Did you know that the human brain can process visual content 60,000 times faster than text? If so, it should come as no surprise that video and animated content is now rapidly becoming the preferred method by which customers, especially those using mobile devices, learn about and interact with brands. Although there’s no denying that video is an effective medium to reach new clients and boost sales, producing eye-catching, entertaining and actionable video and animated content alone is not enough to guarantee success.
Promoting video content to maximize your return on investment (ROI) requires a hands-on approach that incorporates a wide range of marketing strategies. Below, we’ll discuss some of the current best practices which should be considered when marketing via video content. These considerations are equally applicable to businesses of all sizes including owners of small startups and experienced small to medium-sized business (SMB) professionals to established enterprise level brands with mature marketing organizations.
Reach Users Through Major Video Distribution Channels
Getting your video in front of the right audience at the right place and time is critical to its success. For many startups and SMBs, establishing dedicated channels on video networking giants such as YouTube and Vimeo is a vital first step. Both sites allow businesses of all shapes and sizes to quickly create accounts and easily populate them with hard-hitting video content. YouTube, with its massive user base can help place marketing videos in front of large numbers of viewers. Similarly, Vimeo is often the go-to choice for companies producing larger, high-quality videos. However, both sites are ideal for hosting a wide range of video types such as:
● Overviews of your company
● New product launches
● Explainer videos covering technical topics or explaining key concepts
● Announcements for upcoming special events
● Customer testimonials and more
Businesses can use both of these significant video hosting and distribution networks at the same time to place video marketing content in front of myriad users. This practice can not only boost site traffic but can ultimately help a company generate new leads and boost ROI.
Are Your Videos Easily Discoverable?
Regardless of how well-crafted your marketing video may be, if users cannot easily locate them, it is unlikely they’ll generate sufficient traffic or grow leads. When conducting search engine optimization (SEO) for your video content, be sure to include elements such as:
● Meta tags which help categorize your content and make it discoverable
● Hard-hitting, catchy video titles that grab a user’s attention
● Well-written video descriptions with calls to action and unique keyword strings
● Compelling thumbnails that link directly to your video
● Embedded links to your video landing pages
Promoting Video Content with Email Marketing Tactics
Did you know that, based on recent estimates, embedding a video in marketing emails can boost click-through conversion rates by up to 300%? To make this process work in your favor, it helps to draft a short, hard-hitting description of your video in the body of the email. Then, embed a link or video thumbnail directly in the email and push it to distribution lists of your potential leads, existing clients or even through cold emails to recent visitors to your site. It’s important to remember to call out “Video” in your subject line. This alone will contribute greatly to achieving higher open rates.
Harness the Power of YouTube’s Paid Advertising
Since YouTube has become one of the most trusted sources consumers use to access marketing-related video content, it presents a great opportunity to turbocharge your ROI. By using the Google TrueView video advertising platform, businesses can easily embed marketing messages across a vast cross-section of video content on the Google and Google Partner Networks. Some of the most common forms of paid search video advertisements which you can easily leverage include:
In-Stream Advertisements:
These video advertisements play either before a YouTube video or throughout the content. This type of video is ideal for reaching consumers looking for similar products and services.
Video Discovery Advertisements:
Although similar to traditional Google Search ads, Video Discovery ads appear in various locations throughout YouTube based on a user’s settings or experience. These areas often include mobile search results, on-screen overlays or even the YouTube homepage.
Bumper Video Advertisements:
Much like in-stream ads, bumper ads appear before the start of a user’s desired video. However, unlike in-stream ads, users cannot skip these marketing videos. Therefore, they are best suited to promote brand awareness and should be shorter than six seconds.
Arm Your Sales Team with Actionable Video Content
In addition to using video to generate leads and drive traffic to your site, video content can also be a powerful tool for sales follow-ups. Much like embedding links and thumbnails in email campaigns, in the hands of your sales team, video marketing can increase ROI. Sales professionals can use video advertisements as a conversation starter when speaking to prospective clients or as follow-up to continue the conversation. Your sales team can also use video content to prompt existing customers to consider purchasing new products or services. The viewers that already have a direct relationship with your brand are sometimes the best people to target. This tactic can help your sales teams build trust with users by establishing legitimacy and authority.
Leverage the Power of Social Media to Build Brand Awareness
There’s no denying the power social media has to generate buzz and get your video in front of as many users as possible. When leveraging the power of social media to promote your marketing videos though, be sure to cast a wide net. This practice involves posting the content to all applicable social media channels including LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and more.
It may also help to build a dedicated landing page for the video on your site. Populate this landing page with additional information about your business which may encourage leads to engage further. This could include:
● Links to your site’s blog
● Emotionally appealing calls to action
● Easy-to-locate contact information where customers can engage with you further
Would You Like More Information on Video Marketing Strategies to Boost ROI?
At our Denver video production company, we are passionate about helping clients craft and distribute top-tier video content to reach new clients. Reach out to our team today to learn more by calling or texting us at 720-245-8277. Let us put our extensive experience to work for your brand and help take your business’s performance to the next level.