Video advertising is one of the most engaging and effective ways to get the attention of your target audience. It can build brands, identities and build links between consumer and business like few other options. All it takes is a minute or less of someone’s time and they can already be devoted customers of the brand. That kind of advert is solid gold, but it’s not too difficult to be effective with this method. The right preparation and a solid idea of how to advertise can make yours stick out amongst the rest. If you’re looking for ways to spread your video marketing far and wide, just keep reading.
The plan
If you are planning on filming the video marketing yourself, you need to start with a proper plan. A professional quality production isn’t something you can improvise as you go. Make a checklist of everything you need and fulfil it before you start shooting. This includes location, permits for filming at properties and facilities for everyone involved in the work. From a concept, grow a script then a storyboard. Even if you’re using professionals, having as much of this prep work done in advance can speed the whole process.
Set smart goals
When preparing your video marketing strategy, make sure you have the right goals in place so you don’t disappoint yourself. These are SMART goals. Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic. Timely. Don’t get too ambitious unless you have the budget to spread your marketing as much as possible. Then keep a close eye on actually measuring your goals so you know how well you’ve hit your mark. This is all the more important for future campaigns.
Call-to-action
The important thing that all video marketing needs to have is a call-to-action. If it’s not an independent video but part of a long-term strategy, the rules can change. Iit doesn’t necessarily have to include the call-to-action in the first instalment. However, it’s important that, at some point, the purpose of the video is made clear. Learn how to make a call-to-action that stands out, engages and even excites the viewer. Offers or exclusive benefits are a way to engage viewers and have them act soon. Give them easy, quick instructions on how to capitalise or the call-to-action will be ineffective.
Communicate clearly
A lot of businesses have a tendency to engage in a lot of doublespeak to those browsing their services. For people who know exactly what they’re looking for, these keywords can be a great selling point. For engaging the wider masses, your communication needs to be clearer. Most viewers won’t glean anything from claims of innovation and bespoke solutions. Be specific about your product or service. Simplify your writing. Especially since a punchier advert is a better, more memorable one.
Length
When it comes to the length of an advert, there is a general rule to follow. Less is more. The better and quicker you can convey your idea and services, the easier it is to stick in the mind of your intended audience. There are exceptions to the rule, but in general, you want to keep your length to under a minute. Length is also important because it’s part of selling the ad. Surfers are a lot more likely to click a video they don’t know if it doesn’t look like it will take a lot of time.
Get professional help
Even if you’re able to film it successfully yourself, it’s a good idea to get some professional help when it comes to post production. Adverts rely on more than great footage. They need great editing and graphics work done on top of it. Services like Suite Spot video editing can take whatever footage you capture and polish it to a professional level. Without the right visual fidelity and effort put into the graphic side, your video will most likely be unable to compete.
Finding your voice
Another thing that needs quality is the voice-over of an advert. Of course, not all adverts have voice-overs. If yours doesn’t, you can skip this point entirely. For those that do, it won’t do to simply be a good public speaker. This isn’t a case of giving a speech. You need to find a voice that matches your brand, that communicates clearly and can fit the tone of the video. Look outwards at professional voice-over services in most cases.
Selecting a platform
When production and post-production is complete, circulating the video follows. So what platform should you go for? It depends on budget and scale. For small retailers, a local broadcast might do just fine. You can always use your own social media channels and Youtube channels free of charge, as well. But most businesses, even small ones, will want backing behind their campaign. This means buying online time. Whatever you can afford, it’s important your priority goes for frequency. An ad played on a small scale a thousand times will have more of an effect than being played to a huge audience only once.
Go viral
If you’re using your own Youtube channel or social media, going viral can be a tremendous boost to the effect your video has. Having a video go viral is mostly down to luck, but there are ways you can influence the probabilities. Links to prominent Youtubers and other influencers is key in this. Another key is tagging. Using the appropriate tags can help your videos reach the intended audience through SEO.
Interactivity
A risky but potentially beneficial strategy is to make use of interactivity in your video marketing campaign. Especially if you’re doing a long term campaign of various videos, using viewer questions and input can solidify a bond with that viewer. Many others will use this as a proxy to feel more connected with the campaign. This is fantastic press for the campaign and the company. However, you need to make sure you have the right creative idea to kick off with. Then you need the resources to be able to retain it.
