No matter what you business is, video is quickly emerging as the best way to connect with your consumers.
Between the automatic video playback on mobile social feeds and the 2.08 billion smartphone users around the world, an effective video ad strategy can be the best way to take your business to the next level.
Although establishing your own video strategy can sound like an intimidating concept, particularly if you don’t have a large production budget to play around with, the good news is that having a video ad strategy won’t break the bank.
1. Focus on the story, not the sale
If you’ve wondered why so many customers have begun to download ad-blocking software and ignore the banners that show up on their Facebook feeds, the simple answer is that modern consumers don’t like being “sold to”. With that in mind, you need to find a way of connecting with your audience through video that’s not too overly-promotional.
The great thing about video is that it’s the perfect platform for having an emotional impact on your audience. With the right use of imagery and sound, you can appeal to customers in a way that’s not possible with blogs and articles. You can always add a call to action to the mix to make sure you’re still sending leads in the right direction.
2. Be as interesting as possible
No matter what format your content comes in online, it’s important to make sure that you’re producing something engaging and entertaining. Think of ways that you can delight your audience by making them laugh, smile, or think more deeply about a certain topic.
In the world of video, it can be useful to take risks and seem “edgy” from time to time, but it’s important to make sure that you’re not pushing your chances. Read your audience carefully and figure out what they might be offended by before you take a chance.
3. Begin your videos well
Statistics show that about one fifth of your viewers will click away from your video within about ten seconds. That’s why it’s so important to get to the point and grab their attention as quickly as possible. Outline what you’re going to cover in your video, or do something to excite your audience within that first ten seconds.
4. Prove yourself
One of the things that makes video marketing so appealing, is that about 65% of most audiences are “visual learners”. That means that one of the most powerful methods you can use as a video advertising business is to educate your audience on something.
A great thing to educate your audience about is your value. For instance, you could share customer testimonials and reviews that show you as an industry leader. According to studies, customer reviews lead to the most effective content marketing results around!
5. Optimise your videos for search
Finally, if you want your video ads to have a huge impact on your audience, then you need to make sure they’re getting found. Take the time to boost the SEO value of your video before you upload it to any sharing sites. Host your video on your own domain, and enable embedding, as this will increase your chances of getting links for your inbound marketing efforts.
Hotcow is a non-traditional creative agency that specialises in experiential marketing that goes viral. Our campaigns generate buzz through crowd participation, PR and content sharing. Contact us on 0207 5030442 or email us on info@hotcow.co.uk.
