Effective marketing is about telling a consistent story. One of the most effective ways to do that is through video marketing. Video is one of the most powerful formats for conveying information in story form. Video is memorable, versatile, and engaging, especially in the social media context. In an age where scrolling past ad after ad is easy, a video that offers valuable, entertaining content will be much more likely to catch the eye of your target market. With that in mind, below are 5 of the best tips for effective video marketing.
1. Make it About The Story
Ideally, your story should make the sale. Customers don’t buy a product exclusively off of a need; they also buy products based on their personal connection with the narrative of a brand. Brands should be able to connect with their target market with ease because of the clarity and consistency of their communication. However, if you try and push the sale too quickly, this will quickly overtake the narrative. Your customers will likely be turned off pretty quickly. Make your video content about relating to your customers, not trying to take their money. After all, building relationships is much of what business is really about. A solid foundation of trust between your customers will be built by offering value and effective, consistent communication.
2. Offer Value Quickly
Your audience should have a good reason to watch your video from the first 5-10 seconds. Whether that’s through striking visuals, humour, or an engaging question, the viewer should have a good reason to watch the video all the way through. Some easy ways to accomplish this are through questions like “Do you want to…” or “What if…”. Proposing questions keep the viewer engaged and quickly attract the type of viewer that your video is meant to attract. In addition, creating a sense of mystery or intrigue is a powerful way to entice viewers to keep watching.
3. Use Humour
When people scroll through social media, they are usually not looking for new products or services to buy. They are looking to be entertained. Because of this, you should tailor your video content to match that need. Don’t be afraid to take a few creative risks and take yourself (or your brand) a little less seriously. Offering your viewers a quick laugh will help them to associate your brand with positivity, and it helps bridge the personal gap between your brand and them.
4. Educate and Offer Value
Customers buy a product when they are convinced it has value. One of the best ways to communicate value is to offer it for free. If your video content offers a brief, informative how-to, or a tip relating to your service, customers will begin to gain trust in your brand and come back to your page for more advice. Over time, (or perhaps immediately) the viewer will become convinced of the value that you have to offer. Make sure that your video content is effective in communicating its message and offers real value.
5. Communicate With Visuals Alone
Most Facebook users let videos play with sound off. Because of that, it’s a good idea to make sure that your video gets its message across without the need for sound. A simple way to accomplish this is to include built-in subtitles for dialogue. Perhaps a better way is to make sure that the visuals of your video are unique, engaging, and dynamic. Don’t be afraid to be a little loud (in a way that fits with your brand, of course.) Keeping visuals consistent with your brand is just as important as creating visuals that are engaging. A simple way to make sure that your video is visually on brand is by asking “Does it have imagery (colors, objects, aesthetics) that is consistent with my brand?” If the answer is yes, then your video is likely on-brand.
