How to Use Video Marketing to Grow Your Business
Video marketing has increased over time to become one of the most pivotal ways businesses can spread the word and reach audiences. As more consumers turn toward video content for information and entertainment, it’s necessary that businesses learn to harness this medium in the best possible way. This article will let you know the most essential methods of using video marketing to drive growth in business—irrespective of the niche.
The Rise of Video Marketing
Video marketing has been adopted at a really high rate in the recent past. Back in 2017, 63% of businesses used video as a means of marketing. In 2018, it increased to 81%, and in 2019, the percentage would hit 87%. This goes on to prove how vital video marketing is in this modern world.
Knowing how to harness that power can be a major growth for business owners and marketers. The statistics are in a compelling way, and a 2018 study revealed that 85% of US internet users watched online video content every month. This makes the question more like: How can businesses effectively leverage video to drive revenue?
What Is Video Marketing?
Video marketing is the process of using videos to promote and educate your audience. It tends to increase brand awareness and provides social engagement, hence giving businesses the opportunity to reach larger audiences. More importantly, video marketing does not require you to be a charismatic personality or create elaborate shows.
According to a Hubspot Research report, 54% of consumers want to see videos from brands more than any other type of content. It just goes to prove the real power of video as a medium of communication.
Why Is Video Marketing Powerful?
There are a number of reasons that make video marketing very powerful. This includes:
- Explains concepts vividly and in less time
- Creates personal connections with viewers
- Reaches audiences on platforms like YouTube
These benefits make video an essential element of any marketing strategy.
Steps to Create Effective Video Marketing Campaigns
Despite the apparent gimmick, video marketing campaigns need some planning. Following are the step-by-step guidelines on how to go about it:
Step 1: Identify Your Audience
Before getting down to scripting your video marketing strategy, clearly define who your audience is. You should have an idea of who your product or service caters to. This would comprise details such as:
Gender
Age
Profession
Interests
If you have customers already profile them. Conduct surveys or one-on-one calls to glean insights on what they want and what they need. If you’re just getting started, there are tools like Facebook Audience Insights that can help you understand potential audiences.
Step 2: Define Your Primary Objective
The next thing you will do is set a primary objective for your video content. There are three main categories of the video objectives, which include:
- Brand Awareness
- Education
- Entertainment
Brand awareness videos let viewers know you exist. Educational videos provide information or teach. Entertainment videos entertain with either storytelling or humor. Choose an intent to produce the type of content you’d like to make.
Step 3: Craft Compelling Content
Once you have identified your audience and your goals, it is time to develop your video content. Although there isn’t any silver bullet that works for everyone, a few characteristics can help your videos stand out as exceptional:
**Ideal Length
The length of your videos should be determined by your main purpose. For example:
Brand awareness: 15 seconds to 2 minutes
Educational content: 5 minutes to 120 minutes
Entertainment: 10 minutes to 180 minutes
Video Formats
The format for videos can differ depending on the audience and the message. But one common format that works for most forms is as follows:
Problem
Teaser
Solution or Story
This format enables one to catch the viewer’s attention by bringing forth a problem with which they identify, teasing them with probable answers, and, at the same time, offering some very valuable content.
Step 4: Promote Your Videos
The second half of creating quality content is making sure people actually view the videos. Here are some highly workable ways in which you can promote your videos:
Organic Reach: