Video Marketing Personal Use Ebook

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Introduction

Why Video?

Video is the most rapidly increasing medium for engagement online. If you have any doubt as to why you should develop a video marketing strategy for your business, then consider the words of marketing genius Seth Godin:

“The web was built on words.

And words, of course, are available to anyone who can type. They're cheap, easy to edit and incredibly powerful when used well.

Today's internet, though, is built on video. Much more difficult to create well, far more impactful when it works.”

As the internet has developed, it has progressed from the standpoint where businesses that played a dictator role into one where they have eased off the direct sales pitches and moved to a conversational role. The change in marketing strategy has come about as the web progressed from gaudy flash animations to more engaging copy, then inspiring photography and ultimately to video, which has not slowed in its takeover of online marketing.

Engagement is key for modern web marketing and is a key metric for success.

The rise of video isn't just a result of a natural progression from text to visual stimulation. It's the result of greater emotional connection in the content. While we will all read content and see images, the real human connection is not as evident as it is with video. Emotional triggers are what made direct sales letters and advertisements of the past so challenging to create.

The emotional impact is what helps forge connections and encourage videos to be shared – expanding the reach of a campaign – but it would be wrong to adopt such a simplistic viewpoint.

Video is informative, sure, but it’s also engaging, entertaining and meaningful. It provides evidence of trustworthiness and allows the viewer see products and services in action; answering their questions along the way.

Videos can be syndicated across a range of online platforms, reused and repurposed for use elsewhere; such as having stills pulled from the video that may be used in more traditional advertising – yet leveraging the audience’s recognition of where the still came from. Audio might be extracted and used in podcasts and online radio.

The variety of video marketing possibilities is so large, that not to engage in video marketing is to ignore one of the most exciting and potentially valuable marketing platforms available.

Neither does the size of your business matter. Video is as accessible and valuable to the solopreneur as it is to the corporate giants who take advantage of it.

One trend that shows no sign of slowing down is the rise of video sharing on social media. Facebook receives 4 billion video views per day at the time of writing, and YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine. Technology drives the expansion of video content, with the continued expansion of mobile devices helping maintain the trend. 75% of US smartphone users watch video on their phones, with the average time spent watching mobile ads coming in at a little over 16 minutes per month. Further stats that drive home the impact video has, include the facts that 62% of all Google searches include video and that video results in 157% organic traffic from search engines.

These figures do change over time. That’s the nature of the internet. But for the moment at least, the future is in video.

In short:

Video builds trust which makes it ideal for branding

Google (and other search engines) rank videos and posts with embedded video higher in search results – great for SEO benefits

Video has very broad appeal for mobile users

Video appeals to those who are time poor or don’t want to read

The emotional appeal of video encourages social sharing

Video ads have a high CTR (click through rate) compared to other types of display network advertising

The question isn’t what’s good about video, or why should you use video, but what you should create videos on and where to share them.

In this guide, we’ll look deeper into the video creation process and video syndication and promotion opportunities for your business.

Video Topic Selection

Aside from video channel selection and video format, one of the primary concerns of most video marketers is the topic selection. Getting it wrong isn't a disaster, but it's disheartening to follow up a bad choice with all the inherent work of production, editing, syndication, and promotion only to find zero interest among your target market.

Don't let this step overwhelm you. Any video that doesn't work out initially can always be repurposed and reused, so analysis paralysis should be avoided.

Here is a short process to run through to help choose the best topics.

1. Market Research

Understanding your ideal customer will help you learn the problem areas they have - which you can solve. Try to be as specific as possible in your definition of this customer.

For example, while reviewing your Google analytics you might discover that your visitors are 65% male, 20% female and 15% unknown. You will never get thoroughly accurate data because many people prefer to keep their personal information a secret when browsing.

If you sell running gear, you'll know that many of your visitors are men and you'll also be able to see what age groups they are in. Let's say 18-35. By enabling interest reports in your dashboard you might also find that this customer's other interests include food and technology.

Technologically advanced running gear is likely to be a huge hit with this target market, and it's relatively easy to come up with ideas for a video.

Your options could include:

1. The most advanced sports material and how it helps prevent friction thanks to its wicking ability.

2. The best night running equipment for visibility.

3. What makes up the interior of a running shoe and how that affects the shoe that best suits your

While these ideas are quite directly applicable to the tech-loving young man whose salary (also shown in your demographics data) allows him to indulge in them, let's not forget that the same person has an interest in food.

At first, as an online running store, you may find this information challenging to use. Consider the idea of "affinity marketing". This is marketing whereby you tailor your video ideas to a market that has an affinity for products in a different category.

Serious athletes always pay special attention to their diet, and whilst food may have nothing to do with what your store offers, it is a possible way to attract your market's attention.

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