With the explosion of digital media, it is easy to get distracted. Between apps, social media platforms, blogs, you name it – there’s just not enough time in the day!
That is why marketing professionals use tools to help spread their message across different channels. A channel can be anything an audience members would find interesting or helpful.
For example, instead of posting about your product on Facebook, you could create a video instead that features all the functions of yours and what people will get out of using it. Or better yet, start filming yourself using the product talking about its benefits!
This way, your followers are more likely to see the advertisement because it is interactive and gives them information they want.
But how do you know if creating a video is worth it? That is something we will discuss here!
Does making videos boost engagement? Absolutely! And proof of this theory comes from one of the most popular brands on YouTube: Disney. They know how to leverage videos for success!
Here, we will talk about some ways that you can integrate videos into your online advertising strategy and determine which ones work for your business.
Components of a video marketing strategy
As we have discussed, creating a solid YouTube channel is just the start to your videos! Now that you have this foundation, it is time to develop your video marketing strategy.
Making sure your messages are aligned with what your business wants to achieve is an integral part of developing a successful video marketing strategy. You can use these messages in the form of goals, strategies, or announcements.
Including milestones such as launch dates, anniversary days, or return policies for products in your content will help promote engagement. If you’re running low on things to say, try brainstorming ideas and usingsuggestions to find something new.
Another way to create engaging content is by responding to another person’s message or comment. Find relevant topics and add your two cents to gain attention.
Creating a video marketing strategy
So what is a video marketing strategy? That is, what does it mean to have a successful YouTube channel? It’s more than just making videos!
It’s creating your content with a purpose in mind. Your goal should be to create engaging and educational content that will help you achieve your business goals.
Your audience wants to see clear messages backed up by quality content. They want to feel like they are getting helpful information from you, not pure advertisements.
You can still use videos for sales but make sure they’re solid advertisements first. After all, your career as a YouTuber depends on how well you know your product!
There are several different types of videos that people use to promote their businesses. Some of the most common include testimonials, how-to’s, lifestyle videos, and vlogs (personal daily or weekly life stories).
Business owners often mix them together to form an interesting way to share their knowledge. But aside from those things, there is one other type of video that can help boost your online presence.
That is… promotional videos. Or, as some refer to them, sponsored videos. These are videos that feature companies paying professional film makers to advertise for them.
Usually, these are done at either no cost to the creator or through paid advertising services such as BrandFilmWorks.org.
Marketing your video marketing strategy
The term “video” has become ubiquitous in our digital lives, with nearly every major website creating at least one feature or article using the format. Websites like YouTube and Facebook offer up-tempo videos you can watch that are typically advertisements for a product or service.
But what if we told you there was another way to use the medium of video? That it wasn’t just an advertisement but instead a tool to help promote your business, increase awareness of your products and services, and strengthen relationships with your customers or followers?
We’re talking about video marketing here! And while some marketers may still consider this option to be more promotional than educational, I would argue that today most people (consumers) want both. They want information, and they want solutions to their problems.
And why wouldn’t they? We as humans spend a significant amount of time seeking out answers to all sorts of things – from how to take good care of ourselves to what color shoes match my dress to which foods are best for me.
So why not do the same thing for your skin care company or yoga studio? Why not create informative videos that teach others what you know about beauty treatments and yoga positions so that they too can learn and enjoy them?
That’s exactly what many professional YouTubers and bloggers have done over the past few years.
Testing your video marketing strategy
A good way to test your video marketing strategies is to do a quick experiment. Create a short YouTube video that appeals to you or to an audience that matches with your business’s target market.
Create your video, but instead of telling people about your product or service, tell them why their life will be more fabulous than it currently is if they know what you have to offer.
Your header and supporting bullets can back up any conclusion you draw from the movie!
Testing your own videos is also helpful as you get better at editing, creating engaging stories, and music taste. If you are having trouble finding the right tone for your videos, recruit some help from others or use online tools to find appropriate songs.
The best way to evaluate the effectiveness of your videos is to compare yourself to past self-productions. Track how many views each video gets and determine whether or not this increase is due to seasonality or growth of your brand.
Producing video content
A lot of people talk about how important it is to have a social media presence, but few know what that means. Having a social media account does not make you successful at marketing!
It’s great to have a Facebook page, Twitter profile, and Instagram account, but producing quality content takes time. Creating videos takes even more time.
Content creators spend hours filming, editing, and publishing their videos. The process can be tedious, which is why most people don’t put in the effort.
Fortunately, there are ways to save time by automating some of the processes. Tools such as YouTube, free movie making software, and recording apps like Google Clips allow you to produce high-quality videos quickly.
Creating a website
A video marketing strategy does not include creating a web page or picking your niche to launch your business! That is what a traditional sales-focused approach is called — create a site, pick a product, and sell it.
The first step in investing in video content is deciding how you will use videos to help promote your business. This could be for an online store, a YouTube channel, or even just advertising your company on social media sites.
Once that is done, you need to decide if buying a pre-made video is the best option or going into filming yourself or another person. The second one is more cost effective but may lack appeal to some people.
Producing your own content is by no means limited to those with little to no experience. There are many free resources available to get you up to speed quickly. Your success will depend on your time management skills and creativity.
Another way to develop your talent as a filmmaker is to watch other films and learn from their styles.
Understanding your audience
Being aware of your audience is one of the most important things to do as a content creator. Who you are creating content for makes a big difference in how you create content and what kind of content you produce.
If you’re not sure who your target audience is, test out different versions of your article or video by yourself first! If no one else can understand it, then there must be someone that will.
Your success will depend heavily on whether or not you cater your content towards them. You should never write an article about body shape issues unless you have experience writing about weight loss due to size limitations.
There are many ways to find out more about your audience. Your best bet would be doing surveys, asking around at work and meeting with other people connected to your field that may know something about your intended audience.
Creating a blog
A good way to begin creating your YouTube channel is by starting an online journal or a website. This can be done through any of the many free web hosting sites out there, such as Google Blogger or WordPress.com.
Once you have this set up, you will want to pick a domain name for your site. Make sure it is catchy and descriptive. For example, if your first name is Jordan then your website should be something like www.Jordansfitnesstips.com.
Your website should contain an about page, photo albums, fitness tips, and maybe even videos! The best place to start is with just one short video that introduces you and your business.
It’s better to launch with nothing and add content later than to start with lots of content and no audience, so make sure to create a buzz before people come looking for yours.
