Video marketing is becoming increasingly essential for businesses of all sizes. Videos appeal to smartphone users because they are so easy to access, they capture attention on social media platforms, and they can get your message across in a compelling way, making them great for branding.
But how should you use videos in your business, and how do you get more people to view them? Here’s a guide to help you get the most out of videos.
Create Short, Entertaining Videos
Start off by creating short videos that have some entertainment factor for viewers. They could be funny or they might provide a unique angle on something related to your business. Just make sure they have a purpose that relates to what you do.
People like to watch short videos that they can quickly check on the phone. That’s not to say that longer videos don’t have their place, but start off with short videos of no longer than a minute.
The more entertaining a video is, the more chance it has of going viral and getting huge viewing figures. And the added benefit of these is that they don’t take as long to create so you can produce more of them.
Get Creative with Your Videos
While short and entertaining is a good general rule, make sure you mix things up with your videos. Try out new things to see what works best, and there are so many possibilities you can experiment with.
For example, you could record interviews with employees, customers, and industry experts. You could create mini-documentaries about events you attend, or you might want to stick to videos containing tips and advice.
Try to be original and do something that has not been done before. The best videos that go viral do so because they are particularly funny (like the DollarShaveClub video), emotional, or even controversial.
So be different to get your videos noticed.
Create YouTube and Vimeo Accounts
When you create your videos, you’ll want to host them online somewhere. While you can use them on your website, it makes more sense to host them on a specialist site and then embed them wherever you want to use them.
YouTube is the king of video hosting sites, so it’s always a good idea to have your own channel here. It also acts as a large search engine, boosting discovery of your videos.
You might also want to create an account on Vimeo. This is a paid service, but your videos will be shown ad-free. There is more freedom to present your brand as you intend, and it could be great for your business.
This is great if you have used a professional video production company to help create amazing brand videos (find out more at Lifetime-Media.com for help with this) and the videos are also higher quality. Try it out and see which works for you.
Share Your Videos on Social Media
While you can and should use your videos on your site and in your blog posts, social media is the place where your videos will get the most views and potentially go viral.
Facebook, Instagram, and SnapChat are particularly good for videos. Using these platforms, you can share your videos with your followers, and this is where short and entertaining videos do especially well.
Use Live Videos
Live videos have become very popular in recent months. They are especially popular with younger viewers, so if you target a younger demographic with your products or services, this could be a great option.
Live videos are popular because they come across as more honest. You are not presenting a carefully planned image of your brand so anything can happen. If done well and you plan ahead by having contingencies thought out before the event, A live video can be an effective way to increase trust.
Many channels now let you create live videos, and Facebook Live is one of the most popular. So watch a few popular videos and find out what seems to work, then have a go yourself.
Use Your Videos as Adverts
Another great way to get more views of your videos is to pay for them to be seen. Paid social is bigger than ever, and many brands are realizing that they need to pay if they want to get their message across
Facebook advertising is seen as especially important, and it can be a very cost-effective way to get your videos seen. And video ads are particularly suited to social media because they are such a popular way to consume content.
Get More Video Views
These are just some of the tactics you can experiment with to get more views for your videos. As videos become increasingly important for businesses who want to improve their online marketing, make sure you add videos to your marketing strategy.
Then use some of these tactics and more to get your videos in front of more people so you can take full advantage of them.
