Video is changing the world of business
You see video in the newsfeeds of every social media platform and for good reason, it is easy to produce, share and consume. Here are 6 ways to use video in your marketing along with the tools to help you create and edit simply.
Video Marketing as a Main Stream Marketing Medium
The importance of video marketing is evident simply by the sheer volume of video we see daily. It used to be someone would share a video they saw on You Tube that was funny, but now you see video not only on social media sites although they took the lead. You now see video’s in emails, on websites and in all forms of digital advertising.
According to Cisco, “It would take an individual more than 5 million years to watch the amount of video that will cross global IP networks each month in 2021. Every second, a million minutes of video content will cross the network by 2021.”
Live video that we now produce on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and now on LinkedIn, “will account for 13 percent of Internet video traffic by 2021. Live video will grow 15-fold from 2016 to 2021.”
Incorporating Video into Marketing
Now is the time to add video marketing to your content marketing strategy. I’ve talked and written that content marketing is what builds the trust and drives leads. Video is simply one form of content marketing. There are benefits to video marketing such as the fact it takes less time then writing a blog post, it is shorter than a blog post, it encourages engagement, helps you reach new audiences and is more personable.
6 Ways to Use Video in Your Marketing
1. Create an explainer video – Simply said, it is a way to provide information that may need an explanation. You may have a product or service that isn’t so simple and thus creating a short video explaining in simple language can make all the difference in turning a cold prospect into a warm lead or even a buyer.
2. Teach – video is a great way to teach your ideal customer something about your product or service. I like to do this in bite-size chunks or short videos that focus on one topic. You can teach on video by talking yourself (also referred to as talking head videos) or you can teach by recording your computer screen as you demonstrate something.
This is easy to get started by creating a list of the most frequently asked questions you get, then teach while answering the question.
3. Answer Questions – you can do this by simply reading off a question someone may have sent you and you can then answer it. Another very popular model now is doing a Facebook Live video session where people can join you live while you are on the air and type questions into the chat area. Many businesses are using this tool quite effectively. If you have a private Facebook group, you can also hold Facebook live sessions inside your group which is a great way to communicate to your members.
4. Website video – I recommend adding video to several areas on your website. One could be your home page where you tell people what to expect from your website. About page is a great place to talk about you, your brand and your company and third, the contact page. By adding a message to the contact page you can invite your visitors some ideas on how and why to contact you.
5. Video email – This is one sure way to stand out from everyone else. I have been using video email in two ways, first when I follow-up to a proposal sent. Second, I use it to introduce myself to begin a conversation with a prospect and lastly, I use it to send a message to my new LinkedIn connections. This has worked like a charm to start to connect and build relationships.
6. Video Testimonials – Reviews or testimonials are powerful because the customer does the talking. These days, we make buying decisions online based on the reviews left by those who bought the service or product. Think about the millions of reviews on Amazon – we all read what others have to say before making a purchase – right?
Capturing someone on video speaking about the experience they had working with you or using your product is fantastic. You can use these video’s on your You Tube page, your website, landing pages, emails and on social media.
Video Resources
Getting started with video does not require a huge investment. If you have a computer and mobile phone you’ve can get started right away. I would encourage you to get a microphone that plugs into your mobile device because sound quality does matter. There are many inexpensive microphones, I have purchased mine from Amazon for my iphone and ipad. Be sure you look for one that works with either iOs or Android devices. I encourage a tripod so keep the phone still while recording and lastly be sure you have good light on your face when filming.
Lavalier Lapel Microphone – $12.99
Aluminum Camera Tripod – $13.99
Tripod stand for ipad – $29.99
Conclusion
Your video content needs to provide valuable information for your users, this will keep them coming back for more. Let go of the idea that your video’s should be perfect, as the saying goes, “Done is better than perfect” – be authentic and have fun. Focus on these 6 ways to use video in your marketing and start today, it takes practice to gain confidence and to start getting feedback and results from your efforts. But adopting a video marketing strategy now is important to where content marketing is and will be in the future.
