Video Marketing 101: What to Know to Get Started

Video marketing is one of the greatest things that you can add to your marketing plans if you aren’t already doing it. It takes a little work to put everything together, but it is well worth the effort. Videos are engaging and personal to a viewer. They come directly to the viewer’s devices and can feel like a personal pep talk or little informational lecture. The visual element mixed with the vocal elements also help videos become more emotional and memorable, too. Plus, because of YouTube, videos can be around for a long, long time.

Video Marketing 101: 4 Tips for Success

1. You Don’t Need Fancy Equipment

It can be tempting to put off starting video marketing until you have better, more expensive filming equipment. Perhaps you are thinking that it would be better to start when you have more means to create a quality production, and there are certainly benefits to having all the bells and whistles in a video. You don’t have to go that route, though. In fact, it can be a little dangerous to fall into that line of thinking.

It is so easy to put off supplemental marketing practices, but if you have the time and energy to dedicate to video marketing — don’t put it off! As cheesey as it sounds, there is no better time than the present. Think about it. The longer you wait to put out a video, the more you are going to think that it is ok to put it off. And, in all that waiting time, you could have create X number of videos.

Think quality content over quality production. You can always improve the quality of your videos later on. You can’t improve content that doesn’t exist, though. So go start filming! Even if it be on your phone.

2. Create Interesting Video Content

We often emphasize the importance of creative blog ideas or interesting social media content ideas, but we haven’t really touched on the importance of video marketing content. The great thing about video marketing is that often it is just a monologue about some sort of interesting topic. You don’t have to do much preparation of a topic. Just started explaining, articulating and emphasizing something interesting that pertains to your industry. This seems really vague, but the truth is that that is a great place to start. If you can write a blog on it, you can create a video on it.

3. Keep Your Target Audience in Mind

As you are creating content ideas and creating video content itself, keep in mind what your audience is going to find interesting and relevant. We often talk about the importance of being a resource for clients, customers and site visitors. Video marketing is no different. As you are developing your new video marketing campaigns, give some serious thought to what your audience would find interesting. Is there a topic that your clients often ask you questions about? That is a great place to start. Plus, when you take on the role of resource/teacher, you are developing a rock solid foundation of trust with your audience.

4. Share Your Videos on Social Media

This may seem obvious, but it is an important aspect that could easily be forgotten, especially if you are already posting your videos on YouTube. Don’t forget about your other social media platforms, though. You won’t get eyes on your content if people don’t know that the content exists. Share your videos on the platforms that you find most relevant, and then engage with the viewers who have questions or comments about your content. This is a fairly simple, very affordable way to connect with new visitors and existing viewers as well.

Related posts: How to Create a Social Media Calendar, Sins of Social Media

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