Marketers know the power of great photos and images, but video can seem intimidating and expensive. However, video content can’t be ignored. It has been steadily gaining in popularity over the last five years, and in the United States alone 85% of all internet users are watching online video content every month. Video is a highly...
Marketers know the power of great photos and images, but video can seem intimidating and expensive. However, video content can’t be ignored. It has been steadily gaining in popularity over the last five years, and in the United States alone 85% of all internet users are watching online video content every month. Video is a highly effective marketing tool. It’s entertaining, catches the eye, and helps cut through the noise of static posts and content online.
For marketers that are interested in using video or still developing a strategy around integrating video into their marketing tactics, it’s important to know how to get the biggest ROI from video content.
Why is video effective?
As social media gains dominance over the Internet, it makes sense that video is becoming more widespread. It’s also internet users’ favorite type of content to see. Video marketing helps drive sales through increasing conversions and brand awareness. It also drives engagement on social media and improves email performance, two important metrics for digital marketers.
Video can help brands communicate a lot of information in a format that’s fun and easily digestible. It’s visually compelling and provides more information than a photo alone. Featuring videos in emails can boost open and click rates. Using video on landing pages and web pages can also help increase conversion rates.
But, emails and landing pages are just two of the ways you can put your video content to work.
How get the most out of video content
A few platforms come to mind when you think of video, like YouTube and Instagram (or IGTV). YouTube is an all-video platform and one of the most common channels for marketers to share video. As the “stories” features have become more popular and expanded on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, these channels also make immediate sense for sharing video content. Video performs very well on social media. Videos are shared 1200% more than images and text posts combined.
But, only focusing on social media platforms means missing so many other ways to leverage video content. One of the reasons video is so effective is because it’s versatile. It can be used at every stage of the sales funnel and adapted for different platforms and to fit different goals.
If you want to drive brand awareness, you can use an introductory video to showcase your brand and hero product(s). Share it on social media, use it in ads, feature it on your website, and at the top of your eCommerce pages. An “about us” video is a great way to help potential customers get to know a brand better. Highlight your company’s personality, mission, and values to drive engagement and grow your audience.
Want to highlight a specific product feature or answer some FAQs about a service? An explainer video helps showcase what makes your product different from competitors and convert customers that are on the verge of making a purchasing decision. Featuring explainer and tutorial videos on product pages addresses potential questions and gives customers a sneak peek at how the product works.
Customer testimonials and reviews are highly trusted by consumers. Video testimonials are a fantastic way to build social proof and create loyalty with customers and brand ambassadors. Showing products in use by real people on social media, on eCommerce pages, or in ad campaigns can help drive sales and build trust with potential customers.
Whatever your overall marketing goals may be, video can integrate seamlessly into almost every stage of the plan. From landing pages and product pages to email campaigns and digital ads, video helps you engage a larger audience and reach potential new customers.
Influencer marketing and video
Working with influencers is a great way to generate video that can be used across your platforms. Since influencers have an existing following that is loyal and highly engaged, partnering with them for video content can drive a lot of buzz around new product announcements, events, and company news.
It doesn’t have to be a big, flashy announcement, though. Brands can partner with influencers and brand ambassadors to create unboxing videos, tutorials or video testimonials. Invite an influencer to do a “takeover” of one of your social media accounts to connect with their audience and give a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.
Videos from influencers are a great form of authentic, user-generated content that can be shared and re-shared on social, featured on your website and product pages, and more. As part of your ongoing campaigns with your bench of influencers, you can request video reviews or product videos and build a library of user-generated video content.
There’s no doubt that video content is here to stay. That means it’s only going to become more important for marketers to master video as a medium. Maximize your video content by taking advantage of its versatility and effectiveness at driving engagement. Find ways to share video across different platforms and channels to generate awareness, boost engagement, and spur more conversions. Partner with influencers and brand ambassadors to create high-quality, authentic videos that fit your marketing goals.
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