Social distancing has proven difficult for countless Americans. We crave face to face interaction since we’re physically apart, and it’s resulted in people flocking to their computers and phones to watch, chat and interact. Anything to bring us closer together. So whether it’s a live broadcast, video meeting apps or just great content, online video content creation has exploded, making a huge difference to so many of us as we continue to stay at home. So how can businesses tap into this popularity? Video marketing.
The Proof
To engage with your audience during this pandemic, video is where it’s at. Global research firm Gartner recently released a study that looked at marketing in China during the pandemic, with one of the main take-aways being that video is crucial for companies that want to keep in touch with their customers. It is what’s proven to be the most successful format.
Consider Twitter: In mid-April, they shared some of their recent communication research, again, with one of the main findings showing that video content was seeing a huge increase across their platform, with the increase percentages ranging from 30% to 85% depending on the content category. Look at Zoom: Last month, the company reported the number of active users jumped from 10 million to 200 million. With this boom in digital media consumption, video becomes a marketing platform for businesses that is worth considering right now.
Creating Video
Depending on your business, video marketing can be as easy as picking up your cell phone and filming what you’re working on that day. But there needs to be SOME thought behind it. So when contemplating video marketing, here are some things to think through before you take the plunge:
1. What will your video be about? We at Front Burner Marketing talk about this all time—it all starts with great content. Especially during the pandemic, viewers are looking for content they can relate to. So you’ll want the subject matter of your video to be authentic, not forced, as well as thoughtful. Some ideas: a tour, a step-by-step guide, sharing a relatable story, addressing customer concerns, helping your community, or a product-focused video.2. What type of video are you going to make? It sounds like a simple question, but it’s more complicated than that. The format of your video will help you better connect with your audience if you select a format that makes sense with your content. For example, if you’re hoping to encourage audience participation to connect directly (and hopefully gain more followers), consider a video challenge or live video event. Some other ideas: You could discuss your content in an interview format, demonstration, presentation, or share product reviews.
3. How will you share your video? The first place you should go is always your website. You can also share it on your blog, as well as directly email your video link to your subscribers. But you’ll also want to consider a variety of social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok.
4. How long should your video be? Short and to the point is always a good rule of thumb or you run the risk of losing your audience. If your topic involves a lengthy explanation, you may want to rethink it, or only post it on your website and YouTube. It’s true, sometimes a more in-depth video is called for depending on the subject matter, but the best way to connect with your audience right now, it to be brief. HubSpot recommends the following lengths for videos for these social media platforms:
- Facebook: 1 minute
- Instagram: 30 seconds
- Twitter: 45 seconds
- YouTube: 2 minutes
Once you’ve created your video, uploading it to your website or blog should be simple, and social media platforms make it pretty easy as well with easy-to-follow instructions. If you’re struggling to come up with a video marketing plan that works for your business, we are happy to help you determine a strategy. But if you can come up with strong, authentic content, with a clear message, you’ll effectively connect with your audience.
COMMENTS