. The key is to define measurable indicators before launching the campaign proper.

2. Find a personal style

Once you have defined your objectives and therefore your measurement indicators, it is time to think about your style. Video marketing is defined not only by what you say, but above all by the way you say it. You need to find a style — a signature — that will immediately identify each new video as one of yours. Here are a few questions you might ask yourself:

• What is your tone? Will you opt for a professional, serious tone? Or do you want to present a brand that breaks the mould?
• What aesthetic are you aiming for? Do you want a modern, original look? Or are you going for fun animations? You need to develop a visual aesthetic unique to your brand that users will recognise instantly.
• What sound effects will you use? In addition to your recorded voice, you will need sound effects. Again, think about the kind of sonic atmosphere you want to establish.

3. Be concise

When thinking about your video marketing strategy, bear in mind that you are not making the next Titanic. You do not want to spend hours filming and editing scenes, and your target audience does not want to watch an endless video. When in doubt, shorter is better. Wistia compared video length against engagement rates. The result: the longer the video, the lower the engagement. For every 100% of users who start watching, 60% watch a video in full if it is under one minute long. That figure drops to under 10% for a one-hour video.

Along the same lines, the agency LocoWise analysed 1,000 Facebook pages. The average viewing duration of a video on Facebook was estimated at just 18 seconds. The average total length of those videos, meanwhile, was only 55 seconds. This does not mean that a long video cannot be successful — far from it. But in general, you will probably prefer to base your strategy on short sequences.

4. Give yourself the means to produce genuine added value

In the early days of YouTube, producing a certain amount of added value was nothing like what it is today. Any amateur could put a video online and find success. Things are considerably more complex now. High-quality videos are published every day, and to produce content of the necessary standard that can stand out from the crowd, you need to invest in the right tools. Let us not go to extremes, though — there is no need to hire a studio. But you will need excellent sound quality, HD video, and ideally someone who knows how to capture both. You will also need to invest in lighting equipment and a tripod. If you are working on a tight budget, you can of course start with what you have to hand and learn the basics of the craft as you go.

5. Choose where to place your videos

Video content is hugely popular these days. Numerous platforms are competing with one another and generating millions of views each, every day — so you are certainly not short of choice. However, too much choice can be counterproductive. You need to focus your efforts on the channels that promote what you consider to be success. For example, if you are looking for brand awareness, you will probably want to place your content on YouTube, Facebook, and possibly Snapchat/Instagram. If you want to generate leads and retain your users, you might prefer a more intimate distribution approach — for instance, by embedding your video in a dedicated blog article. This way, you can easily encourage users to sign up to your site, newsletter, or similar.

6. Keep in mind that view counts are not everything

Many marketers focus on view counts. After all, this is considered the ultimate indicator of success. But things are not quite so straightforward. Of course, it is an important indicator. But there are other metrics just as important to keep an eye on:

• The drop-off rate: How many users watch the video all the way through? At what point in the video do most of them stop watching?
• Number of shares: The number of users who share your video on social media indicates how relevant they find your content.

So while view counts should not be neglected, do not forget the other indicators.

7. End with a call to action

Fading to black works perfectly for films, but far less so for video marketing. You would not create a landing page without a call to action — and the same rule applies to videos. Always end your videos with a request to your viewers. But what action should you ask for? This depends on the objectives and measurement indicators you have chosen. If you want to increase user engagement with your brand, you can encourage them to watch other videos by asking them to subscribe to your channel and suggesting one or two more videos to view. If you are aiming for more leads, a call to action at the end of the video can direct viewers to your sales pages or a contact form, for example.

8. Promote your videos

You may be familiar with the 80/20 rule. Applied to video marketing, this means spending 20% of your time producing your video content and 80% promoting it. Creating good videos is paramount — but even more importantly, you need to make sure they are actually watched! It is therefore never enough to simply post a video and consider the work done. As a minimum, you should:

• Share the video on your social media channels
• Write a dedicated blog article
• Send the link in a newsletter

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In summary, you really need to think through your video marketing strategy in advance — all the more so because, unlike written articles for example, creating a video requires a significant investment (at least in time, if not in resources). A well-defined video marketing strategy can bring you enormous returns. To perfect your knowledge on the subject, discover 4 tips for making more memorable videos.

(Freely adapted from Elegantthemes)

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