In 2021, consumers will watch more video content than ever before.
Broadband internet and the rise of YouTube definitely changed the world of entertainment and marketing at the same time. People got instant access to a new type of 24/7 free television, while marketers got access to billions of potential customers, fans and followers. In fact, during the last decade, video content has become one of the most important types of marketing assets, and the numbers speak for themselves.
What numbers? Well, according to Statista, over 80% of internet users worldwide regularly consume video content. Don’t forget that there are already 2 billion users on YouTube alone, who collectively watch over 1 billion hours of video content daily. Impressive, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, back in 2018, HubSpot reported that more than half of these users want to see more branded video content, and marketers have taken notice of this trend. In just one year, the percentage of professionals who use video as one of their main marketing tools grew to 87%.
Why would you not get in on this trend and make sure your message gets in front of these audiences? Why not let them know you are there, let them know all about your brand, your skills, your services or whatever you want to promote?
It would be a pity not to take into account the immense possibilities these kinds of content distribution channels can bring to the marketing table.
A. Steps for creating video content
While video is popular, you cannot just shoot some moving pictures and share them with the audience. Not when you want to promote something via a video channel. Sure, informal selfie videos have risen in popularity, especially when broadcast live, effectively lowering audience standards for production quality, but especially if you’re planning on distributing your clip with some paid promotion, it can help to aim at least a little bit higher.
Here are some short pieces of advice on what you need to do in order to prepare for success with video marketing.
1. Define your objectives
- What do you want to achieve by creating and sharing video content?
- Do you want to sell something?
- Do you want to raise awareness of your brand?
- Do you want to attract followers?
You may have not one but two or more purposes. The important thing is to define them and always take them into account before even starting to work on something.
2. Start with a script
This is another essential step you need to take before shooting or creating anything. It’s something similar to when you write an article or set up a website. You need to figure out what you will say, when you will say it, the exact order of your thoughts and arguments, how the whole story unfolds.
3. Use branding elements
Any visual needs branding elements in order to be effective. People need to know who you are in order to get to know you better and be able to pick you out from the crowd. Use whatever design elements you deem fit for your marketing efforts but make sure everything is on hand and ready for your video production process.
4. Start working on your first draft
Put down your ideas, shoot and compile as much as you can and start cutting the video and give it the desired shape. First, it should be just a draft. Watch this draft carefully, not once but many times, and try to evaluate it from the viewer’s perspective.
5. Ask for feedback
Before sharing the video online, it’s also important to get feedback from your peers, colleagues and superiors. An objective eye is always a good eye when it comes to positive criticism. And criticism you need, especially in the beginning, when you have got so much to learn.
6. Finish the video considering the feedback you received
Positive criticism stays positive as long as you do something about it. Take all the advice you get from the people around you and put them into practice. Consider them a test audience for your video. If they like the final cut, then it will be all the more likely that a lot of people from your target audience will consider it valuable as well.
7. Save your work in different formats
There are a lot of video channels available, each one with its own formats, dimensions and technical considerations. Consider all of your options when you save your final cut, and make sure to export it in all the available formats and sizes according to the recommended specs for each platform.
My advice: Use Boosted to create a social media video
There are a lot of apps and software you can use when working with video content. I will tell you what I use on a daily basis. It’s called Boosted, and it’s an app available for Android, iOS, and the web. It’s easy to learn how to use, and it will make everything easier for you in return when it comes to video creation and social media distribution.
Note that the app is intended for advertisements, and not for all types of content for YouTube or IGTV, although it is surprisingly versatile for its simplicity. It has ready to use video templates, a huge database of free content waiting for the right promoter to use it in their videos, dynamic music, filters and options to help you meet all your own requirements for a great advertisement.
The learning curve is at minimum. All you need to do is choose a template, customize the video by using anything you need from the app’s library and share high-resolution stunning videos directly to you social media feed.
What can you create with Boosted?
Well, the list is quite large when it comes to possibilities. Let’s just say that the app ease your way to creating promotional videos for events, video ads for YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, marketing videos for your Facebook business page and anything you need to post on social media besides the traditional advertisements.
Here’s how you can use Boosted
Step 1: Sign up for the app at one of the links above.
Step 2: Select a video template you want to edit
Step 3: Select the size you want to use for your video based on where you want to publish it. For this example, I used the story size because I want to publish it as part of an Instagram Story.
Step 4: In the left toolbar, select Media. From here you can change the video you want to use in your design, or upload your own footage or even stills. You can also search Pixabay’s extensive free libraries here, for direct imports. It’s easy to replace the various sections of your video template, or to add and remove them as you like.
Step 5: Choose your video’s background music by clicking on the “Music” icon on the left bar.
Step 6: Change the color scheme of the video to match your brand by clicking the “Colors” icon on the left bar. This will apply a filter to all footage used and load a palette that you can use when editing your text.
Step 7: When you are ready with all your design, make sure your text is ready and use the right font that suits your video the best. All the text presets are created by Boosted to match template vibes, and you can use them directly on your design, or you can customize to your liking.
Step 8: Click the export button and your video is ready to go and be published on your social media platform.
B. Video Content Types that People Love to Watch
Now that we’ve reviewed the why and the how of video marketing, let’s dig in and talk about some of the types of video content you can use for marketing today. And of course, we’re going to include some examples, in order to give you a sense of the possibilities and help spark some ideas.
1. Educational videos
Audiences tend to gravitate towards educational materials. Some do it for entertainment, others do it because they have the need to learn more about a specific topic, either for professional or personal reasons.
This is why, if you are up to the task, these types of videos can help you reach large audiences. It’s great for brand awareness and brand development, but it can also help you with a long-term content strategy, since educational materials make some of the best types of evergreen content.
A good example, in this case, comes from Pat Flynn, whose YT channel is filled with educational videos. He also has live classes, just like this one.
Entertainment videos
While some watch videos to get educated, most of us, let’s admit it, do it for entertainment purposes. We need to relax after hard days of work, to de-stress and recharge our batteries. And what better way to do it than by watching something really fun?
This is where channels such as Awkward Puppets excel. Fun and light. And, there are no limits to how big your audience can be when you’re dealing with this kind of content. Unless you build a sizable mainstream audience, you might not be able to directly monetize your videos if you go for pure entertainment value, but if you can somehow tie your fun take on things in with your product’s value proposition, fun videos are great for niche audience building.
Explainer and demo videos
Whether you want to promote services or products, a great way to let people know about them and showcase your features and benefits is via explainer and demo videos that introduce people to what you have to offer.
Here’s a great example for this type of video from Basecamp, who basically introduces the audience to one of their products by explaining its main features.
Event videos
Do you host events for your product/service launches? Well, a great way to keep the momentum going when promoting that product/service post-launch is to share the entire show with a non-live audience. Thus, you make it available to everybody who missed it and to those who hear about your launch after the official date and want to learn more about what you have to offer.
You can take the highlights of your event, mix and cut a presentation video just like Adobe did here, and publish it online.
Testimonial videos
Word-of-mouth is still is one of the most powerful marketing channels. Why? Because people would rather trust their fellow customers and peers rather than brands and companies. They trust people who have no financial gains from promoting a product over the recommendations of those who do it because they want to increase their profit.
And that’s why testimonials are super powerful for boosting conversions. They paint a trustworthy picture of who you are and what you have to offer. Here’s a great example from Hootsuite, a well-known social media marketing tool, as endorsed by another company that uses its software and coaching services.
Tutorials
Nobody knows everything. In fact, nobody can. This is why tutorials and guides are a great source of traffic, fans and even new customers. All you have to do is put your skills to work. Whatever you know, share with the public. Create a tutorial anybody can understand and help them learn how to use specific pieces of software or hardware, how to do stuff around the house, how to invest, etc. There is an audience for whatever you know how to do.
If you are running a marketing campaign for a SaaS product or another type of online service, it will be even easier. Just share with the audience some of your best advice on how to make the most of the service, just like Bannersnack did. Here’s an example:
Work culture videos
This option may not have much potential to go viral, but it will prove effective in the long run, especially if you are trying to build a solid employer brand for your company or differentiate from competitors based on brand values.
Make a video about your values. Tell people what do you stand for. Talk about what makes your company stand out from the crowd and how do you want to be received by the world around.
Thank you videos
People like to be noticed. They like to be taken into account, especially when the validation comes from a brand or a professional they like and follow. Why not give them something in return, like John Hopkins University did here?
You can even include some of your customers or fans in the video and share it to all the audience knowing that whatever you do, a simple “thank you” can give you more than anything in the world.
Conclusion
Video content is now more popular than ever. It’s accessible, easy to consume and most of the time entertaining – even if you are watching an educational movie. In the digital era, video creation has become accessible to everybody as well. All you need is a good setup, a script, and basic knowledge of how you want it to look.
Even a camera is arguably optional, especially if you use stock footage like Boosted’s templates do.
With this article, I’ve pinpointed some of the key steps you need to tackle as you follow the path of your fellow video marketers. Then we reviewed a few of the best examples of how you can put your skills to work if you want to succeed in this business.
What other strategies are you using for video marketing?
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