Is video advertising everything that you’ve heard? What’s so great about videos anyway? Video is one of the most powerful advertising tools out there. But why? Here it is: 6 reasons why video marketing is so persuasive.
- Search-ability
When consumers are looking for a service, the first place they go is a search engine. When it comes to search engine optimization, producing videos is the best way. Search engines boost content that is engaging, which means that a page with a video is given high priority. According to Marketing Week 2012, video results appeared in nearly 70% of the top 100 search results on Google. That gives your business a better chance of being searched and seen if you’re advertising with videos.
The secret to success with video production is utilizing YouTube. YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine and gets more than 4 billion views every day. Besides your website, consider posting your business’s video to YouTube, where you’re sure to get even more exposure.
- Sharing Is Caring
One of the best things about video is that it’s easy to share. On Twitter alone, there are more than 700 videos shared per minute. Advertising with a video makes your content more shareable online. As consumers view videos they connect with, they’ll want to share them with friends. And that’s free and effective advertising for you! After all, we’re all more likely to notice the content that our friends are sharing than to notice ads. Don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth, even when it occurs online.
Another great thing about social media is that it allows you to keep track of who is watching your videos and when. This allows you to measure the success of your marketing even more precisely than traditional TV ads or written advertisements.
- Consider The Costs
Fortunately, the costs of video production are affordable. So even if your business has a fairly small marketing budget, videos allow you to reach larger audiences while using up fewer dollars to do it. Not only is producing a video relatively cost-effective, it’s also long-lasting. While traditional advertising lasts for a limited time, online videos will be available for years to come. This gives your business more exposure every time a new online search is made.
- ‘Face to Face’ Interaction
Using videos allows you to show off your personality. Being able to put a face to your business is important in an online setting. It will build trust, credibility, and show your audience that you’re in touch with their needs. It’s by far the best way to create a lasting and relatable first impression. Videos also give your audience an opportunity to interact with you. The ability to comment on a video or even share it lets you know exactly what your audience is thinking.
- Give It to Me Now
We live in a fast-paced world. People are looking for the fastest way to get what they want right now. Who wants to spend 20 minutes reading an article when they can watch a 2 minute video clip and get the same story? Using video marketing gets the point across in less time and keeps short attention spans for longer. Watching a video is an experience that requires little effort. That means that people are more likely to stick around to hear what you have to say.
Videos also give viewers the option for instant gratification with options such as links to purchase, to visit your website, or to find out more. The option to ‘have it now’ is too appealing for most to turn away. Not to mention that people are always carrying their mobile devices with them for entertainment. And since videos make up more than half of mobile traffic, you have a better chance of being that source of entertainment if you’re taking advantage of video marketing.
- It’s All About Emotion
Video gives people a chance to connect to their emotional side. Since videos combine several marketing elements such as body language, sounds, visuals, and of course, words, they are highly persuasive. All of these elements interact to give the viewer a clear idea of your message and provoke an emotional experience. People can be moved to laughter or tears, all the while being educated about your message. Video keeps your audience’s attention for longer and helps them remember the message better than traditional marketing can.
Because video is so emotional, people are more likely to take action after watching a video than they would be after reading. For example, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: hundreds of people shared videos of them dumping freezing water on their heads. The challenge wouldn’t have had nearly as much success if it had been written and shared. Video’s power to elicit emotions and call to action is what spurred this campaign to success.
It’s simple—video tells the story for you. And it does it in a way that people are going to remember.