The Power of Video – How to Get Video Working for Your Business
You may have read the latest research about how much video we consumers now consume.
According to recent research from ComScore 1.2 billion people age 15 or older watched 201.4 billion videos during one month!
As global broadband connectivity rises – it’s estimated that the content we consume online, will be dominated by video. In fact 90% of the UK’s ‘web’ population already watch video as part of their ‘online’ activity. Youtube dominates video consumption, at 48%, followed by Facebook at 27%.
So clearly, as a platform video is not to be ignored. The question is, how do businesses use video smartly to assist in brand awareness and ultimately new business development?
A recent study by Search Engine Land illuminated the power of video by posing the question
Which of the following have you ever done as a result of viewing an online video ad?
- Took action after seeing video ad 52%
- Elicited a response 45%
- Looked for more information 28%
- Bought something 18%
So there’s no doubt about it. People love video – and if you can get your video right – it can certainly help as a stepping stone to eliciting a purposeful response.
In my quest of providing useful blog posts that are genuinely useful, then I thought it would be useful to share with you some ideas and tips to make getting started with video, or even optimising your activity either further. So this post is a mix of tips and some applications which can help you get creative with video.
So, here we go, firstly...
5 Tips to Make Video Work for Your Business
- Use Keywords. Keywords are powerful online because they pretty much form the DNA of your online visibility. Just as people are searching the web for products and services, they also search videos channels, and social platforms so therefore, be sure you optimise your videos accordingly. Put targeted keywords or keyphrases in the filename of the video so that it’s part of the URL for the video. This really helps to optimise for search.
- Showcase the video. As with every marketing activity you do – you should be clear on why are you creating the video. It must have a clear objective. For example, if it’s to showcase testimonials on your homepage or provide a more human ‘about us’ on your website – the reason needs to be clear. So, once you’ve created the video for its specific purpose – think about how else you could leverage it. As well as putting the website on your website, why not also publish it to YouTube or your Facebook page. Or indeed other sites such as Viddy (I’m loving this new app) or Vimeo. Share it via your Twitter account – and use it in your ewire.
- Create a call to action. Remember that your video is a marketing resource. Be sure that you leverage opportunity to instruct the viewers to do what you want them to do. Call us on 123456 or Join the conversation on Facebook – or whatever it is you want them to do. Be sure you include your URL so that viewers can easily get in touch with you. And of course, depending on what the video is about, you may have opportunity to include this call to action half way through, three quarters of the way through and at the end.
- Keep it short. Research has shown that the majority of viewers prefer short and to the point videos. Between 30 seconds and 3 minutes is ideal. Of course, if your video is a demonstration video, then it may warrant a longer video. Just as with traditional marketing materials, you should endeavour to get as much said as soon as possible – to capture the imagination and keep your viewers hooked. Viddy only allows videos of up to 15 seconds long – it’s like the Twitter of the video world. And so the challenge is to use that 15 seconds wisely. This app is growing in appeal and so that kind of tells us that just as Twitter with it’s limit of 140 characters appeals becauses it’s quick and simple to digest, then video consumption should perhaps be similar.
- Consider the entertainment factor. It may not always be relevant for all of your videos – but think about the videos you enjoy. Personally, I know the videos I tend to share, watch and remember all have a quirky element to them or are humorous whilst at the same time being useful. Therefore, think about the entertainment factor – and think laterally about how you can use videos.
Remember: Think laterally about the use of video. I’m never surprised when I have a quick brainstorm with teams who initially have said ‘But what could we make a video about’ – who then come up with at least 3 flipchart sheets of ideas.
Ideas around creating videos include: FAQs, ‘how to’ videos, meet the team, walk a rounds, product demos, interviews, turning blogs into videos, thought leadership – sharing views on topical subjects, educational, training – to name just a few.
There are just so many ways you can get creative with video.
Using Apps to make Videos Simpler
Also it’s worth checking out resources such as Animoto. If you have visual content, then it’s really simple to turn that content into a professional looking video. This application effectively enables you to upload your images or video, add music and add text to create an impressive video.
If you haven’t used it already, then I know you’ll go – WOW when you take a look. Plus it’s very simple to use and great value for money. There’s even a free version which you can practice your video making skills on.
This is one I did very quickly – but you can see what can be achieved in just a few minutes using images I took from one of my PowerPoint presentations.
So key takeaways:
- Video consumption is increasing
- Keep videos short – our attention spans seem to be decreasing (longer form video acceptable for product demos however)
- Once you’ve made some videos, be sure to showcase them
- Consider a Youtube channel, Viddy channel, Vimeo or other
- Check out Apps to help making video simpler
@Michelle Carvill is owner and Marketing Director at Carvill Creative – the online visibility experts. A digital marketing and design agency based in Maidenhead, Berkshire. The agency covers all aspects of marketing strategy and online visibility - covering social media marketing and social media training, user focused website planning and conversion focused website design.
Want to talk to the team at Carvill Creative about your social media activity or training needs? We’re happy to chat, so simply ‘get in touch’.
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