The online video marketing industry has been proliferating over the past few years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Today, more than 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute! It’s clear that when it comes to an effective way to get your products or services in front of customers, video is one of the best tools in your arsenal.
What is less clear, however, is exactly how to get started using video in your marketing plan. With all the different types of videos available today, each with its own unique benefits and applications, it can be difficult to discern which type of videos bring together the perfect mix of channels for your business.
The Power of Videos
Everyone has heard the expression “A picture is worth a thousand words”, but how many people do you know that would actually prefer to watch a video than read an article?
With more and more people turning to videos as their source of entertainment, it only makes sense that every digital marketing agency is doing everything it can to tap into this massive trend.
Video Content Generates More Traffic Than Any Other Form of Content
According to an article written in the Search Engine Journal, 71% of users who watched a video about a product ended up purchasing that product. This number is double the amount for viewers who only read about products (43%). Additionally, Internet Retailer reported that among retailers that use video, the ones that used product videos average $8 million in annual revenue, which is twelve times more than those that do not.
It is clear that having compelling and informative content is one of the most effective ways to draw an audience. For example, a digital marketing agency looking for ways to gain the trust of its target market, generate traffic, or stand out from its competition, can use video marketing as an effective tool.
Moreover, incorporating videos in marketing efforts is highly recommended because;
Video Marketing is More Shareable Than Any Other Content Type
Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are now moving towards “pre-roll” advertising on videos, which means that they are quickly becoming one of the most shared forms of online content. A single 30-second commercial on YouTube could be shared thousands of times from a popular video.
In addition to being shareable, videos have been proven to have a significantly higher percentage of user engagement than text or graphic content.
Video Marketing Gives You an Edge Over Your Competition
Consumers are more likely to trust a company that uses video, believing them to be more professional and credible. Additionally, if your competition does not have videos on their site or blog posts explaining their product or service, you will stand out from the crowd. If you are more likely to appear first on search engines like Google or Bing, you can expect more traffic.
This is one of the most critical factors of using video in your marketing plan, if you do not stand out against your competitors who do not use video, you will lose business.
Types of Video Marketing
Conventional wisdom will tell you that creating an Internet video is a complicated, time-consuming process. It’s true that it used to be expensive and difficult to produce video, but with the advent of motion graphics, stock footage and animated gifs, making marketing videos has become much simpler than ever before.
Many people believe that if they want to start using video in their online marketing strategy, they will need to hire a professional who can create videos for them. While it’s true that you might want to hire someone with experience if your budget allows for it, there are many examples of marketers who have used animated gifs and similar tools to great effect without spending any money at all.
In order to help you get started using video, we have outlined three ways that marketers are using Internet videos as part of their online marketing strategy: Explainer Videos, Tutorials and Product Demos.
Explainer Videos
Explainer videos can be a wonderful way to introduce your brand or product to a larger audience. An explainer video is basically a short video that introduces the concept behind your brand or product and explains why it is beneficial to consumers.
Explainer videos are typically one minute or less, so they can easily be shared among friends and family using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Explainer videos are also a great way to show off your products and services because they allow you to demonstrate their benefits to potential customers.
Tutorials
Making tutorial videos are a great way for marketers to engage existing customers and convert them into brand evangelists. Tutorial videos can educate or instruct viewers about specific topics that interest them.
Tutorial videos don’t have to be limited to YouTube. They can also be hosted on your product and services pages so that visitors can learn more about how your products and services work. Tutorials are typically shorter than explainer videos, and some online marketers choose to host them on a separate site or as an embedded video within their page.
Product Demos
These days it is more important than ever to be able to differentiate your products and services from those of your competitors. Marketers are doing this by creating product demos that show consumers how excellent their products are.
If done correctly, product demos will generate a significant amount of buzz, attract new customers and increase your search engine ranking. The best part about product demos is that many marketers succeed by filming the videos themselves or hiring cheap labour in developing countries to produce them.
No matter what type of video you choose to use in your marketing campaign, it is important to remember that they don’t have to be complicated or flashy to succeed. All you need is a solid concept, decent writing skills, and an inexpensive video hosting platform to get started.
