The exponential growth of TikTok and YouTube and the fact that other platforms (looking at you, Instagram!) work hard to make video content possible point towards one thing – users love video content! It’s easier to digest, takes less time and effort than other forms of content, and is versatile.
Plus, the technology we use in everyday life improved at handling all forms of video content. As a result, brands and businesses must place their bets on an effective video marketing strategy if they want to succeed.
A quick glance at the data will show how video content helps businesses everywhere increase sales, engage audiences, and increase awareness. But there’s a catch—you need good-quality content!
The good news is that, with a bit of skill and practice, everyone can produce amazing videos that convert. To get you started on the right path, here are a few tips and tricks you ought to know.
1. Design a solid strategy
Whether you want to increase sales or educate the audience on your new product, you need to start with a strategy. This way, you’ll be able to plan ahead and improve your vision of the campaign.
Start by creating a publishing schedule (make sure it’s realistic!) and use this to devise a plan for the videos’ themes and topics. Also, keep users interested by juggling the different types of video content to create diversity.
For instance, you can use your campaign’s goal to create a story and then break it apart into episodes that you can post as an update at regular intervals. This way, you create a sense of consistency while teasing the audience with a great reveal at the end of the story (which can be a big product launch or an announcement). People will get used to your publishing schedule and will come back for more.
Side note: if your videos are useful (create value for the audience) and you keep a consistent schedule, in time, you may become a leader in your industry or an authority. This is amazing news for your SEO strategy!
2. Use stock video content
Professional videos take time, skill, tools, and money to make, but there are ways to optimize the process and reduce costs. One such way is the use of stock videos to enhance your own content or to use as background wherever necessary.
For instance, if you’re looking for transitions or ways to keep users engaged with a specific theme, you can find amazingly well-designed loop videos on Videvo that work well with a wide range of scenarios.
This way, you don’t have to invest in professional equipment when you’re not prepared, and your video content strategy won’t suffer.
3. Use SEO wisely
Recent studies show that users love sharing video content and that pages that feature videos get increased conversions. This goes to show that, when done right, video marketing can help drive up your revenue.
Even better, small businesses can extend their SEO strategy to video content and gain a competitive edge in the fight against big brands. For instance, you can optimize videos for specific keywords by including them in the description. This way, when people search for those terms, Google will display your page and videos as separate results.
4. Do you know who your target audience is?
If you’ve been in the online business world for a while, then you should know the basic tips about finding your target audience. But there may be discrepancies between the people you want reading your page and the people you want watching your video content. Plus, different types of users prefer different types of videos.
Data shows that younger generations (Gen Z and young Millennials) are more into short-form videos, while older generations (old Millennials) are more interested in long-form video content. This may have to do with the type of platforms they frequent, but it’s also a great way to segment your target audience.
Once you have several specific user profiles for your target audience segments, it will be easier to create highly-targeted content that plays on each segment’s pain points.
5. Tell a story, solve a problem
There’s no person in this world who won’t appreciate a good story! It’s human nature to find stories interesting, and if we can relate to the flow or the characters, we’re hooked.
Good marketing people know this and use stories and storytelling to create amazing campaigns. These stand out from the crowd because the message is emotional, but it’s also because it allows the viewer to see themselves as part of the action by supporting the brand.
When you’re able to use storytelling to deliver solutions (solve the users’ problems), your campaign’s success is almost guaranteed.
6. Be original
Given the sheer amount of online content created each day, it’s easy to think that there’s no more room for originality and creativity. After all, what story could you create that hasn’t already been told?
While it’s expected to feel overwhelming, if you switch the perspective, you’ll be in awe of the amount of new and original ideas that can be generated on a daily basis. We all have slightly different perspectives on the world, and we can use this to tell unique and engaging stories.
And, when you run out of inspiration, you can find interesting ideas for video content online. But the best inspiration should come from your company’s culture, mission, and aspirations. Videos full of personality are the most engaging for today’s online viewers.
Key takeaways
Video content’s popularity is not just a trend. Users love this type of content, and businesses that understand this are the ones most likely to succeed in promoting their image, products, and services.
To run a successful video content campaign, you need a solid strategy based on wise SEO practices, storytelling, and originality. You can use a wide range of easily available tools, such as stock videos and user-generated content, and you must focus on telling an interesting and engaging story.
Once your campaigns integrate all these elements, you’ll start seeing positive results, such as increased conversion rates, better user engagement, and better word-of-mouth action.