Are you looking for an effective tool to market your business online? Try videos. Online videos are few of the swiftly growing segments of digital advertising. Given the remarkable audience preference for videos, you surely wouldn’t want to miss this method to promote your business.
Professional marketer and Rye founder, Linda Orton, cites that “65 percent of executives say they visit vendors’ websites after watching their online videos, according to a Forbes Insights white paper.” (Read full story.) So, how do you draw potential customers to your website? Let us take a look at some expert tips.
How to create market-boosting business videos:
1. Be a creative story-teller
Much as you want to be informative in your videos, your presentation should not be boring. To get your viewers interested to watch your videos, you need to tell a story. Presenting plain information is less likely to engage your viewers. Orton suggests:
“Some possible video topics include: Short biographies of key employees, interviews with clients talking about why they enjoy working with you or overviews of your business or products. Videos can also be used for recruiting new employees — everyone from college graduates to senior managers.”
2. Include a call to action
“No matter if you are selling or recruiting, business videos should include a call to action. From visiting your website to sending you an email or calling you, ask viewers to move to the next step after watching your video,” instructs Orton.
Viewer responses to your call to action add value to your website or to your online marketing campaign. In addition, looking at viewer responses is one way to gauge how well your video motivates potential customers to act according to your message.
3. Dump mediocre quality videos
Taking your potential customers for granted is one mortal sin. If you have to produce videos, ensure that they do not appear amateurish. It doesn’t take a critical customer to distinguish one. The production may cost you a little, but it benefits you more in the long run. Orton exclaims:
“You don’t need a Hollywood set to shoot a video, but you might consider hiring a producer to help present your story. A professionally produced three-minute video should cost between $10,000 and $15,000, including a partial or full day of shooting. While this might seem like a major expense for one video, after it has been shared across your marketing channels your return on the investment should be measured over the next six to 18 months.”
4. Use multi-channels to market your videos
YouTube has provided a powerful venue to market videos. But you need to employ some tips when you have to advertise through this medium. You can also check other platforms such as Professional Online Video Platform, Sparkeo, Vimeo just to name a few.
“Be sure your videos are properly titled, described and tagged on YouTube so they’ll show up in Google and other search engines. Also post and publicize your videos through your social media channels, where you can encourage sharing and discuss the content,” advises Orton.
Companies that have their own websites often upload their videos there. If you do have your own, and you intend to employ the same method, Orton suggests that:
“…you’ll need to generate a Site Map XML file — the code on the back end of your site that web crawlers review and index for search engines. Videos can also be included in online press releases, as well as e-newsletters that let you track who watches them and follow up with targeted email pitches. Newsletter recipients are usually more likely to open links to your video if they are placed under a visual screen grab from the video.”
5. Evaluate
You need to have some mechanisms to tell you whether your business video is working or not. What tools can you use to help you run your evaluation? Orton tips:
“Video results can be assessed at a basic level by using Google Analytics to see the traffic sources, dates viewed and keywords searched. A video hosting platform such as BrightCove or Ooyala can provide additional information, such as when people stop watching your videos. Video hosting can range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a month.”
Of course, you can never go wrong with other available methods like surveys and visitor feedback on your website.
Ensure that capitalizing on business videos gives you the right investment returns. Thus, producing one with a professional quality warrants careful attention.
Are videos effective tools for promotion? Please share with us by writing in the comments below.
Related Posts :
