More people prefer watching videos rather than reading text. That is why you absolutely must develop a video marketing plan and create videos as part of your marketing strategy. Also, there is no denying that YouTube is one of the most popular search engines around. Many beginner marketers don’t even realize that it is a search engine.
Over time, marketers have adopted videos as marketing tools because, let’s face it… they are more interesting than reading. Unfortunately, many people have the attention span of a fly, even with videos. They will flit from one video to another. It’s worse with text; then they actually need to put some effort into it and read.
The truth is the popularity of videos is only going to increase in the future. When you create videos and include them in your marketing strategy, you will be able to reach the crowd that prefers videos. Many YouTube personalities have hundreds of thousands of subscribers to their channel and make good money from videos.
That’s one way to do it. You also have the option to create videos that link back to your site or landing page. So let’s talk about some tips to keep in mind when you plan and create videos for your video marketing plan.
Pointers to Keep in Mind When You Create Marketing Videos
- Keep your videos short (about 2 to 3 minutes) and engaging.
- Know the purpose of the video. Is it a tutorial? A review? A promotional video for your product or service? If you understand the purpose of your video, you’ll be able to target the audience you want for your product or service.
- Include a call to action at the end of the video. You must explicitly tell your viewers to either subscribe or click on the link in your description.
- Use a thumbnail that stands out from the crowd. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, have one designed specifically for your videos.
By using thumbnails exclusive to your videos, you will stand apart from the rest. It will also help your brand. Most people who create and upload videos fail to do this.
- Optimize your SEO. Know what keywords you are targeting and use them in your title, site descriptions, and as the file name.
- As with almost all things online, consistency is the key. Keep making compelling videos and pack them with value. But don’t expect 3 videos to enable you to quit your day job. This is a numbers game. The more videos you have out there, the more traffic you will generate.
Start Video Marketing with a YouTube Channel
- To get started with video marketing, create and optimize your YouTube channel. If you don’t know how to set up a YouTube channel, do a search to see what you can find out. Learn as much as you can so you know exactly what you’re doing.
Though not explicitly stated, Google probably favors attractive channels; it shows you put in the effort to make the users’ experience more fun. Since Google owns YouTube it’s probably a safe bet.
I did a quick search for you to get you started. You’ll find lots of videos on how to set up a YouTube channel. Also, while you’re there, take note of the thumbnails and see which ones catch your eye.
- Do not resort to sneaky methods such as buying likes, views, etc. Your entire YouTube account could be closed and all your efforts lost. Be sure to read the Terms of Service.
- Don’t stop at YouTube. Upload your videos to other popular video sharing sites such as Vimeo, DailyMotion, Metacafe, and Break. You can find websites with free and/or paid plans.
- Do not use direct affiliate links in your YouTube description. All links should point to a landing page that you own. You want to comply with YouTube’s Terms of Service. And, at the same time, you want to build your list.
- Build backlinks to your videos in order to rank higher on both YouTube and Google.
And last but not least… Share Your Videos!
- In addition to video sharing websites, embed your video(s) in your website, blog posts, Facebook page, or whatever social networks you belong to, if allowed. Just be sure to exercise some common sense.
Placing a cute cat video on your blog post about the merits of disposable baby diapers probably isn’t a good idea. While the cat video may be entertaining, it has nothing to do with baby diapers.
There is much more to video marketing than the tips mentioned above. However, these are good guidelines to follow. To learn more, invest in a good video marketing guide or course.
Conclusion
Video marketing is like blogging. It is a “must do” method of traffic generation. If you neglect it, you will be leaving money on the table. There is no other way around it. If you’re shy about being in front of the camera, then outsource it.
The fact is there is really nothing to be shy about. Thousands of people make videos and upload them on YouTube. They aren’t professional actors; they are just like you. The videos are fine and yours will be too. Go ahead and give it a shot. Try making one and see for yourself.
Or, you don’t even have to be in the video. You would plan your video, write your script, and record the video using your own voice. Many are more comfortable with this scenario when they first start making videos.
And as yet another alternative, there are several video creation software programs out there that you could use to make the video and use the text-to-speech function. This type of software has come a long way, and the voice-overs are quite good in some instances.
It will seem slow at first but the more you make, the easier it becomes. It’s only a matter of time before you will be happily making videos and generating massive traffic to your web properties.
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