Ever since the formation of websites such as YouTube and Vimeo, video became one of the preferred methods of content creation and sharing. Most people on social media tend to interact with a video far more than they would with a simple text-based post.
Video marketing doesn't take a lot of overhead to do anymore, and it's one of the best ways to engage an audience. People tend to enjoy watching videos, no matter the length, but determining whether a video will go viral or not is almost entirely up to chance.
For companies looking at video marketing to aid their campaigns, 13 experts from Forbes Agency Council offer insight into what strategies work best to ensure success.
1. Make Sure It Has Value
When considering video content, make sure that it has value. If your video bores you, chances are it will bore your audience, as well. Quality doesn't mean it has to look professionally-shot, but quality videos have a reason for existing, and encourage conversation and sharing. If your video content doesn't do this, it's time to rethink your strategy. - David Harrison, EVINS
2. Be Concise And Consistent
There are two truths about video marketing. Your audience has a short attention span, and you need more than one video to keep interest alive. Live by those rules of keeping video content short and shareable, and developing an ongoing calendar of new video content, and you will win in video marketing. - Keri Witman, Cleriti
3. Stay On Top Of The Newest Tactics
Make sure that you are staying on top of the newest techniques. By doing so, you are going to know what to expect as well as what can be done to ensure that things are on the bleeding edge at all times. When you are on top of the latest innovations, you will know what to do to improve your content as well as improve your videos. - Jon James, Ignited Results
4. Consider View Duration
Not all video placements are created equally. Ask for a clear definition of a “video view” within reports. If that length is shorter than your creative, you have two options: shorter creative or different video placements that average longer view duration. - Kieley Taylor, GroupM
5. Make Video Accessible In Other Forms
Videos touch more senses and this is compelling. However, some users prefer textual information while others have visual or hearing impairments that require text or subtitled video content. Create alternate methods for your visitor to consume video content, such as audio-only or a transcription. - Jim Caruso, M1PR, Inc. d/b/a MediaFirst PR - Atlanta
6. Make It Easy To Grasp
Oftentimes, it’s more convenient to watch a video without sound, so be prepared -- keep your video high-level and easy to grasp quickly. Plus, make sure you have text on the screen! If you want to ensure you capture those who are more interested and could be potential leads, provide links to additional content that’s more targeted for those craving a deeper dive. - Sarah Mannone, Trekk
7. Understand What Story You Want To Tell
Video marketing strategies are really nothing new. You have to know and understand what story you want to tell. The key is to be short and simple, conveying the precise message. Always be the solution to the problem, not the problem to the solution. Get the audience with a short attention span engaged. - Cagan Sean Yuksel, GRAFX CO.
8. Plan The Digital Journey Ahead
Once your video captures interest, help the story unfold throughout other channels and touch points. For example, search engines look at bounce rate as a weighty factor in SEO. They also use the amount of time spent on a page as a factor. Use video to keep people on your site longer and entice them to view more pages. Use remarketing to bring them back again. - Serenity Thompson, A23 Advisors
9. Nail Your Intro, Core And Call To Action
Video works -- we can all agree. However, there are three main components when creating videos: intro, core and call to action. When creating video content you have to remember these three stages in order to guide your viewer to the end. Analytics is going to be key in order to mine the data and figure out important pieces such as when they're leaving, why they're leaving and how to make things better. - Daniel Veiga, Rapid Fire Media
10. Optimize Videos For Voice Search
We know that voice search is the future of SEO. That applies to video, not just audio. Video is highly engaging, and we should be promoting it for clients and ourselves, but not just any video content will do. We need to help our clients intersect with as many leads as possible by optimizing our video content for voice search. - Mary Ann O'Brien, OBI Creative
11. Keep It Simple And Authentic
Not all video needs to be a Hollywood production. Far too often, agencies approach video shoots like the birthing of an epic opus, with oversized crews, equipment galore and complex scripts. Truth is, some of the most popular videos were shot on an iPhone. My recommendation is to think agile, think simple and think authentic. You'll be far more likely to join the video marketing game successfully. - Danica Kombol, Everywhere Agency
12. Know The Context Of The Viewer
Be aware of who is watching the video, when they're watching the video and where they're watching the video. For prospective customers on mobile, you're dealing with a short attention span, so get to the point with your video content. With engaged customers on desktop, you have a little more time so you can get into the details or invest in storytelling with video. - Jim Huffman, Growthhit
13. Maintain Brand Integrity
It's easy to lose your brand focus when embarking on a video project. Make sure you incorporate visual brand elements such as arrows, overlays and logo elements, while maintaining brand consistency with fonts and colors. You should also consider creating a theme for a series of videos, especially those pertaining to thought leadership, so customers can look forward to the next one in the series. - Francine Carb, Markitects, Inc.
