It’s simple to understand why video is so popular these days: it’s an easy-to-digest format that offers our eyes a break from the overload of written information available online. This might explain why the globe watches a billion hours of social video on YouTube every day.

Those of you who are considering a career in digital marketing should be well-versed in the potential of video as a marketing tool. This isn’t only because they could be interested in producing fantastic films; it’s also because, to stay competitive, they’ll almost certainly have to learn to include video into their material.

What’s the point of a video?

Video is a versatile and entertaining content medium that not only provides us with a realistic image of what’s going on but also makes it simple to distribute across various platforms. It appeals to consumers because it is simple to understand, amusing, and engaging, and it appeals to marketers because it may provide a potentially large return on investment (ROI) across a variety of channels.

Anyone with an internet connection may both view and make a video. While there is a tendency toward higher-quality video on a professional level, anyone with a laptop can make their movie in about an hour.

Types of Videos.

There are many various sorts of films available, and knowing your objective when you sit down to make the video is an important aspect of developing a successful content marketing plan (or any other type of content, for that matter). To that end, make sure the video’s kind and channel purpose (if you’re sharing on social) are both appropriate for the video’s purpose.

Here’s a rundown of where different sorts of videos can be used.

• Explainers 

They may be used in conjunction with manuals, customer support operations, and a variety of other applications to assist educate customers about your product.

• Interviews

Interviews may be used to spark debate between opposing viewpoints or to highlight a noteworthy guest or influencer. You may always re-use the audio and promote it as a podcast if you’re doing films with guest experts, for example.

• Product reviews 

In return for free items, brand ambassadors can create product reviews and demo videos. If you can discover people in your field who are trying to increase their social media following, this may be a wonderful method to receive free promotions. If the individuals conducting the video reviews have a lot of interaction and comments, this may also help you learn more about the product. In some ways, it’s similar to market research.

How does Video Marketing help? 

1. Educating and informing

For the most part, today’s marketers don’t use a pitching strategy – why? There’s simply too much to choose from. Consumers and companies don’t need to be marketed to; instead, they conduct a fast internet search to locate the greatest product in their neighbourhood, if not the entire globe, and then purchase it online.

To that aim, marketers in a variety of industries (though probably not all) must approach consumers with a value-based proposition rather than a “sell.”

And videos are particularly effective at providing buyers with a close-up view of a product, service, or even an influencer or instructor.

2. Search engine optimization

Because search engines regard videos as high-quality material, using them in other types of content as well as on your major web pages may help your SEO tremendously — as long as the videos themselves are correctly optimised. This entails using the correct keywords, a compelling meta description, and a compelling title.

3. Staying Competitive 

Videos are fantastic for getting all kinds of information through, and in terms of practicality, a short, unique explainer film may make all the difference when it comes to educating people about your specific product. You can quickly capture people’s attention and hold it when they’re entertained by employing narrative and distinctive forms of media.

You could want to utilise an animated or drawn explainer film to stand out from the crowd, depending on how well it suits your product (and not come across as too in-your-face).

4. Making it Personal

Have you ever wanted to see what Facebook Live or Instagram stories are like? If you work in digital marketing or want to work in that field, you’ll need to learn how to make and optimise basic videos.

Instagram Stories and Snapchat are both fantastic for giving people intimate views or quick, personal glimpses into your life, and they’re also fantastic as creative tools. The unique aspect of these films is that they are only available for 24 hours, giving them a more real-time feel. It also allows advertisers to create ads that are focused on time-sensitive promotions.

Real-time, ephemeral material is ideal for: 

• Providing the impression of face-to-face interaction
• Developing brand loyalty
• Providing audiences with lighthearted, entertaining updates (eg: behind the scenes)

Best Practices in Video Marketing.

Okay, now you have some compelling reasons to incorporate video into your marketing efforts or to learn how to make excellent films if you want to pursue a career in digital marketing. But how do you go about creating a video that is both entertaining and optimised? Here are a few pointers.

• First and foremost, choose the optimal video duration for your platform –

30 seconds on Instagram

45 seconds on Twitter

1 minute on Facebook

2 minutes on YouTube

• Using subtitles for autoplay and keeping the video on quiet if it’s on a landing page are two more things you’ll want to do to ensure the best engagement and accessibility, as well as enhance your SEO. Videos on landing pages may be quite useful but only provided they do not frighten away potential customers. You’ll also want to make sure that your movie is mobile-friendly throughout.
• Practice excellent SEO practises and regularly monitor your stats to understand how your videos are doing. You may create a standard library of different films on YouTube and arrange them, then use them in other kinds of material like blogs and emails.

Let us at The Social Lions assist you with this and curate material that your target audience enjoys. The importance of audience engagement cannot be overstated, and we at The Social Lions are here to assist you in achieving it.