Your marketing strategies are the very lifeline of your business these days. One of the most effective ways to drive traffic and to make conversions is by the use of video. Most small business owners and entrepreneurs are intimidated by video and fear to venture out into it. Few can put together the quality video productions that they need so most head out and hire on a firm that specializes in it and it will be an investment in your future that you will be glad you made.
The reason to make the investment is rather simple according to some recent research published by Forbes magazine. According to the Forbes research, 90% of the people they surveyed stated that video was a major factor in their decision making, over 65% of those having seen a brand’s video click over to their website and over 65% responded by saying they are far more likely to buy after having seen a video presentation.
So, what do you need to know?
- The first decisions to be made are establishing goals for the video and deciding on the kind of video it is going to be. What are you trying to achieve with the video presentation? There are four kinds of videos normally produced which include product explanations, testimonials, how-to’s and basic explanations. You should already know who your customers are, where they are and how you and your business can solve a problem for them or bring added value into their lives. Mix up your video selections and test which ones are driving the most traffic and helping you to make the most conversions.
- Like the rest of your SEO and content strategies, your video productions must be of the highest possible quality that can be achieved. This isn’t your niece’s Facebook page where an amateur cell phone video is acceptable. These are to be your commercials, your first impressions, so you need to keep that kind of quality in mind.
- Unless the video is a seminar production or a how-to, think like the big boys and girls and keep it rather short. Most recent marketing data says that under 60 seconds will give you the most bang and the most response. Also, it should go without saying that you will likely need a professional firm to ensure that your video is responsive on mobile devices as new research indicates that most mobile users spend nearly a half an hour a day watching videos.
- Most savvy marketers have begun to add captioning to their videos as it has been revealed that over 85% of Facebook users actually watch their videos without sound. However, standard video with narration and sound has been working most effectively for driving traffic and helping to make those conversions. Finally, it should also go without saying that your videos must be treated like any of your other marketing content and be as highly SEO optimized as possible.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer
