Video dominates engagement on social media despite being underutilized. Between 5 and 11 percent of social media content is video. Yet, more than half of users (51 percent) are likely to share videos over other types of content. Most marketers (84 percent) agree that videos help drive sales, with short-form videos generating the highest return on investment.
You might wonder why brands don’t produce more if social media video is so effective in marketing. The top reason is they (30 percent of respondents) don’t have time to create videos. However, the statistics show that video is king and well worth the time spent making them. Here is how to utilize video marketing for your business.
Benefits of Video Marketing
Suppose you don’t believe videos can help your business. Let’s find out the various benefits of a video marketing strategy before getting into how to utilize video marketing.
SEO
All businesses want to get on page one on search engines, ranging from law firms to beauty brands. That is a tall order, given the competition for attention online across all industries.
One of the reasons businesses use social media is to help their target audience find them. Search engine optimization (SEO) applies not only to text-based content but also to videos. Since most social media users consume videos more than any other content, search engines will take note of that engagement. That can help your ranking and visibility more than any other type of social media content.
Brand awareness
Social media is a great platform for promoting products and services. Over half (54 percent) use social media to find products, and 64 percent buy a product after watching a video about it. Creating videos to demonstrate how to use a product, such as POS systems, and their features and benefits can help people decide to buy.
Traffic
An effective marketing strategy can help people discover your brand through streaming videos on social media. Researchers predict that most (82.5 percent) global internet traffic will originate from online videos. Since social media marketing aims to bring users to a brand’s website, it makes sense to include video creation in the strategy.
How To Create Videos the Right Way
Some people who don’t put videos on social media may want to but don’t have the knowledge or skills to create them. Video production companies offer a stress-free solution. Most will work with any budget. However, if you want to try your hand at doing it yourself, you should.
It doesn’t take much to make a video, given most smartphones have high-definition cameras. However, creating one that will help you grow your business takes more effort. Here’s the breakdown:
Know your goals
The first thing you need is to establish the purpose of the video. Is it to tell a story about your brand or explain how a product works? Is it to show users how the product can benefit their lives or why others like them?
Whatever your goals, you must clearly envision what you’re trying to accomplish. Having those goals in your mind will drive every decision you make when creating the video. That includes the location, form, and quality of the video.
Do competitor research to get ideas
Social media is awash with excellent video content, so you have an easy source of ideas for what resonates with your audience. Watch videos of similar products with high engagement on your preferred social media platforms and do a little competitor analysis. Read the comments to see what people say they don’t like. That can help you refine your audience’s desired videos and make better ones.
Create a structure for your video
Doing a video on the fly might seem like a great idea from a spontaneity perspective. Still, chances are it will not be cohesive or consistent. You must always be on point and relevant when creating videos for marketing so you send a clear message. The best way to do that is to write down the flow of the video and create a script. You can deviate from the script, but having one helps keep you on track with your goals.
Assemble your equipment
Before creating your video, ensure you have everything you need according to your script. Aside from your camera, check if you have the backdrop, lighting, and accessories you need for a smooth experience. You will need different equipment when shooting indoors and outdoors, so keep that in mind. Stopping in the middle of a recording because it’s too dark or the sound is iffy can be frustrating and a waste of time.
How To Utilize Video Marketing
Video creation is a critical part of video marketing. But the most fantastic video in the world won’t help grow your business without the proper strategy. Below are some ways to utilize video marketing tactics to maximize their impact:
Repurpose videos on social media
A Pew Research Center report reveals that about 70 percent of people are on social media. While Facebook is the most popular platform for marketers, you should repurpose your videos and post them on as many networks as you can maintain.
Share your videos on various media according to a consistent schedule, including YouTube and TikTok. Posting on multiple platforms can promote your brand and videos more quickly and across a wider audience.
Include videos on your site
While social media is excellent for SEO and increasing traffic, putting videos on your site can help. You might get people from social media to your site, but you need to follow through.
Suppose a Facebook video sent people to your site. In that case, you should have another longer video on your site to seal the deal. People who click a social media link to your site are ready to be convinced. It might take a little bit of a push to send them through to the shopping cart.
Make your videos mobile-friendly
Whether your videos are on social media or your site, make sure they are compatible with mobile viewing. Most consumers (90 percent) watch videos on their mobile devices. You want to ensure your message comes across on any device they use.
Consider paid ads
You might hesitate to use paid ads to promote your videos when you’re on a tight budget. The average cost-per-click (CPC) on social media ranges from $0.38 (Twitter) to $5.26 (LinkedIn), which can seem like a lot of money.
The return on your investment (ROI) will vary depending on various factors, including the platform. However, if you gain sales of $100 from a CPC campaign that cost you $50, it can still be a good idea. You will have to do a bit of trial and error to get the most out of your buck from paid ads, but it may be worth it in the end.
Conclusion
Most people watch videos for entertainment, but they can also help your business grow. You can utilize video marketing strategies to promote relevant content to drive sales. The trick is creating relevant videos for your audience and promoting them aggressively on social media.
