Video soared to huge popularity in 2016 and has since continued to grow into one of the most effective content marketing tools. Consumers today are demanding more of this type of content and businesses are responding. Many of the businesses that have incorporated video as a major player in their marketing strategies have seen great results. For example, those that included videos on a landing page have experienced increases in conversion rates by more than 80%.
One of the biggest benefits of video is that it is a versatile tool. It can be used in every step of the customer’s buying journey, from making them aware of your product or service to closing the deal. Videos are the best way to increase brand engagement with your target audience. However, you can only leverage the power of video if you have an effective video marketing strategy.
Steps to creating an effective video marketing strategy
- Determine the purpose of your video marketing campaign
What is the goal of your video marketing campaign? Is your goal to sell more? Do you want to increase awareness of your brand? Are you looking to increase engagement?
If your goal is to increase sales, you may be tempted to only focus on the production of advertisements and other such promotional videos. The quality of your video production is important but you need a good marketing strategy in place in order to leverage the true power of video for your brand. Some key questions you should ask yourself is who is your target audience, where are you going to show the video, what do you want people to do after they view the video etc. Answering these questions will help determine where you put the video for paid and unpaid advertising.
Modern consumers no longer appreciates being bombarded with sales talk. The good news is videos are versatile. Your strategy should be aimed at educating, entertaining and inspiring your audience. This is the type of content that not only gets more views but is shared and remembered by audiences for a long time.
- Know your audience
Who are you marketing your products or services to? Understanding your audience is the first step to determining the type of content to produce. It will also help you determine the best way to publish or share the content.
Hiring a professional video production Toronto team can help at this point. You will especially benefit from working with a corporate video production Toronto team that has worked within your industry. They can help you identify your target audience and break it down to personas that you can customize content for. This is especially helpful for brands with a broad audience.
You will also need to understand factors such as what motivates your target audience to share information with their networks. Find out what makes them like certain content and what makes them buy certain products or services. Understanding their psychology will help you provide content that they will want and appreciate.
- Decide on the format and topics for your video
With a clear understanding of who your target audience is and what motivates them, you are now ready to determine the best approach to the production of the video and the implementation of your marketing strategy.
Decide on whether you should incorporate videos that are instructional or promotional. How will your audience respond to narratives, testimonials or stories of your brand? What type of content are they most likely to appreciate and what are they most likely to share.
This step may require some experimentation with different styles and topics. You may also want to view content from the competition in your industry. It does not hurt to borrow some ideas from the most successful videos. It also helps to look at videos from companies in other industries. You may get some fresh perspective that you can apply to your own productions.
- Hire a production Team
Now is a great time to bring a video production Toronto team on board. You have the option of working with:
- An in-house team
This means hiring a team of professionals whose main focus is to create videos. This can be expensive as you would have to pay them a salary even when you do not have an immediate need for a production. You will also have to purchase equipment and software for their use.
- A Video Production Studio
This is a more affordable solution and will save you time. You will also have access to experienced, creative professionals that can offer a fresh perspective to your industry and marketing strategy. You will also have access to state-of-the-art equipment at no extra cost to you.
It is important to keep your budget in mind as well as time availability when deciding how your videos will be produced. Review these elements and select the best option for you.
- Determine the best time and place to promote your videos
Many businesses record videos and quickly upload them to YouTube. They then wonder why they are not getting the type of response they imagined.
Uploading videos to YouTube just is not enough even if they are engaging and of high quality. It is important for a brand to know when and where to post the videos. This will help to promote the videos more effectively.
For example, if you are promoting your BnB, you would have greater viewership posting the video on a platform such as Expedia and posting it right before summer when many people travel for holiday. You may also want to search out top travel bloggers and ask them if they are willing to help you spread the word about your BnB.
Working with a video production company Toronto businesses trust can help you identify the best time and place to promote your video. The professionals rely on statistics to determine the best approach to uploading content and promoting it.
Are you ready to launch your video marketing strategy?
Video marketing is truly effective, especially when it is backed up with a well thought out content and marketing strategy. If you want to get started with your own marketing strategy, get in touch with us. We’re happy to walk you through the basics of determining the best approach to video production and marketing. We’ll guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to find out more.