Top 10 Video Marketing Strategies
In recent times, videos have become one of the most important tools for digital marketing. Using videos, businesses have started promoting their products and services in a more engaging manner. In fact, videos have become so popular that it is estimated that they will be responsible for nearly 80% of the world’s internet traffic by 2019.
However, there are some basic rules when it comes to video marketing which every marketer should follow to stay in the game and ahead of the competition.
We have collated some of the best video marketing strategies for you
Uploading Videos with Compelling Content on YouTube
YouTube is the second largest platform for information and entertainment. In terms of statistics, every month more than a billion unique users visit YouTube to watch videos for more than 6 billion hours. It’s a mindboggling figure. Having an account is not enough. You need to dedicatedly post videos for your brand, and work towards creating an identity that resonates with your consumers.
The first step is therefore to understand your online users – what content will be of interest to them? How will you get to engage with your video over the million others available for consumption? It is important to identify what your users want to see and create content accordingly, without diluting your brand message or identity. Once your audiences are reacting to your videos, the organic growth you achieve will be stupendous.
Optimizing the Content
You have created a compelling video which is ready to be posted online. But, will your content capture the intent of your users’ search? It needs to be optimized in such a way that search engines can index your content and show it to the relevant users. Identifying the keywords is, therefore, one of the most important aspects of video marketing practices.
It is not limited to creating the content featuring the keywords – it extends to Video SEO wherein you need to optimize the metadata with the relevant keywords and content. This ensures your videos will show up on the top of organic search results.
Optimizing the Video Thumbnail With a Smile
The video thumbnail is often neglected and yet it is one of the most important factors which compel a nudge a visitor to click on your video. People tend to form impressions about how good or bad the video will be. It is thus essential to dress your video with the right thumbnail so that it appears compelling.
One of the best thumbnails involves the image of a smiling human and making direct eye-contact. Such a thumbnail has much greater chances of convincing people to play the video.
Merging Video and Email Marketing
Video and email marketing go hand-in-hand. In fact, just the addition of the word ‘video’ in an email subject line has shown to increase open rates by as much as 19%, click-through rates by 65% and decreases the number of unsubscribers by 26%. Also, adding a video thumbnail in an email betters the engagement rate of that email. It is thus more than mandatory to use videos in an email marketing campaign.
Creating a Strong Call-to-Action
The need for a call-to-action or CTA as called in popular parlance should never be undermined. Remember, users need the CTAs to direct them to the next video or a landing page, Hence, at the end of the video or in the attached text, ensure a clearly visible CTA which compels the user to further engage with your brand.
Must Read Video SEO Tools with YouTube Video SEO Best Practices
Using the Third Graphic Judiciously
The content running through the video at the bottom is known as the third graphic. Though the third graphic cannot have clickable links, it should feature the synopsis of the content concisely. Share the name of your site, your products, and even your USPs. Use simple words which are easier to understand and can be grasped quickly should be used. However, the third graphic should not block or overpower the message you are trying to convey.
Adding Share Buttons to the Video Player
There are a number of videos available these days on social media platforms and most people begin their day by glancing in their social media accounts. This goes a long way in establishing how important these social media accounts are. You thus need to ensure that your videos can be easily shared on these platforms. The best way of doing so is by ensuring that the video has a share button which directs the user back to your website without the need to leave the player.
Always remember the more ‘likes, comments and shares you receive for your video, the more publicity it will get. This not only increases the number of views of your video but also has an impact on the organic search results. Keep in mind, not all publicity is good publicity and you should NOT move away from your brand’s values while creating or sharing your content.
Exploring Other Platforms
Never restrict yourself to sharing your created video on just YouTube or any other channel of your choice. Uploading your videos to other channels such as a Break, DailyMotion, and Vimeo can help your video get additional exposure. Even though Vimeo costs money to sign-up, depending on the needs of your video, it will very well be worth it. Share your videos across multiple blogs and social media outlets. The more your video is shared, the more visibility it stands to receive – and more likes, comments, and shares, it is likely to get.
Additionally, Twitter also gives you the option to pin your tweets at the top of the Twitter feed. Pinning a tweet to the top of the Twitter feed ensures that it does not get lost in the other new tweets which are posted. It also increases the engagement rate to your video and betters conversion rates by more than 10X. This is a very efficient way of increasing video views and yet it is free.
Adding a Transcript
This is a feature which most people are not aware of but YouTube can actually upload a transcript. To make a transcript, you first need to create a word document which would be based on the subject in your video. As the major keywords which will be spoken in the video will most likely be included in the script, this will provide the required SEO push for your video.
Using Virtual Reality
Virtual reality, which is better known as VR is still an emerging trend when it comes to video marketing. It is extremely engaging and entertaining and does the job of delivering the brand message very clearly. Even though the number of marketers who have used VR for their video marketing is a handful, it continues to grow at a very rapid pace.
VR can, however, only be used with a VR headset. Creating interactions and experiences should be a part of your strategy to actively engage and stimulate your consumers. If used creatively, it can open up a field of unexplored marketing opportunities. For instance, it can be used at an event where customers can go on a journey to explore how the product will look and feel when worn.
In conclusion, the landscape for video marketing is constantly changing. Despite this, it continues to be a vital element of the marketing strategies of any company that desires to expand its horizons.
If you follow the above-mentioned video marketing strategies, then the search engine rankings for your video will surely skyrocket in no time.
Additional Read: YouTube SEO Guide