Video marketing can help you stand out from the competition and boost engagement with your customers.
Video is a proven and popular advertising tool for putting a spotlight on a brand.
Wyzowl’s Video Marketing Statistics 2021 report shows the number of businesses that use video as a marketing tool has grown by 41 per cent since 2016. Of the marketers surveyed, 93 per cent said it’s an important element in their strategy.
Why is video so powerful? What kind of content would engage your customers? When you answer these questions, you can see how and why you need to invest in video ads.
If you don’t have a video marketing strategy for your business, it’s time to create one. Other brands in your market likely use this tactic, so let’s look at what you need to know and how to get started.
Benefits of video marketing
Video is no longer an occasional add-on to advertising campaigns. It’s central to how brands connect with customers across all digital platforms. But why is it so popular?
Video marketing can:
- Convert audience interest into action.
- Increase sales and boost profitability.
- Build brand recognition and growth online.
- Engage customers in new ways.
- Tell your brand story to a broader audience.
Where can you use video marketing?
Video can add value to almost all digital platforms, but there are a few places you should be sure to add it.
Add marketing videos to your website
Make sure your videos live on your website, where they can help attract and engage your website visitors. Video can increase your site traffic and lengthen the amount of time a visitor spends on your website, which boosts your search engine rankings.
Post videos on social media
Add video to ads you post on social media but choose carefully. Consider the demographics of your target audience and invest in the platforms where your customers spend time and show buying behaviour. You could post video ads to your company’s accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, or just choose one or two of these.
Run video ad campaigns
You can also create video campaigns through Google Ads to run on YouTube and appear to users while they are viewing other online content. The Google Ads platform also allows you to target specific audiences and remarket your ad to people who have visited your website or shown an interest in your company in other ways.
You’ll need a reliable platform to host your video content. You can compare video hosting platforms to choose what’s best for your company.
Best practices when building your video marketing strategy
Before you dig into the technical details, it’s essential to create a high-level strategy. The more strategic you can be when you implement video marketing, the bigger the return on your investment. Here are a few best practices to remember when you create your strategy.
Define your goals
Without clear goals, you won’t have a clear path through design and execution, much less a way to measure success. An effective video strategy starts with a discussion about business goals and the results you want to achieve.
Target your video ads
Spend your investment wisely by carefully targeting your ads to your ideal customers. It doesn’t matter how engaging your ad is if you post it on Facebook and your customers are primarily on LinkedIn. Targeting can help you spend your advertising budget wisely.
Tell a story with video
Video isn’t powerful simply because it’s video. The best video ads tell a story, or make viewers feel emotions or connection when they watch it. Customers want to know how your product or service solves their problems. Take the time to script your video to nail these elements and the message before you launch your campaign.
Be unforgettable
While video marketing is hugely popular, it’s not brand new. You’ll need to create memorable videos to stand out from the other videos. Don’t be afraid to be quirky or surprise people.
Inspire your customers
Sometimes you can’t beat people on price or quality, but you could be a company known for making a difference. Show how your company gets involved and works for change. Inspire your customers to join you!
Quality matters
Video makes a lasting impression, so pay attention to quality. Done well, you’ll have a marketing asset you can use and repurpose over time.
Remove guesswork
See what’s catching attention in your industry. Which brands are using video, and what kind of stories are they telling? What types of ads are attracting significant engagement? Develop your ads, then test them with target audiences. Make adjustments based on feedback and then iterate to improve.
How to create compelling video ads
When adding video to your advertising campaigns, you’ll want to consider a few elements to help your ads be more effective. When scripting your videos, keep the following tips in mind:
- Capture interest quickly. Viewers are unlikely to stick with a video that doesn’t show value or spark their curiosity early.
- Videos will often start on mute, so use creative visuals to catch attention until a viewer can turn up the volume.
- Showcase your brand’s best qualities, testimonials or the use of your product in action. Customers are likely interested in benefits and successes, so focus on stories, not strong sales pitches.
- Connect the facts and information you share with your customer. Why should they care about your product? Why should they choose it?
- Watch the length. Most video ads are 30 seconds or less. Cut your script to tell your story quickly, so people don’t simply keep scrolling.
- Add a call-to-action (CTA.) Possible CTAs might be visiting your website, subscribing to your newsletter, signing up for a promotion or discount, or buying a product. Your CTA can appear at the beginning (pre-roll), in the middle (mid-roll) or at the end of your video (post-roll.)
How to measure success
Any marketing tactic you try needs to stand up to testing and measurement to see if it produces results for you. When you decide to start using video in your ads, consider the goals you set for your campaign and the calls to action you put in place.
Views of the video and your ad are great, but what are the actual business goals you want to meet?
- Were you hoping to increase engagement on your social media channels?
- Would you like to increase visits to your website?
- Do you need to increase sales of a specific product category?
You likely have access to analytics to tell you how you’re doing in these areas before running your video ads. Measure and track these numbers so you can see how video affects your results. Metrics are important in advertising because they tell you if an ad campaign produces the desired result. If it’s not, you need to make adjustments.
If you avoid using video in your ads, it’s time to get started. There’s help available to ensure you’re successful with the strategy, creative development and execution of your ad campaigns.
An agency with deep digital expertise and in-house creative power can help get you on the right track and take the guesswork out of video marketing for you.
It’s time to engage your customers in new ways and let your ads make a bigger impact with video. You’ll stand out from your competitors and ensure they don’t leave you behind in a crowded advertising landscape.
