Are you using video marketing yet? You should be! image

Usherpa Blog - Are you using video marketing yet? You should be!

6/26/2018 - by Paul Harrington in PowerTools- Super Hacks

Catch Up — Video is No Longer Optional

A few years ago, using video in your marketing would put you ahead of the curve. These days, if you aren’t using it, you’re behind. Video has gone from a standout feature in a marketing strategy to a staple. A whopping one third of the time people spend online is spent watching video. That means if you’re not using it, you’re locked away from one third of your audience at any given time. So why aren’t you taking advantage of it? Here are some of the most common complaints (and why they’re bad excuses):

Video is too expensive. You don’t need a Hollywood production team to have great video! There are a ton of resources these days for DIY video, and video marketing companies are popping up everywhere with competitive rates.
You aren’t comfortable on camera. With a little practice, you can hone that skill just like any other. But if you truly don’t want to be on camera, that’s fine — text-based videos can be just as successful. Plus, on platforms like Facebook, many people are viewing the video on mute anyway.
Your industry isn’t into video. No matter what your industry is, that’s simply not true. Video has become ubiquitous across the internet, whether you’re marketing custom cupcakes or computer servers. Every industry is made up of people, and the numbers show that people like video.

Video marketing is only going to become more and more necessary. So why are you putting it off? Make today the day that you create a plan to implement video into your marketing strategy.

How to Master Video

Many people think mastering video marketing is difficult. But when there are teenagers pulling in millions of views on YouTube, it’s time to evaluate why your business can’t do the same. Those successful YouTubers are cleaning up in the video space because they know what a video needs to be: Entertaining, emotional, or informative. Or better yet, some combination of those things.

The internet is packed with content these days, so if you can’t grab people’s attention and keep it, they’ll keep scrolling. One way to catch their attention is to create something entertaining. Too many people shy away from using humor in marketing for fear that it will make them look unprofessional. A little humor can go a long way in creating buzz around a video. Look at Blendtec’s wildly successful “Will it Blend?” series for an example.

Of course, humor isn’t always appropriate. In some cases, triggering an emotional response may be more effective. A video that’s heartwarming or uplifting can also connect with viewers and encourage them to share it with friends.

Not sure you can evoke laughter or tears with your videos? When in doubt, create something informational. The same way you convey helpful information through a whitepaper or email campaign, try delivering helpful content via video. Facebook loves a good recipe or DIY instructional!

If you manage to achieve one of these results for every video, you’ll be well on your way to mastering video marketing.

Get More Eyes on Your Videos

Okay, you’ve made a compelling video. Now how do you get people to watch it? Getting eyes on your video is crucial to ensuring that all your hard work isn’t wasted. Here are a few strategies to try.

Get social. The average person spends more than two hours a day on social media. Isn’t that where you should be, too? Putting your videos on social media is the quickest way to reach your viewers. Plus, it makes them easy to share. Speaking of sharing...
Create shareable content. This one is the most obvious, but also the hardest: If your video makes your viewer want to tell a friend, you’ll find that people share your videos and bring you more viewers. What can you do in your video content to energize viewers to take action? This should be a key question in your video creation process.
Ask for the share. Don’t just make it easy for your viewers to share your videos — ask them to do it! People are very suggestible, so even something as simple as ending your video with a request to share can make a big impact. Try asking them to tag a friend in the comments, or suggesting that they re-share the video to their own profile.

Video has the potential to do some serious numbers online these days. Make sure you’re making it as easy as possible for your videos to reach your audience.

Hope this gives you some ideas on how to incorporate video into your marketing strategy. Have a stellar week!

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