Social media success lies in your ability to condense information down into easily digestible snippets of content that is long enough to maintain viewers’ attention but short enough to leave them wanting more.
Video allows you to be concise and capture viewers’ interest within seconds. This is one of the main reasons you need to be using video in your marketing mix. Video can grab attention in a very noisy space. Some other reasons include:
Videos increase conversion rates
It has been proven that videos help sell products. There is no better way to demonstrate or explain a product and videos also keep people on your site longer.
Search engines love videos
YouTube is the number 2 search engine. This means that people use YouTube as a search engine – they ask questions and It’s possible for a properly optimized video to outrank a webpage.
Video is easy to digest
Videos can convey a ton of information in a short amount of time. People spend a lot of time online and videos make it quick and easy for them to get your message.
Videos are engaging and highly shareable
The engaging nature of video translates into an increase in social media shares and reactions, which means your content will reach more people.
Videos work across all digital platforms
A single video can be adapted to live across all your digital channels including social media accounts and your website.
Videos are fun!
They are really one of the best ways to get up close to your audience and give them a real glimpse of what you and your business are doing. Helping to deepen the connection between your audience and your brand.
Understanding why you should be using video is usually the easy part. Figuring out how to create it is where most hit a roadblock. It’s important to start small and work your way up. If you own a smartphone you have everything you need to start creating videos, so start experimenting!
Video content ideas should come to you the same way your blog and social media posts do – answer questions, share your stories, your why and make it personal.
You can hire a production company to speed up the learning process and to boost the production value but keep in mind that a video strategy today is about ongoing content. Gone are the days where you produce one brand video that is going to be your video for the next year or two. You need a plan to capture and share video on a regular basis.
This is obviously a huge topic, but So grab your camera or phone and start shooting. Your first few videos will probably be absolute garbage, but that is ok because you will learn quickly what works and what doesn’t.
Keep in mind that the content is way more important than production quality. Focus your content on sharing stories of your brand and the people behind it with a personal tone and will be surprised at how forgiving your audience will be.
Here are some resources that will help you build your video production knowledge and skills:
14 Video Production Tips to Enhance Quality and Drive Views
Video Production Blogs (more advanced)
Scott Adams is the president of Birchbark Media, a digital marketing agency based in Peterborough, Ontario that focuses on helping to market and improve the online presence of travel brands and destinations both regional and abroad.