Have you thought about creating videos to promote your business? Video can boost your search engine rankings and is an effective way to increase customer engagement. But how do you go about making a video? According to YouTube they have more than a billion users - almost one-third of all people on the Internet. That’s impressive. But perhaps even more impressive is YouTube’s status as the world’s second biggest internet search engine. My point - because I'm not just singing the praises of YouTube - is that video has become a hugely powerful medium. Dig past the plethora of cute kittens, TV clips and skateboard accidents, and you'll find businesses everywhere are incorporating video into their marketing strategies. The power of videoHere's an example. A friend of mine decided it was time to buy a new tent. She intended to buy one that was reasonably priced, but found herself veering towards the Outwell brand. It meant going over budget but she soon figured out how to persuade her other half. How? She showed him Outwell's website and played him the videos so that he could understand why it was worth paying more. Outwell is a great example of a business that really understands what information customers want and how to communicate it. Video is known as rich media content and it can boost customer engagement, increase the time spent on a site and help convert sales. Used cleverly and with a purpose, video can transform your website into a dynamic interactive site that will attract repeat visits. And it’s not just YouTube. Video is available via many different platforms and services. Vimeo, for example, is a video sharing site that is similar to YouTube, although tends to feature more professionally-produced, arty clips and recordings. Most video services allow their users to discover your videos via their own websites and apps. You can also usually embed videos on your own website - and in other locations, such as your tweets, Facebook pages and Instagram posts. What can I put in my videos?How you use video will depend on your type of business and the services or products you offer. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
This is just scratching the surface, of course. You can use video in any way you choose. And as shooting, editing and sharing video is much easier and cheaper than ever, you can try different things to see what works for you. How easy is it to create video?Making a video is no longer the preserve of professionals and nor is it a costly exercise. Having said that, professionals can produce sophisticated, polished videos from around £250 each. This can be a worthwhile investment for high profile projects, although with a little time and effort you can get great results by doing it yourself. There are many online services and pieces of free software that make it easy to upload, embed and share video content. For instance:
You can shoot video with virtually any digital camera or smart phone, although it may be worth spending up to a couple of hundred pounds on a dedicated video camera. Think about what sort of video you want to shoot. For instance, if you plan to interview customers, consider a model with a connection for a separate microphone, so you can record the interview clearly. If you want to shoot action sequences, a rugged model like a GoPro might be a better choice. Make sure your video gets found Once you’ve created your video, upload it to video sharing websites such as YouTube and Vimeo as well as social media sites:
Make sure you add interesting titles and clear descriptions to your videos, to give them the best chance of getting found and viewed. Finally, encourage viewers to share and embed your video so they spread it for you.
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AuthorLisa Hunter is an experienced Marketing, Events and Project Manager. She has over 10 years’ experience working in the IT and marketing industry, delivering strategic marketing support and managing creative projects for a wide-range of clients. In this blog she shares her knowledge and experiences…we hope you enjoy it. Archives
June 2019
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