The Stats Are In
With over one-third of internet users watching YouTube content and websites like Facebook getting over 8 billion video views per day, you’d have to be an idiot not to include video in your marketing strategy.
Companies will often put it off due to the resources required. They can quickly fall behind the curve, losing out to competitors who were willing to take a ‘risk’ that in reality, was more of a sure thing.
The Right Kind Of Content
Did you know 65% of people use YouTube to help them solve a problem? It may seem like common sense but a lot of brands fail to make content that their customers search for. Instead they prioritise videos that appease their marketing team or CEO. There has to be a disconnect, put the people who buy in the spotlight instead. Figure out who your ideal audience is and make content for them.
When you understand who you’re making the video for, you’re able to lead an audience on a journey which makes them think, feel and engage. Along the way the right kind of people will align with your brand. You can start to build consumer loyalty and with more targeted videos, your new fans will not only engage with you but eventually buy from you as well.
Not Sold On Video Yet? Here's Why You Should Be
1. Everyone's using it, including your customers
Were you aware that 6 out of 10 people would rather watch online videos than television? The power dynamic has been drifting away from the advertisers to the consumers for awhile now. If their attention isn’t on the TV screen anymore, where is it?
That’s right, you probably guessed it, social media!
- YouTube
Platforms like Snapchat and TikTok also make use of video content and there will be plenty of new platforms using it in the future. When targeting your audience, it’s important to understand which social media apps they frequent.
2. The algorithms prioritise video
YouTube is the second most popular website after Google. The search engines algorithms love it when you spend a large chunk of time on one web page.
The best organic results come from being on the front page of Google with your chosen SEO keyword or phrase. To rank higher, videos have to be optimized with the correct meta data. It helps if there’s good engagement too.
WordStream claims that video drives a 157% increase in organic traffic from search engine results pages. Which suggests being smart about your optimisation can lead to more clicks on your site.
3. Everyone loves a good story.
If people sense they’re being sold to before they’ve bought into the brand, they’ll switch off.
There’s a time and place to ask for the sale but that’s at the end of the funnel, not the front. It’s easier to sell to someone who believes in the story you’re trying to tell.
The aim should be to create a deeper emotional connection with your audience. The story should have a clear narrative which isn’t burdened by a sales pitch.
It can be tough to get the balance right between storytelling and promotion, often a AAA story will contain the following:
- Attention: You should quickly establish a hook which sets the overall mood for the video, capturing your audiences attention.
- Appraisal: The middle section of the video where the core aspects of the story come into play. The brand can be introduced in this section but shouldn’t be overbearing taking the audience away from the narrative.
- Affinity: This is the final section where the audiences emotional investment in the video aligns with your brand. If done properly an audience will have seen an aspect of themselves in the narrative.
4. There's a screen in your pocket
Most people have a screen on them in the form of their phones and 50% of viewers aged 18-34 said they would stop what they were doing to watch a video from their favorite creator.
We turn to the black mirror when we’re bored, lonely or anxious and because of this marketers are spending even more of their ad budget on mobile advertising, eMarketer puts it at 72% of their total digital ad spend to be exact.
5. The ROI speaks for itself
Including a video on your landing page can boost conversion rates by up to 80%. We’ve seen clients make 10x the cost of the video project within the first 6 months of a video being released. The wonderful thing about video, it stays online for as long as you keep it there. Video often compounds views the more you have out online.
If you’re looking for more stats Tubular Insights claim 64% of consumers will make a purchase after watching branded videos on social platforms.
The Modern Way Of Marketing
When putting together your video content marketing strategy you should consider these four key points:
- Be Consistent: Frequent content keeps the audiences coming back to view more of your content.
- Be Interesting: If you want audiences to engage, you’ve got to make content for them. Understand the demographic you’re targeting and produce content they would want to see. Put the consumer first.
- Be Seen: Get your content out on the best platforms, at the right times, with smart meta data. Target the right people and include a call to action.
- Be Better: Always strive to improve the quality of your content, stay ahead of the curve. Don’t just follow trends, set them. Get the basics right, plan ahead and minimise risk.
In addition, as with any campaign, having a clear understanding of the cost to produce each video is equally as important.