Two of the most popular questions I get asked from business owners are
(1) Will video work for my business?
(2) Will youtube be able to direct traffic to my website?”
I left my former employer (an SEO company), after failing to convince why they should make video/youtube a top priority. My CEO would always ask me “why spend so much time and money if it is not going to work for us”? One year after starting The Visual Cube, I had the same concern.
With only a few years of video marketing experience, I was pretty stubborn, when I started the visual cube, and thought “I knew it all”, and it took me a whole year to figure out why I did not.
The problem – I did not know how to make my videos work for me. I did not know how to interact with my audience the way “they want”. Prior to 2015 my video marketing campaign was haphazard at best – I just made a video, slapped it on youtube and thought it would ignite the right conversation(s) that lead to traffic and conversions.
Fast forward a year later of learning, research, growing, and a lot of caffeine indulged sleepless nights, I sharpened my craft as a video marketer. I zeroed-in on how to make video(s) work for my business. At this point I was convinced that online video would work for any business. Fast forward a year later with a lot more amounts of research, Caffeine, working with clients, and analyzing results, I dare enough to state (as a video marketer) that “video DO NOT WORK for every business in generating results”
Before figuring out “Video Marketing 2016 – Why Video Is Not For Every Business”, let us examine businesses/markets that had huge success from video (and youtube), and will continue on the success:
– Musicians
– Apps/Software Developers
– Gamers
– Motivations Coaches
– Digital Products
– Bloggers
– Weight Loss Programs
– Fitness Instructors
– Digital Course Owners/Instructors
– Entertainment Providers
– Real Estate Agents
– News and media Organizations
What is the one (and most important) attribute all the above businesses have in common?
Their customers/clients/followers “search” them online and prefer to be informed by online video than any other medium. If you are a business owner and have spent considerable amounts of time learning about online marketing strategies, you know you if searchers are searching for your products and services.
So let us examine the original question: Why video is not for every business?
Let’s be realistic – unless your audience is searching for your business on Google (or on youtube), your videos will do very little for your business. This is the cold hard truth about why video will not make the kind of impact the above business list are enjoying. Even if your business is in the list above, don’t make the same mistake I did – thinking your first few videos to find instant success. If they do, then you are a Genius!
Even if you do have videos with an agreeable amount of views and engagement, and you still find no lead generations, there could be an entirely different problem. Let’s find out why?
Difference Between a Viral Video and a Marketing Video
First you must understand that marketing videos for a business, organization or a personality is different from a viral video. That don’t mean a marketing video can never become a viral video, but sure as heck the vice versa is not true. A viral video is often composed with intent to become popular through sharing on social media. Viral videos are aimed at Entertainment, while some viral videos evoke strong feelings of hilarity, anger, sadness, rejuvenation and determination. The end result of a viral video is what gives the title “viral” as viewers engage the video (like, comment and share) and cause a chain reaction. When Gangnam Style by PSY broke in to youtube in July 2012, the video caused a viral avalanche by reaching 2 BILLION views by July 2013 – the most watched video on youtube to date. Those who watch, engage and share viral videos often find these videos on their friend’s social media platforms like facebook. They don’t actively “search” for these videos, but rather take notice of them on social media, blogs and news sites.
Unlike the viral video audience, those who seek information about your business take an active interest in watching your videos to inform, and educate themselves about your products and services. The video will lead them to take action (eg: visist website for offer, lead to download an e-book, link to more videos of your business). So ask this question – would you rather prefer a video with a ton of engagement or a video with a few engagement that drive traffic to your website that increase your sales?
Unless you are making a music video, the goal of your marketing videos (for your business) should NOT be conceptualized with “viral” in mind. Instead it should be to inform, educate and create awareness about what you do and how your products and services can improve and change the world. If you are a plumbing service provider, I am sure you cannot think ways of changing the world, but that should be the scope of your video marketing campaign – to create powerful, striking and memorable experiences for your audience. If you are not aiming for the top, then how do you plan on reaching it?
So before heading to the drawing board to begin your video strategy consider the below pointers to maximize what your videos can do for you and your business:
Find the MOJO that will “wow” your audience?
As a business owner you know your clients and customers BEST! Think how your services and products can benefit them, and figure out how to present a compelling story. Minimize showing your products. Minimize glorifying your services. Take a look at the video campaigns of Nike and Adidas, and see how they accomplish much more without even showing a single product.
Figure out what is the BEST! video type for your business.
Remember you are not doing television commercials. So try not to look like one and sound like one. Online videos can become your 24/7 sales force, so choose from 6 unique ways to use videos for selling as you think fits best.
Brevity is GOLD!
Use your video(s) to tell a compelling story and not a prolong story. Everyone likes when you get to the point quickly, so are video audiences. So edit your script as much as possible. Below is a video based on a 9200+ essay that was trimmed down to a 60 second presentation. The viewer is also given a choice to read more about the steps discussed in the video.
Get creative with titles by inserting keywords
A great video has no value if people can’t find it. If you are a plumber in Fresno California, then use the keyword Plumber Fresno in your video titles because those who require your services would search the internet using phrases that contain Plumber Fresno.
Have a strong sign-off and a call to action
Don’t end your videos abruptly – if so your viewer may very well be directed to your competitors’ videos. Direct them to another video that may have additional information about your business or have a strong call to action (eg: special offer, free download, etc) that will direct traffic to your website.
Plan a Multi Video campaign
If your business is already using facebook, twitter, Google +1, then you know in order to keep your followers engaged you need to post regularly. Just like that, to keep viewers paying attention and staying invested in your videos is to start a multi-video campaign. A onetime stand alone video is not a video marketing strategy. Once you start an engaging video series, your viewers will look forward for your next videos. Take a look at online video statistics for 2016 to get a better picture of how you can get videos to work for you.
Fine Tune the Small Stuff
As you keep doing more and more videos, plan to improve on your production quality. Improve your lighting, audio, special effects, call to actions. Every new video should be an improvement over the last video. Learn more on getting the right set up and the right equipment. Download my FREE Video Marketing Strategy Guide and get started on your video marketing campaign NOW!
Remember… doing a good video for any business will never hurt or detract in value. A video is multi faceted tool that you can use in your own web site, social media, e-mail campaigns, press releases, etc. Video will become the preferred way for your customers and clients to inform in the future. A video will become more important than adding a shopping cart to your website. So start Igniting your video marketing campaign NOW!
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