Online video marketing is a MUST when creating your overall social media strategy. To say the least, video works.
Successful video marketing is a bit of an art, but it’s one that anyone – including YOU – can learn, and excel at, with just a little work. Online video marketing is attractive to many businesses today for numerous reasons. Making videos and posting them online is fairly inexpensive. Plus, online videos stay online forever. If you spend the money to record once, your video could still be getting views a year from now.
In addition, social media sites and video go hand-in-hand and most sites encourage video posting and sharing. The viral video opportunities are endless when you use the right strategies to create and post your videos online.
If you’re new to video, or have been thinking about flipping on your camera for the first time, here are some tips and strategies to get you going with successful video marketing.
Five Quick Tips to Optimize Your Videos
Once you record your video, follow these tips to make sure it reaches your core audience and gets the views it deserves.
#1: Make your title count
Just like a headline to a blog post, video titles can pull powerful traffic. There are two main reasons why the title is so important. One, a great title can instantly grab a viewer’s attention. Two, when you use the appropriate keywords in your title, you are more likely to show up on search engines when people are searching for your topic. And remember Google owns YouTube, so there’s a story connection between video and searching.
#2: Provide excellent content
Take some time to think about your ideal viewer. What do you know that they’ll find valuable? What can you teach them? “How-to” videos can make for extremely successful video marketing because not only do they offer great value to your viewer, but also you’re able to showcase your knowledge and skill, thus positioning yourself as an expert. This is key as you continue to grow your brand.
Also, no matter how good your content is, if your video is too long it won’t matter and you’ll lose your viewer’s attention. Try to keep them short.
#3: Include your URL in your video
When you edit your video, take advantage of the different editing features. One easy feature is to add a text box to your video. This is where you can display your website address and it’s a great way to get exposure.
Here’s a screen shot of Mari Smith’s YouTube channel. Notice how she used a text box in her video to display key information, including her website URL at the end of her video. Smart move!
#4: Always provide an HTML link
When you post on YouTube, you have the option to write a short description of your video. Always start with the link you want to drive your viewers to so you don’t miss this key opportunity.
Here’s a snapshot of the description boxes from one of my YouTube videos. Notice the placement of my website URL (it’s the first thing you want to put in the box!) and the keywords I used in my title as well as the description.
#5: Go beyond YouTube
Most people post their videos on YouTube. In addition to this, make sure to always embed your video on your own website. This will increase the amount of time people spend on your website and help grow a captive audience.
Also, Google’s algorithms consider how many times a video is viewed, and embedded video views you receive get added to the views tally on YouTube. This is important for showing up in Google search results!
How to Supercharge Your Videos
To make sure your video stands out above all the clutter on the web, here are a few strategies that will give your videos an extra boost.
1. Create a Campaign: To get noticed, think beyond stand-alone videos. For greater reach and exposure, create a series of content-rich videos that you publish regularly. Not only will this create a great synergy around your content, but it will also allow you to build upon your brand identity as each video is released. Campaigns are among the most successful video marketing approaches.
2. Always Include a Call to Action: Never miss the opportunity to ask your viewers to take some type of action at the end of your video. You can ask them to sign up for your newsletter, go to a specific website, leave a comment about your video or visit your blog. If your video is good, you’ll likely have their full attention; make sure to take advantage of it!
3. Don’t Make a Sales Pitch: There is a lot of sales clutter on the web and you want to make sure you come out above this. There is nothing wrong with selling your products or services, but use your video to define a problem, discuss solutions and support others’ when you combine the three, your video will attract the right following.
Here’s part 2 of this Killer Video Tips post from Amy…
