Our world of marketing online is extremely competitive. Many of lost it all trying to get a marketing business of the ground and many others have leaped into new careers that will carry them for years. If you want that kind of success then you need to stand out over the competition with products that are unique and exposure that is difficult to top.
As with any business, higher profits depend on the effort you put into your marketing and branding.
YouTube is still a very young system but it has completely changed the way people look at videos (literally). Other video hosting services are now playing follow the leader because video sharing has gone from the “Funniest Home Video” style tribe to one of intense marketing. The rewards that can be gained are in the SEO value, traffic, client list building and more thanks to Google’s appreciation of video and its home within the SERPs.
So how can you utilize the power of video to make it work for (and within) your marketing strategy?
Before all else you should have a lead capture page established for your video. Since people tend to “channel surf” through videos and video sites, a lead capture page offers a way for you to engage the visitor while they are watching your video. Small opt-in forms tied into the video can help capture leads and build client lists. Special offers for free content and information can be applied to shared videos on sites like YouTube to help draw viewers out of that site and into your lead capture page.
Keep the length reasonable. An education video meant to share experience and information should be kept shore. 3 to 5 minutes is optimal, because this is the amount of time it typically takes someone to run through a standard size (500 word) blog post. Run up to 8 minutes if the content permits and is useful and/or entertaining enough to allow for it. Over 8 minutes and you’re pushing the attention limit of most people – save for cases of webinars. People will usually hold their attention longer for paid content, but free content should often be kept shorter (again, unless your content is extremely interesting/entertaining)
When generating promotional ads keep the time under 1 minute.
Regardless of the length, you have approximately 15 seconds to hook the viewer and get their interest. Most videos have a lead in that can last upwards of 6 to 8 seconds to introduce the company, the individual, or the series with some kind of animated graphic. If you have this, then your hook time is cut in half. Get the point across as quickly as possible in a clear and concise manner that will hook the viewer. Don’t introduce yourself first, use a title overlay for that.
Most marketers generate their own scripts for the video, but if you can’t do this on your own you can always hire a professional copywriter. Keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be a complicated process. More often than not you just need to write your thoughts, speak them, record it then have a professional editor put it all together for you.
Try to avoid doctoring your video up with too much fluff. Some like to add a lot of overlay with bullet points, graphics, music and other effects. If you have a good strong message then you won’t need the extra fluff. Rather than focusing on special effects and eye candy, focus on the professional approach.
Education is a big factor when it comes to sales. For years, marketers have been using longer sales letters to get the information in front of potential buyers both to educate and persuade them to continue through the sales funnel. The problem with this content is that takes a lot to get someone to read through it all. The growing popularity of videos has made it much easier to get the message across without forcing someone to read over 3,000 words. By placing a video at the opening of your campaign you can share everything you need to share about a product or service without wasting a lot of time and space.
This method also works extremely well on website content to help educate visitors without pushing any kind of specific purchase. Informative video content within a website can save a fair amount of space and more directly engage the visitor.
When used intelligently and as part of an overall content marketing strategy, video marketing can have a profound impact on traffic and lead generation. While some might shun it for its perceived difficulty, it’s not nearly as hard as people believe. People watching videos don’t expect you to replicate the beauty of a Light saber battle in your marketing videos. Grab a camera, record your message and show your authenticity.
Related posts:
Joerg Weishaupt is a 48 year old entrepreneur, software architect, search engine optimization and social media expert. Joerg has been building a lot of profitable Internet businesses since he put his first website online in 1995. He is also one of the founders and partners of Social Media Science LLC, where he launched a content syndication network called SYNND.
Joerg resides in a small, quiet community about 100 miles outside of Munich, Germany. If you ever seek to find him, look for where the cows gather.
Want some great info on SEO techniques? Need answers to common FAQs about SEO? Check out my latest video: "The Definitive SEO Techniques FAQ"
