Category: Blog

By now, we all know that video marketing is important. But what exactly is it that makes some campaigns click and others not? Brands are constantly bringing new ideas to the table and it’s time to learn from the best. Take a look at some of the most successful video campaigns of 2015 so far–they may just leave you inspired to create your own groundbreaking campaign.

Pepsi

Pepsi’s Chain Reaction video isn’t about Pepsi products. At all. But it still draws you in. Why does it work? Because people recognize quality and effort. It’s obvious that there was a ton of time put into creating this video and viewers appreciate that. This video by Pepsi is the perfect example that clever and creative videos may just be more worthwhile than those that promote products. But keep in mind that while your video doesn’t have to feature a product, it should always have a purpose.

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Budweiser

A cute puppy may not have anything to do with beer, but Budweiser knows that the best way to get people’s attention is by tugging at their hearts. Their #BestBuds ads have been a huge success not only because of their ability to target their viewers’ emotions, but also because of their great marketing strategy. Through using a variety of media platforms like YouTube and Facebook, the hashtag #BestBuds was trending long before the video actually aired during the Super Bowl, letting the producers sit back and watch the fireworks.

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Dove

What’s incredible about this video is its length–a whopping 3 minutes and 40 seconds. Not exactly a quick attention grabber. And believe it or not, it’s one of the shorter videos that Dove has produced. That’s because these videos are stories–about things we can relate to. And just like Pepsi, Dove’s video focus is on shaping their brand identity rather than pushing product. Dove goes straight for the heart. Their videos resonate with their audience because they tell memorable stories. A smart video producer knows that telling a story in your videos is a sure way to your customers’ hearts.

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Nike

We all know that most people don’t really look like the fit, athletic, and confident people featured in so many ads. Nike decided to capitalize on this. So instead of making videos of people with perfect bodies, they got inside the heads of everyday people. This transforms Nike’s brand from something unattainable to relatable. In fact, Nike hits it so well on the head that it’s funny how true this video is. Being able to empathize with the average person let’s them to extend their reach to not only the proudly healthy, but to the aspiring exerciser as well.

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Duracell

In this video by Duracell, Kevin Jorgeson, a world-renowned free climber, shows us that because he trusts Duracell, so should we. The idea may seem obvious, but it’s still an effective one. By featuring a reliable professional, Duracell creates a trustworthy brand name. When developing your video plan, consider featuring an expert or user of your product to build trust with your audience and make your brand into the expert of your field.

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2015 videos are all about gently guiding the consumer in the right direction. In order to do this, you need a video for each step in the buying process. For example, what can you do to grab people’s attention? And once you’ve got them listening, how will you keep that spark alive? What will you do to build their trust in your company and make the purchase decision? If you know what you want your audience to know at each phase of their purchase decision, you’ll know exactly what kind of videos to make.

First: An Attention Grabber

Since so many people spend a lot of time on social media, you’re more than likely to be discovered somewhere like Twitter, Facebook, Vine, or Instagram. To really grab people’s attention, you have to understand how these platforms work. For one thing, online communication revolves around short attention spans and concise statements. Your attention-grabbing videos will do best if they cater to the short amount of attention they’re going to get. For example, videos can now play automatically in users’ feeds on Facebook and Vine. What are they going to see in the five seconds they spend on your post before scrolling on? Make your message quickly viewable to really catch people’s attention.

Next: Building Momentum

Now that you’ve got their attention, what are you going to do with it? You’ve got to keep them interested. One way of doing that is through making customer-generated content. Videos that come from customers actually create more responses than content that your company produces. So instead of spending all that precious time in developing a script and perfecting your message, give the responsibility to your viewers. A good way to get your customers behind the camera is to make a video contest and offer a prize for the best video. Letting your audience create videos of their interactions with your product will show off your product in a genuine light. Everyone else will want  to know why people are so excited about your product and will find out more.

Now: Creating Loyal Views

You now have an interested audience, but they need a reason to come back for more. The best way to addict your viewers is through making series of videos. Here’s one idea of an effective video series: make tutorials. Instead of giving away all your secrets, how-to videos will make people want to know more about how you do what you do. Video tutorials will make your seem like the expert in your field and customers will return for more and more tips and how-to’s.

Finally: Making A Connection

While there’s a place for those 10 second videos, not all of your content should be that short. Now that you have loyal followers, you need a way to make them trust you. What’s your story? Build a connection with your audience with videos that explain who you are and why you do what you do. You can make a video interviewing leaders in your field, or even customers, to inspire and build trust with your audience. A personalized story will bring human emotion into your marketing campaign. Stories are what will make your customers connect with you and it’s what they’ll remember most.

If you know how to really grab people’s attention, keep them interested, and make them loyal followers, your videos will be a success. They will then trust you enough to give you their business.

 

Video production is a lot more than just putting together good content. For your videos to really put a dent in your marketing, you need a plan-a strategy of how to create and disperse effective content. Here are 4 things to implement in your video strategy:

1. Establish Your Tone
To begin, define your goals for your video marketing strategy. Create a simple mission statement that determines your tone and what kind of content you’ll make. Do you want to educate your viewers? Or do you want to entertain them? You will also need to look at your audience’s needs. Make sure you know who you are making the content for.
Once you’ve established your target audience, you can then consider what you want them to take away from your videos. What will your videos help your audience do? How should they act? You should know what you’re trying to accomplish with each video, even if it doesn’t relate directly to your products.

2. Outline Your Video Content
Now that you know the goals of your video strategy, you need to decide what types of videos you’ll create. Are the videos for external use or internal use? Which members and departments within your company will use video? Consider breaking your video content into appropriate categories, for example, “Sales”, “Human Resources”, “Public Relations”, etc. Look closer at the type of content you will create. Now that you know what type of video to create, decide how you’ll do it. For example, will you use product endorsements? Training videos? Storytelling videos? Tutorials? More than likely, it will probably be best to use a mix of these kinds of videos.

To get started in making video content, ask yourself, “What kinds of questions does my target audience ask?” You can ask yourself this question many times throughout your video strategy whenever you need to produce new content. Another way to create content ideas is through using old stuff. Go back and look through old announcements, releases, and blog posts that you could make into a video. Find the most popular posts and topics on your site.

Now you’ve got some ideas. Use them to make an outline for your video content.

3. Know Where to Place Your Videos
Determine where you will place your content. Your strategy shouldn’t include just sticking the video on YouTube. While YouTube has plenty of advantages, the disadvantage is that if not placed on your own website, your video isn’t leading to direct conversion.

Even if your YouTube video has a link to your website, you still need to know where your video should belong on your own site. It’s a good idea to place it where your viewers can see a series of related videos. For example, consider creating an entire page or section of your website to media. This will lead to more conversions as you create a resourceful selection of videos audience members at various stages in the buying process.

4. Decide How to Measure Performance
Measuring your videos’ performance is the only way you can know if your strategy is successful. There are several ways to track video performance. Besides looking at the number of views your videos get, you should also look at the duration of your views. How many of your viewers actually watch the video until the end? What are your “drop-off” rates?
Also check the click-through rates to your website, the number of repeat views, and if/how your viewers are engaging with your videos. Collecting this kind of data will let you know if your videos are working.

Having a defined video strategy will keep your videos from drifting off course and will give your business the momentum it needs.

Video marketing strategies are evolving and it’s important to keep up! Just understanding the current video trends and putting them into practice gets you more views, more sales, and more success! That’s why we’re giving you the 3 major trends of 2015:

1. Storytelling

Even though half of watchers are gone by the first minute, we’re seeing videos advertisements going from short ads to 2 minute videos–all in order to tell a story. In 2015, advertisers have to compete even more for attention as video advertising becomes more standard. They are doing this by evoking emotion in their audience. Instead of looking for the perfect punchline, companies are looking to leave a message that resonates. In other words, they’re creating videos that stir deep emotions and tell stories. Storytelling in video is so successful because it can build a human connection. That’s something a product endorsement or humor spot simply cannot do.

For example, consider the Nissan commercial in this year’s Super Bowl. Instead of focusing on the product’s qualities, the video follows a father and son’s relationship from birth. This video’s power to evoke raw emotion allowed it to become one of the most memorable commercials of the entire Super Bowl.

2. Building a Relationship

Companies are now recognizing that mass marketing leads to few sales and little brand loyalty. Instead of creating videos to reach the Internet’s masses, companies are narrowing their scope to build an audience of specific, targeted viewers. If videos are to have a long-lasting effect, there must be an intimate relationship that lasts way beyond the play button.

More than ever, video marketing is driven to getting viewers to click on ‘subscribe’, which creates an instant bond between viewer and creator. Once viewers become subscribers, marketers can then invest in creating a personal relationship with them. Videos now reach out to audience members at each step in the buying process to connect with their needs. A video distribution plan that is personalized will lead to more sales and more success.

3. Engagement

In the US, more people are watching online video than ever before. But most of those viewers don’t ever make it to the end of a whole video. Couple that with low video engagement and conversion, and you’ve got a problem. However, this year, interactive videos are the solution. Videos that engage with the viewer are the most powerful tool companies have to communicate with their audiences.

Because of the ever-increasing amount of devices and access to WiFi, sharing times are faster. According to Reelseo.com, half of 2015 video shares happen in the first 3 days after the video has been released. That means that for marketers, it’s all about engaging with the viewer. Businesses need to have a distribution strategy that focuses on getting their audience to engage immediately by sharing, liking, commenting and most importantly, subscribing.

Nothing is more explosive for business than a video gone viral. But as more and more producers take advantage of video marketing, some find it harder to make their content stand out. Not only do you have to produce videos that market your company, you have to make videos that entertain and educate–videos that are worth a share.

Besides worrying about what kind of videos to make, you have also have to know where to put them. Do you just go with the obvious and throw your videos up on YouTube? Or do you stick simply to your company’s website? What about all the social media sites and blogs out there?

Making your video be seen is about creating content that people want to see and knowing where and when to release it.

What Kind of Content

Videos that are shared tend to be the ones that create strong emotions in their viewers. A good way to do this is through telling a story. A story with a believable and positive outcome will inspire and resonate with the audience. They’ll want to build a relationship with your company, and they’ll share the video with their friends.

In creating your video, keep in mind that attention spans are short. Half of your viewers will be gone after one minute. Keep your video engaging by putting your most informative and inspiring information first. Or better yet, just cut out all the rest.

You may have a great message to share, but it doesn’t matter if the viewer doesn’t know what to do about it after the video is over. A call to action should be part of every video you make. Make sure your video tells the audience that they should act quickly by sharing, liking, or commenting on your video. By also staying involved with your audience through the comments, you’ll build loyalty and more views. Something simple at the end of your video can lead to big results.
(Check out our blog post “8 Video Marketing Content Ideas” for more video ideas.)

Where to Place It

Simply creating a good video and throwing it up online doesn’t mean that the video will go viral. Just as you should have a strategy to create good content, you should also decide how you’ll promote your video. Your video won’t make much of a dent if no one knows that it exists.

But there are so many sites out there. Which do you use to promote your video? Social media sites like Facebook and YouTube are battling for video uploads. But there are also blogs, your company’s website, email marketing, and other sites, such as Vimeo and Wistia, to consider. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose only one place to release your video. A successful campaign will use the various advantages of these platforms. For example, YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, it’s free, and does great in Google search results. On the other hand, sites such as Facebook have a far-reaching social impact and potential for sharing. Facebook also has video capabilities that are rapidly growing. (Check out our previous article for more info on the benefits of Facebook versus YouTube video.) And posting your video directly to your company website allows you to keep control of your video and track viewership. Adding a video to a blog post or email will also allow you to create an in-depth written context to go along with your videos.

The best way to know which sites to utilize is by understanding your audience members. Identify the needs of your current or desired audience members. Think about where you can best reach these people and then try a few of the platforms.

When to Share It

Just as you regularly post on social media, your video production should occur regularly to be effective. It’s best to produce as many videos as you can. Posting consistently will give your audience something to look forward to and draw in more viewers. Try creating content that will allow you to post it throughout multiple videos. For example, creating a video series is a good way increase your Internet exposure.

Now make a schedule. Your videos should be spaced out evenly over a period of time. You can even time them to generate excitement for a big event or the launch of a new product. Even after a big event, continue to create regular videos in order to stay at the forefront of your audience’s mind.

Besides creating a video schedule, publish your content at the appropriate times. For example, if you have good content, it may be tempting to publish it directly to the biggest audience possible. But this isn’t always the best idea. A low view count on YouTube could discourage sharing. As Jonathan Allen, Founder of L&T Co., believes, it’s better to first release your video to smaller networks like Vimeo, a specific group of friends on Facebook, or various blogs where your work can speak for itself.

Once your video shows potential to go viral through shares, likes, and comments, then you can publish it to YouTube, already knowing that your view count will grow quickly.

If you’re not using video marketing, you’re losing a major market opportunity. 100 million people watch online video every day and chances are, a good portion of them are looking for a service or product. In fact, 90% of online shoppers say that video is helpful in making purchase decisions. Video marketing increases sales, leads, and audience engagement rates.
But video will only make a real difference in your marketing strategy if you know how to create effective videos. So what are the keys to an effective video marketing strategy? A good strategy is different for everyone. But there are several things that all good strategies have in common. Here are 7 tips to make your video marketing more effective than ever.

1. First, Define Your Business Objectives
Your video marketing strategy should support your company’s goals. When developing your video strategy, examine your business values. How can you showcase these values with video? What kind of audience do you want to attract? Your videos should reinforce your identity as a company. An effective strategy will ensure that your business objectives are being met.
For example, if one of your aims is to encourage an open and interactive relationship with your customers, you should be creating videos that are mostly concerned with audience interaction and engagement. Or, if your aim is to raise awareness and educate your audience, creating video tutorials will fulfill this goal. Whatever your goals may be, always consider them when developing your video strategy.

2. Look At Your Current Video Strategy
Before you can create an improved video strategy, you need to look at what you’re currently doing with video. If this is the first time you’re using video for marketing, use your competition as a starting point. Identify your current strengths and weaknesses in your video campaign and opportunities for growth.
Some of your strengths or weaknesses may include the loyalty of your fan base, how regular your interaction is with your audience, the amount of video subscribers, and the number of comments, likes, or shares you receive. You should also look at the kind of relationship you currently have with your customers and the topics you address. As you consider each of these points, recognize any changes that need to be made. Review your video content and make sure it’s appropriate for your goals and audience.

3. Know Your Audience
Your audience isn’t “everyone”. You must define your target group to run a successful video campaign. If you create videos that appeal to a specific group, they will be able to relate better to your message. On the other hand, if you try to appeal to “everyone”, you will find that your videos won’t be appealing at all.
If you find yourself creating broadly focused videos, try redefining your audience. Consider breaking the video into sections that are intended for specific audiences. For example, a product presentation video highlights the benefits of your product or service. This kind of video is best used for an audience that is considering your business. Product demos, on the other hand, focus more on your perspective and the features of your service. This video will be helpful to those in the comparison phase of shopping. If you’re still not sure if your videos are speaking to the right group, try testing a video with a few members of the audience and analyze their reactions.
Once you’ve defined your audience, you can then concentrate on creating content for them. But you need to know what your customers value in order to create good content. Try listening in on customer service calls to know what issues your customers face. Connect with your target audience through social networking, such as a group on LinkedIn. You could also review the comments you receive on videos for feedback. When you understand what your audience values, you’ll be able to create relevant content for them. Here are a few content ideas for various target groups:

• Use animated videos to explain complex ideas
• A video interview with an expert will help you gain respect as a leader in your field
• Making a video with customer testimonials are a great way to build trust
• A humorous, light-hearted video will show off your personality
• A video overview can display your business or how a specific product works

4. Focus on Engagement
Engagement should be a primary goal of your video strategy. The more interaction a video offers, the more engaged the viewer will be. So how can you make your content ideas more engaging for your audience? Video is most effective when it shows your customers how your product or service solves their problems. Instead of focusing on you and your products, focus your videos on how it fits into a customer’s life.
Find ways to show your that your company understands and has solutions to your audience’s problems. A testimonial will be more compelling if the customer talks specifically about their personal experience with your product. A product demo or case study will be more effective when you show how it benefits the lives of your customers. Use every opportunity to promote the pleasure or utility your products give to members of your audience.

5. Leave a Message
An effective marketing video is made up of several components. But most important of these is the script, in other words, the “what” of your video. If you spend too much time worrying about the “how” of your video (style, lighting, how you present your material, etc.), you may find that your video doesn’t leave an impression with your audience.
Developing a script, whether formally written or a simple summary of your key points, will ensure that your message is clear and impactful. Even if you want your video to feel spontaneous and natural, be sure to spend time in planning the objectives and desired outcomes of the video. Always know what your video should communicate before beginning. Ask yourself:
• Are you addressing the key issues that affect your industry?
• What are the main messages that you’d like to communicate?
• Do you address the audience with the right style and language?
One effective way to leave a message that resonates is by telling a story. Stories make us think and feel. When done well, a story is relatable and inspires us. Stories should be simple. They’ll be more credible if you skip the exaggeration. The goal of a story video is to create a simple and easy-to-remember message.

6. Get To The Point
You have ten seconds to catch a viewer’s attention in a video clip. According to Visible Measures, 20% of your viewers will click away from a video within 10 seconds. By 1 minute, nearly half will be gone. In fact, videos that are 15 seconds or shorter are shared 37% more often than a video of 30 seconds or more. Fortunately, mobile users tend to have a longer attention span. Those with mobile devices will generally watch a video for over 2 minutes, and iPad users will even watch for up to 5 minutes. Still, that’s not very long. The point is, the shorter the better. Get to the point without rushing the video.
So how do you know when your video is dragging on? Take advantage of video analytics. Video analytics will tell you who’s watching your video and how long they watch. You can then use this information to fine-tune your message.

7. And Now, Make a Plan
Now that you have created your video content, you need to make a plan for promoting it. A big part of this is making sure that the right people are seeing your video. Simply uploading a video to YouTube or Vimeo won’t be enough to make a real dent in your marketing strategy. So what else should you do?
First, look again at your audience and your typical customer. You can then identify which marketing channels you can use to reach these people. For example, you can send out an email to introduce your video. Or perhaps your audience would be better reached through a promotion on your blog. You can also try paid promotion through ads on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit.
Now that you’ve tried various marketing channels, analyze the performance of your plan. You can use Google analytics to track your success. Did the numbers of email sign-ups, shares, and views change? Where did you see the biggest improvements? Adjust your plan according to the results.
Having an effective video marketing plan is essential to your company’s success. As you develop your own plan, be sure to review these tips for ways to stay on track and produce valuable videos.

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Facebook has been gaining attention for its ever increasing power as a source of video content. It has only been in recent years that Facebook was even thought of as a source for videos. Before, users would upload videos to YouTube and afterwards share those videos to Facebook. However, we’re now seeing that the number of videos that are being uploaded directly to Facebook is climbing. And it’s climbing fast.

In fact, according to SocialBakers, video creators are posting more videos directly to Facebook than YouTube for the first time ever. Most advertisers report that they plan to run video ads on Facebook more so than on YouTube in coming years.

It is obvious that Facebook is increasing its efforts to outdo YouTube in video content. But what does that mean for video marketing? Is it time to forget about YouTube and join in the Facebook craze? Understanding the difference between Facebook and YouTube videos will greatly improve your advertising reach. In this article, we discuss what you need to know about videos on Facebook and YouTube and which to use.

Engagement vs. Individuality

As a major social network, Facebook has a leg up in video competition because it can target specific groups through algorithms. Facebook uses algorithms to decide each user’s interests and put video content directly into their users’ streams. The autoplay feature also allows for videos to play automatically as users scroll through their feed. Because of the autoplay feature, users are drawn to the content without ever having to hit play. Since these features have been added and recently updated, Facebook has generated more desktop video views than YouTube.

Much like Pandora, algorithms are great for those that don’t want to go to the trouble of finding interesting content. Facebook users don’t have figure out what to search for–they’re given engaging content directly in their feed. However, Facebook videos are effective only as long as it can accurately track its users’ interests.

Because of their use of algorithms, Facebook can publish videos that are more engaging to their users than those on YouTube. In recent years, it has become apparent that engagement is more important than just the number of views a video has. Facebook offers 40% more engagement than YouTube. For example, comments and video discussions on Facebook are usually with between friends, not strangers. Users can tag their friends directly in a video. The fact that the videos appear already in the newsfeed also make them more personable, and therefore, engaging.

So what does YouTube have to offer? YouTube is more individualized than Facebook because users get to decide what to watch. Users turn to YouTube when they want to search for and watch specific videos. As with Spotify, the user gets to handpick their interests and are offered suggestions.

Because of this, YouTube is excellent for search engine optimization and driving views. YouTube has over 1 billion users. It’s the world’s 2nd largest search engine. It has a clear advantage over Facebook for videos that are discovered via searching.

Socializing vs. Video Community

While being a social network may allow Facebook to generate more engaging videos, it may hurt their image as being a credible media outlet. Users are used to thinking of Facebook as a social network–a place where they go to chat with friends, post their pictures, and check how many likes they have. They are not, however, used to the idea of opening Facebook to watch ESPN or Taylor’s Swift’s latest music video.

Because Facebook is multimedia oriented and not just focused on video, users will have to form the new habit of thinking of Facebook as a video source and not just a social network. However, as Millennials increasingly turn to Facebook to get their news, they will get used to the social network as a credible source for video. As this occurs, it’s likely that Facebook will drive more video traffic than ever.

For example, Facebook will begin to run original programs from news organizations before they debut elsewhere. It recently showed the premiere of “Game of Thrones”. ABC will launch the program, “Newscast”, a show of 1 minute news updates just for Facebook.

Here YouTube has the greatest advantage because its sole focus is video. Unlike Facebook, users aren’t turning to YouTube for social networking. YouTube has had years of video publishing in comparison to the only recent competition of Facebook. Because of this, YouTube has built up its own faithful community of media companies and independent video creators that are dedicated solely to its channels. Over the years, YouTube has been able to build up lots of partners to distribute their videos. Apps are available for most mobile devices and TVs at home while Facebook isn’t as advanced with video apps on some of the new devices. However, as Facebook’s video influence continues to grow, we’re likely to see future Facebook TV apps.

YouTube links can be shared anywhere, whereas Facebook videos cannot be shared outside of the network. And while Facebook’s videos may be more engaging, YouTube videos are the most effective in increasing awareness and purchase decisions.

Who Wins?

Both sites recognize their strengths and capitalize on them. The clearest distinction between Facebook and YouTube videos is their intended purpose. Because Facebook is a social network, it publishes videos that rely primarily on their social reach. This means that Facebook videos are generally short, funny, and will gain attention quickly. Then, the video is long gone once it’s out of the news feed. YouTube, on the other hand, knows that it is the source for videos that will be searched out and watched time and time again. They invest in long term creators and publish content, such as tutorial videos, that will continue to get attention over time.

In short, Facebook video relies heavily on the social influence that is found on its network while YouTube will always be the source for videos that stick around. Both Facebook and YouTube are generating video success, just in different ways.

What This Means For You

So what does all of this have to do with your video marketing strategy? Knowing the difference between Facebook and YouTube video will help you capitalize on the apparent gap between the two.

It’s time to take advantage of these new changes and make your own plan. There’s no need to completely abandon YouTube and focus all of your video attention on Facebook. Instead, using YouTube to reach new people will help your videos get discovered in the long run. On the other hand, using Facebook video will allow your company to engage better with your audience.

First you need to decide where your content falls–whether it’s more appropriate for Facebook or YouTube and then create a strategy accordingly. For example, if your strategy is to drive the most traffic to YouTube, you might model after some and make short and catchy Facebook trailers. The trailer will grab attention for a short time on Facebook and then link your audience over to your YouTube page for a more in-depth video. This kind of plan would be taking advantage of the fact that Facebook will gain social attention for your company, and YouTube will provide the actual content.

If your video isn’t quite that simple, then try adding content to both platforms until you find what strategy is best for you. Either way, it’s clear that both Facebook and YouTube are necessary for your video marketing campaign’s success.

Video is a fast growing way of marketing, especially on social media. Today it seems like marketers are all about video advertising. But why? And are there really that many marketers that are actually advertising with video? As it turns out, video is a powerful tool in generating shares, awareness, and publicity. In this post, we’ll talk about how many marketers are actually using this trend and why it should be part of your marketing strategy.

Why Video?

600 marketers were surveyed in a 2013 survey by Business Video Trends Reports. Of those surveyed, an astounding 93% are currently using video as part of their marketing strategy. Most of these marketers use video in various ways, such as email campaigns, social media trailers, and YouTube tutorials. Regardless of their methods, 82% of the respondents believe that video has had a positive impact on their company and nearly ¾ of them plan to increase their spending on video in the future.
Since this survey in 2013, video marketing use continues to grow yearly. And it’s obviously effective for many companies. Another survey done in 2015 by Brightcove, CMI, and MarketingProfs found that 70% more marketers are using video than they were in 2013, just two years ago. The findings suggest that video is one of the most essential components to a good marketing strategy. Why? Videos are adaptable to various forms of marketing and can be created for many different purposes. Here are a few of the reasons why marketers are turning to video:

• Video is a good way to interact and engage with audiences on social media. Some of the most popular sites for videos include LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube. When these sites are treated as a social network, meaning that your company is actively engaging with its audience, video is extremely effective.
• Videos are effective in getting the message out there. Sites such as YouTube and Facebook get millions of viewers every day.
• Video is easy and cheap to create.
• Video is personal. Your audience can connect better with a person that they can actually see. They’ll be able to put a face to your company.
• Videos increase your searchability. Search engines love videos with keywords and place them higher in Internet searches.

Video continues to grow and won’t stop from here. In order to create an effective marketing strategy, your company can’t afford to not be implementing video. More and more companies are taking advantage of video marketing and they’re seeing the results. It appears this trend is here to stay.

How much do you spend on Video Ads AND what are the results?

Did you know about the FREE report Google has for you as part of Video Analytics?

This is an invaluable part of Google Analytics that can help you continually make improvements to your video campaigns. YouTube Analytics lets you monitor the performance of your channel and videos with up-to-date metrics and reports. There’s a ton of data available in different reports. You can check views, traffic sources, demographics, and more.

Here is a link to a helpful article on the basics: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1714323?hl=en

Here are some screen shots to demonstrate:

#1 shows your Cost Per View
#2 shows your total cost

 

Views – #1 number of times was viewed
# 2 number of times ad is shown divided by video shown in thumbnail
# 3 % of Click through rate – the % to your web site
# 4 Actual clicks to Web site from video

How long did people watch?

Of people that watched, 77% watched 25% of ad
46% watched for 50% or half
31% watched for 75% of ad
31% of the total watched all of it

It’s also important to run two ads similar: an A/B test, so you can compare.

Check it out, get familiar with it and take advantage of this great service!

 

So you’ve heard that video marketing is essential for your marketing plan. You’re just not sure what to make a video about. You’ve been planning to make a video for a while, but you just don’t have any ideas. Lucky for you, we’ve come up with a list of 8 content ideas to get you started.

 

1.  Address Questions or Provide Advice

Create a video that answers recurring questions that clients have. You can focus on only one question during a video, or address several at a time. You may even consider answering questions that you wish your clients would ask. You can use this kind of video to dismiss common concerns and objections that your audience may have.

A great way to create this kind of video is to pose the question, issue, or myth at the beginning. Then answer, resolve, or prove it later in the video. You could even create a video series and wait to answer the question until the following video. This will give you a reason to create another video and keep people interested in the subject.

You can also provide advice that your clients will need about a certain subject. Make a video about the essential tips, keys, and resources that your clients need to know about. Lists are a great way to go about this. For example, give 8 tips for creating exciting video content or the 3 keys to the perfect family vacation. In this video, you can address common mistakes that you see and help others avoid making the same mistake.

2.   Demonstrate Tutorials

Give your audience the “how-to” to pretty much anything. It doesn’t have to be focused solely on your products or services. Include any ideas that flow with your subject and will help your followers. This will extend your scope to a broader audience.

Tutorials will help your followers solve problems and in return, you will gain their trust. Put together a simple and easy-to-follow demonstration of the topic. Guide them through the steps of planting a garden or how to re-purpose a drab room. You can even make an entire video series of a longer tutorial.

This kind of video is especially great for new releases. Faithful followers will be excited to learn about your new product or service. New clients may even be pulled in with a “how-to” about something they’re interested in. Letting your audience experience step-by-step your new feature will let them see for themselves why it’s so great.

3.   Conduct Interviews

Not every video you produce has to come just from you. In fact, it will keep things even more exciting by bringing in someone new. Consider conducting an interview with an expert that could provide new insight or ideas for your audience. Perhaps it’s someone that created a resource in your field, or a well-known speaker in the trade. Bringing guests into your videos will keep your videos intriguing and build resourceful relationships.

You can also conduct a less formal interview video. Try conducting and filming a public poll. Ask the public their opinions on an issue and put them together for a natural and unprompted feel. Your audience will appreciate the genuine opinions of people just like them about your products.

4.   Exhibit Products

Whether it’s your own product or an outside resource, exhibiting helpful products will pique your followers’ interest. Record the revealing of a new product that your followers will love. Or review a product that you think your audience will be interested in. Either way, demonstrating a “new” anything makes for an exciting video.

For a successful exhibition video, be up to date with current trends and popular subjects. This will pull in new crowds who are searching about these issues. You can even have a little fun with it and make a parody video about another video, a product, or song.

5.   Build a Relationship

As always, building a relationship with your followers is important. There are several ways to do this. Anything that will be personal can be used to build a relationship with your clients. Something as simple as asking for their comments and opinions at the end of the video will get you started.

We’ve talked about showing off your products and services, but perhaps even more importantly, you need to show off your mission statement. You can create an inspirational video that highlights the “why” behind what you do. Discuss the theory of your company as well as your personal journey to getting to where you’re at now.

Consider sharing experiences from your personal life and the things that you care about. Besides introducing yourself, you can present your entire team. Record a typical day in the office and condense it into a few minutes to introduce each person—from the mail delivery guy to the office manager. Let people get to know each of you on a personal level.

6.   Present Statistics

Videos with statistics are very popular. Tell people how some interesting statistics will impact their lives. An excellent way to make a video using statistics is through infographics. They’re impactful and shared a lot across social media.

Make your statistics even more interactive by using a whiteboard to tell the story. All you need is the camera, a marker, and a little artistic skill. Something as simple as a whiteboard video will stick in your followers’ minds and they’re bound to share it. Make sure to wrap up the video by calling the viewer to action based on what they’ve learned.

7.  Feature Testimonials

Create a video featuring several of your clients that have appreciated your services. Testimonials are always helpful to potential clients, but they are even more sincere when they’re filmed. Consider interviewing multiple clients in one video, or you can focus on one client’s story per video. This kind of testimonial will make your company seem more personal and your audience will be able to see that other people have genuinely loved your service.

8.       Record Events

Any event is a great excuse to produce a new video. Videos can be used before, during, and after any occasion to promote your business. Try creating a video before an upcoming event to promote participation. During the event, you can film the “behind-the-scenes” of perhaps a motivational seminar or a local competition. Interview the keynote speaker or a contest winner. This will keep your audience intrigued about what it’s really like at your event. And following the event, be sure to produce a video highlighting the key points or fun moments that occurred. Covering any special occasion will keep your followers interested and ready to sign up for the next fun event that you host.

You can host your own virtual event by creating a video contest. Extend a challenge for your followers to create and submit their own videos about a certain topic. For example, give them a lead such as “The Most Creative Snowman” and let them run with it. Offer a prize and publish the winning videos. This will spark enthusiasm and interaction with your followers.

Hopefully this list will help you get started on your video marketing plan. Make your own list based on the ideas here and you’ll be surprised at how fast inspiration will come. You can even go back through your previous posts and create a video about existing content. There’s nothing wrong with using a good idea twice.

 

As a small business, deciding where to spend your marketing budget can be tough. In recent years, there are countless strategies that have opened up in digital marketing. But where to put your time and money?

You’ve heard a lot about video advertising. But what’s so great about videos anyway? Video is one of the most powerful advertising tools out there. Here’s why you, as a small business owner, should consider video marketing.

 

1.       Free and Easy Advertising

When consumers are looking for a service, the first place they turn is to a search engine. 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.

Videos are good advertising because they are easy to share. Your small business doesn’t have to use up the entire marketing budget to buy advertising space when video can take care of it all for you on social media. 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! Don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth, even when it occurs online.

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.

Video can be simple, cheap, and still be effective. Your small business doesn’t need to throw away thousands of dollars and hours coming up with the next “Charlie Bit My Finger”. The video doesn’t need to go viral in order to do its job. If you’re not inexperienced in creating videos with your own equipment, hiring a video production company is a safe and budget-friendly way to go.

 

2.       Capitalize on Being a Small Business

One of your biggest advantages as a small business using video is that video is personal. Being able to put a face to your business is important in an online setting, especially for a small or local business. 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, making your business seem even more personal.

When you create a video that is personal, you can capitalize on the fact that you’re a local business. A video gives you the chance to show off your employees, your story, your vision, etc. This levels the playing field between a small business and a big corporation. A video can show the audience that your small business has something that the others don’t have—that personal, local touch. It’s the best way for your audience to see that small means personable and personable is best.

Watching a video creates an emotional, interactive experience. 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.

For example, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: hundreds of people shared videos of them dumping freezing water on their heads. Video’s power to elicit emotions and call to action is what spurred this campaign to success.

Using video marketing is a must for small businesses. Videos are blurring the lines between big corporations and local businesses. It’s a marketing strategy that’s available to essentially anyone. Creating a video is an experience that requires minimal effort and goes a long way for your audience.

It’s simple—you need video. No other strategy can create the relationship that your business needs to have with its audience.

[iframe id=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/evVvGTV6GZA”]

If you currently advertise on radio, TV, Cable TV and newspaper, I have a question for you:

Where do you believe your customers are spending more and more of their time?

With YouTube Video ads you are able to actually set the type of audience that meets your business demographics and reach.

Here are some interesting facts regarding being on the internet – YouTube specifically:

 

So how can you benefit from NEW customers/prospects on the internet.

The best vehicle – and most cost efficient – is through YouTube Video Ads.

Here is why –

Cost per click/view is Very low – Low Competition

Availability is very high – sometimes as high as 80% depending on location and key words/phrases selected

Your commercials run on the

 

 

You select your budget by day:

 

 

Choose by city, state or even zip code where to run your ads:

 

We provide reports – How Long did viewers watch your video ? What % ?

 

What type of device did your viewers watch your video on: ?

 

What did it cost per viewer and % ?

Tell me age of people watching my video: ?

 

Gender of viewers ?

Video ran before what other videos: ?

Setting my own targeting: ?

We can tell you what country your video was watched in and for how long: (through Google Analytics)   and  Audience retention rate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

By now you are probably surprised at the capabilities and opportunities for advertising on the internet with YouTube Video ads.

We would be glad to help put together a monthly plan for you to capture more market share, customers and a loyal following to your business.

Thanks to my long time friend, Jim Liniger owner of Telehold in Portland Oregon for pointing out this great article on the “7 ways To Measure the ROI of Your Social Media Marketing”. I think my favorite one is # 5. Knowledge of Click-Through Rate and Impressions. If you know that, you should also make sure you have a good call to action: ie, get their email address for a free report, ask for the order, etc…

 

 

(Click Picture below to go to Article)

 

Here is a brief explanation on using  YouTube’s NEW “Cards” feature. It will help bring interested YouTube Viewers to your website:

 

[iframe id=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/j9vh2TxQ8Mg”]

Sample “Cards”

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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. ‘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.

5. 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.

6. 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.