Over the last few years, more and more companies have added video to their marketing strategy. You can say a lot with images and get your message across in a more succinct way. However, if you aren’t on point, you can also lose your followers to companies who hit all the high notes.
Social Media Week reports users retain 95% of a message when they view it via video. The number of video viewing hours goes up every year. YouTube is one of the most popular providers of video, but there are also other places businesses can upload their creations and gain followers and attention, such as Vimeo, Rumble, and Twitch.
If you just start creating videos and throwing them up whenever and wherever, you are going to miss the mark with your target audience. Instead, you must have a solid marketing plan. Know what the purpose of each piece of footage is and how it will solve a pain point for your customers.
What Makes an Effective Marketing Video?
Have you ever seen a clip that leaves you scratching your head? Some promotional videos seem to miss the mark with nearly everyone. The last thing you want is to spend a ton of time and effort only to get negative reactions. What are some of the elements that make a marketing video successful?
- Good storytelling. Keep the viewer engaged by immersing them in an experience.
- Know the audience. Once you understand your buyers, it’s much easier to address the problems they face.
- Invest in a microphone. You can shoot a video with your smartphone, but invest in sound equipment so there isn’t background noise or other distractions in the sound quality. A sound booth helps cut out unnecessary noise and ups the quality of the finished product.
- Stick with what you know. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Your business has a unique value and some things you’re better at than any competitor. Highlight these in your footage.
- Pay for transcription. Some of your audience may be vision-impaired and need a reader to translate the video. Others may simply prefer to read the material.
There are many moving parts to creating an excellent video. Take the time to edit your clips, add features that pull people in, and get all the moving parts working together. Ideally, what users see will stay with them long after they view the video.
Common Features in Video Marketing Plans
Now that you have an idea of what to put into your video, it’s time to come up with a marketing plan to get the word out. Just throwing something up on YouTube doesn’t ensure it will get many views. You want to reach the right people in the right spot and get word-of-mouth buzz going about your features.
Some of the things you’ll need to think about as you create your video marketing plan include:
- Create a calendar of when you’ll post your videos.
- Place them on the platform where your users hang out the most.
- Enlist the help of fans to share the videos and help them go viral.
- Embed them on your website.
- Decide what percentage of your marketing will be video versus other content.
- Enlist the help of users to create user-generated content (UGC) and expand your reach.
Your video marketing plan will be as unique as your business. Think about the goal of creating them in the first place, and what you hope to achieve, and work backward from there.
4 Top Overlooked Features
Although most video marketing plans look similar, there are some features people tend to overlook when planning a promotional schedule. Here are some of the top things people miss that make a huge difference in how well your piece performs.
1. Go Live
Statista predicts video streaming will hit $71.2 million this year with an annual growth rate of about 11%. Videos can be live-streamed on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. You can also go live on YouTube.
Plan time into your calendar to go live. The immediacy of a live video attracts people who are hanging out online and looking for something to do. It starts a ticking clock where something is exciting but limited. At the same time, the videos are available to view later.
You’ll also have an opportunity to engage with viewers. Appoint a moderator to watch the chat for questions and then answer the ones that make the most sense for the topic at hand.
2. Promote a Series
Planning themes into your marketing plans makes perfect sense. Consumers can learn about a topic in-depth, and you’ll have to do less research than if you jump around from one subject to another.
The easiest way to find themes is by thinking about the questions potential customers ask most often. Talk to your sales team and customer service reps to get an idea of the issues your audience faces. Then, create a series of videos answering similar questions.
3. Choose Smart Keywords
Just creating a video isn’t enough to help get the word out about your brand. You must use smart SEO strategies as well. Do some research on keywords. What are the search terms people use when looking for an answer related to the topic?
Pay careful attention to Google’s People Also Ask section. You’ll find questions related to the search. These are the natural language patterns of people you most want to reach. Answer those questions with your videos, but be sure to also include them in your descriptions.
Don’t forget to add tags and other information for users in your metadata. Even the title of your video can grab attention.
4. Be Consistent
Don’t just post a video and then go months without another one. Come up with a plan for how often you can realistically film. Create a schedule for when you’ll post new videos.
For example, if you plan a series on a topic, will you post a new five-minute video every week? Let your users know when they can expect the next installment. Collect emails and drop them a reminder when it releases.
Watch Your Competitors
One of the most powerful things you can do for your marketing plan is to watch what your competitors do. The ones thriving best do lots of their own market research, and you can learn a lot by studying their moves. Think of it as a chess match. They move a piece and you make a countermove. With a little time and effort, you’ll find the perfect pattern.
About the Author
Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. She was the creative director at a digital marketing agency before becoming a full-time freelance designer. Eleanor lives in Philly with her husband and pup, Bear.
