Video is one of the most important marketing tools for consumers in this day and age.
The “lazy” consumer often cannot be bothered to read a lengthy post or click through your site, and would much prefer to watch a quick video to learn about your business, while also being entertained.
The biggest video misconception for many marketers is all you have to do is create a video, post it, and the rest is in the hands of the viewers. If only it were that simple!
In this post, we’ll talk about:
- Why you need to be using video content
- Five reasons why no one is watching your videos
- How to write a video script
Why Video?
Marketers should be using video for three main reasons.
1. Emotion
Whether through imagery, voice, music or sound effects, video creates more of an emotional bond than plain-text or simple images ever could.
Take testimonials, for example, say you’re shopping around on a couple of sites for a landscaping company and want to check the credibility of their services.
On one site, they have a handful of plaintext testimonials paired with the name and location of the happy customer. The reviews are raving and portray a great image of the company, yet you have a hard time trusting the authenticity of the sources.
On the other site, they have just three testimonial videos, but in each, you see a smiling face, positive body language and can read the emotions of the client without even turning the sound on.
Emotional connection leads to trusting the source, which is so important for building sustainable client relationships.
2. Trust
Video cuts through the skepticism and paves the way to instant trust. It is the modern method of word-of-mouth marketing. Videos can be shared on social media, blog posts, email marketing or simply on your website.
In each instance, the viewer has a personal experience with your content and instantly builds a connection with your brand.
When consumers feel they have a relationship with your brand, they’re going to trust your services — the same goes for people.
Combine this with the fact hundreds of millions of people watch videos each day, and it makes sense why video is one of the most effective means of establishing trust.
3. Cost
Thanks to your smartphone, the power to create a video is in the palm of your hand. There are tons of simple, easy-to-use software, such as iMovie, where marketers can craft a unique, compelling video in a matter of a few short hours, without breaking the bank.
If you have the budget to hire a professional to produce your video, it will be money well spent, as video is a powerful tool for disseminating and sharing information quickly.
Why No One Is Watching Your Video
Just creating and posting a video isn’t enough; you may be missing the mark by making these five mistakes in your videos
1. They’re Too Long
The attention span of today’s viewers is only a handful of seconds. In fact, you’re lucky to get 8 seconds of undivided attention before the viewer loses interest.
Naturally, your video is going to be more than 8 seconds, but make sure the first couple seconds captivate your viewer and keep them watching.
In short, if you’re making a video keep it under a minute, ninety seconds at most.
2. It’s Not Relevant
Similar to using a click bait headline, marketers fall into the trap of wanting to create content their viewers are interested in, regardless of its relevance to their brand.
While you can certainly incorporate entertainment into your video, make sure it serves a purpose, either to promote your service, product, share a testimonial, etc.
3. It’s on the Wrong Channel
Nearly one-third of all internet users are on YouTube — that’s a pretty great margin! But that doesn’t mean it is the only place to target consumers.
Facebook, for example, is a channel where nearly 80% of U.S. adults log onto every day. If you’re focusing on just YouTube, you could be missing a huge chunk of potential customers.
Take into consider who your audience is and that will influence where you post.
4. It’s Not Optimized
Creating great content includes optimizing the video title and description. Don’t let this simple measure fall short and hinder the performance of your video.
Keep in mind; your viewer came to watch a video, so keep your description short, while also hitting the nitty gritty of the content.
Tags are used to help sites like YouTube understand the content of your video so that they can suggest it to potentially interested viewers — just be sure to make your tags relevant and only choose the most important.
5. It Lacks Emotion
Make your audience feel something, whether it be happy, amused, entertained, inspired, motivated or something else — leave them with something to think about after the video ends.
If your video can inspire the viewer to take action or change their mood, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Remember, people are short on time and attention, so identify early on what your goal of the video is (emotion, action, etc.) and channel all your efforts on bringing this goal to life.
After all, emotion is one of the most profound influencers in buying decisions.
How to Write Your Script
1. Write Conversationally
After all, you will either be speaking or using a voiceover for the video. The way you write in written word is too formal and comes off cold when used in video.
2. Include More Than Just Dialogue in Your Script
Consider the different shots, images, music/sound effects, various characters and background.
3. Write for Your Audience
You know who your audience is, so use language and jargon they respond to.
4. Write Every Single Word of Your Script
Don’t leave anything up to chance or think you can just “wing it” — write out your script word for word, then edit or reduce it where necessary.
5. Keep It Brief
Remember you only have a few seconds to capture your audience and should aim to make your video under ninety seconds or less.
6. Do a Read-Through Before Filming
What sounds good on paper may not translate as well on camera. Practicing (many times) in advance will ensure your communication is as clear and effective as it can be.
We Can Help!
Sounds good, right? But perhaps you don’t have the time or desire to tackle your content marketing strategy on your own.
Schedule your FREE Business Booster Call and we’ll discuss how Content.First Marketing can bring your business to the next level.
