All of us watch video content on an everyday basis, be it in the form of cable TV, streaming services, or social media shares. The pandemic has also played a major role in increasing our video consumption. Ask any staff member at ISPs and cable services like Spectrum internet service and other major services and they’ll tell you how the demand for their services has hiked during lockdowns.
In a world where video consumption is increasing by the day, marketers cannot overlook the importance of an effective video marketing strategy. Research shows that video marketing content can boost your conversion rates dramatically. That’s because the audience is more drawn to videos. They respond to them quickly and positively. But to yield the desired outcome, you should know how, where, and when to use it. Here are some research-backed tips that can help you create compelling video marketing content.
#1. Know Your Target Audience
If your video marketing efforts are not focused and targeted, you’ll end up marketing to no one. The videos you create should be designed to achieve one or more of your business/marketing goals. This could be to drive awareness, increase traffic or boost sales among others.
But before you get started, you should have a clear undermining of your target audience’s preferences and needs. To determine this, research about which channels they use to consume video content. Also, be aware of the kind of language they use. This would help you come up with the best way to communicate your message. Most importantly, identify their needs and challenges and design your content as a solution to them.
When you speak their language and understand their motivations, you can create more relatable and meaningful content for your audience. It would be useful for your audience and thus drive better results for your business.
#2. Tell a Story
People don’t like being interrupted by promotional content and advertisements. So don’t be salesy in your approach. This would only stir up a negative image of your brand. You need to create video content that adds value to your audience’s lives. So instead of directly promoting your services and products, provide actionable evidence of its use/ benefit.
Video content allows the leverage of storytelling. You can present real-life situations to show how your product/service helps resolve a certain issue. According to research, almost 80% of people are drawn to ads that have some kind of story to tell. When you showcase your product’s features by narrating a fascinating story, the viewer is likely to remember it for longer.
#3. Use The First 10 Seconds Intelligently
No matter how much time, effort, and money you invest in a video, if it is not able to hook the viewer in the first few seconds, it’s a flop. When it comes to ads and marketing content, people generally have a very short attention span. So unless you’re giving them a quick and solid reason to continue watching, chances are they’ll skip or switch it.
So make the first 10 seconds count. Tell them what they can gain by watching your content. Ask a thought-provoking question and promise a solution. Share a startling fact. Use words like ‘imagine’ and ‘what if.’ These are all tactics to keep the attention of the viewer and make them think. So do whatever it takes to create an impact right at the beginning. Else, your video would go unwatched no matter how valuable.
#4. Conclude with a Call-to-Action
It is imperative to conclude your video marketing content with a call to action. CTA refers to the action you want the viewers to take after they watch your content. If you ignore adding CTA, most viewers won’t take further action even if they enjoy your content and find it valuable.
By adding a simple yet powerful CTA, you can prompt the interested viewers to engage and interact further. For example, you could ask a question to be answered in the comments section. You could also offer a free trial of your services that they’d be excited to avail. Remember, different types of CTAs serve different purposes. So, identify your purpose and then come up with a compelling CTA for it.
