Why Video Content Matters When Marketing Your Business
Why Video Content Matters When Marketing Your Business 1. Video is a visual medium You just read the most obvious statement in your life and probably want to stop reading right now. (Please don’t. There’s good stuff ahead. I promise) But there is a reason that a television commercial costs more than a radio commercial. It’s simply more effective. It allows prospective buyers to see and learn about a product. Everyone has visited YouTube for a “how to” video. Whether you’re installing a garage door opener or planting flowers, imagine trying to do it with audio or text only. It’s probably not going to go well and you’re going to have to actually spend money on something you can do yourself. According to Media Mind, consumers are 27.4 times more likely to click-through online video ads than standard banners and almost 12 times more than rich media ads. In a world where we are bombarded by ads, video draws more attention. Videos added to a website can increase time users spend on your page and in turn, learning about your business. 2. Video Builds Trust Video content online can introduce employees and show their expertise. Viewers get to know them BEFORE ever meeting them or buying a product. Through video you can highlight your expertise to the masses. I recently worked on a project in which we needed to find experts in a variety of professions. I came across Realtor Eddie Campos on LinkedIn. He is very active on the platform and produces his own video segments with community members called “Coffee With Eddie” . While the production is very simple, it positions him as an expert in his field and gives him more visibility. Here is his YouTube Channel . https://www.youtube.com/user/remaxpreferred1/videos Eddie definitely knows what he’s doing with social media marketing and has become a Top 100 Real Estate Agent in his area & Hall of Fame agent with his company. Integrated content is also a way to to wrap your brand around a story of interest to your customers. Check out this story on a new bike trail that had just opened. Cycling company Spoke Life is your guide to the trails and presents themselves as the experts without doing a direct pitch. 3. Video Creates Social Shares This is where the men get separated from the boys. On social media, content is king and the best content engages and entertains all while highlighting your brand. Many organizations put video on social media just because they know they should. But poor content can hurt your brand more that it helps. Here is one of my favorites. Burger King is very good at creating engaging content (Now if they put as much effort into their food….) This is a great example of content marketing. You watched because it was interesting. It had a brand wrapped around it. And on top of all of it, a relevant message. I worked for many years for a local cable sports channel in a top 100 market. We were always focused on getting all of our highlights out on social media. But is was the stories and moments that always had the best response with shares and and likes. Check out these two posts to social media. They weren’t typical sports highlights or games but great STORIES and MOMENTS. Yes! 8.7 Million Views People share branded content when it’s entertaining and stirs emotion, not just informational https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics-2016/ Wrapping your brand around a great cause shows that you care about your community. 87% of consumers would buy a product based on a company’s advocacy on an issue they care about, according to the 2017 Cone Communications CRS Study There are many other reasons video should be part of your marketing from email campaigns, YouTube pre roll advertising and native advertising. Remember, that unlike television, production quality can be a little less as long as there is great content. If you read all the way to the end, congratulations! you’re among the 20% of the population who reads over watching video online. Hopefully, you’ve seen some ideas here that you can use when promoting your business or organization. Happy Videoing!
Why Facebook is Not Enough For Your Marketing Plan
Why Facebook is Not Enough As Your Only Marketing Tool Facebook is a great free service to help small business owners market to prospective customers. But it shouldn’t be your only means of marketing. When I first meet with a prospective advertiser, one of the first question I ask is “how do customers become aware of your business?” Inevitably, many small business owners reply that they receive most of their business from word of mouth and that they market on their free Facebook Page. For some, Facebook is their only means of marketing. They use Facebook as their marketing tool, website, and means of communicating with customers. While there is no doubt that Facebook and other social media platforms are an important part of a broad digital marketing strategy, it shouldn’t be your only means of marketing your business. Here’s why: 1. Facebook is a free service and owns all content. Facebook is free to change the design, layout and look of your business page. That means they could make changes that adversely affect your business. They are in control, not you. 2. Audience limitations One comment I often hear is “I have x number of followers already” I reply “That’s great ! The more followers and customers you have engaged with your business, the better.” But what about people who aren’t on Facebook or don’t follow you? How do you reach them? 55% of the North American population is not on Facebook so you need to have a strategy and other tools to reach that population to grow your business. 3. Lack of detailed analytics “Who are you Customers?” I usually ask this question to a prospective advertiser. Often, answers are vague “It seems like I get an older crowd with some younger customers…etc.” While Free Facebook offers some insights to help you target, it’s rather limited in its helpfulness. With a dedicated website with Google Analytics, you can explore who is visiting, what pages and products they are considering, how long they spend on your site and demographic information like gender, income level, age and more. Armed with this data, you can target to specific audiences to increase effectiveness for your marketing campaigns. Overall, Facebook is great free tool to help get the word out about your business and services. But used alone, it may fall short in creating the exposure that you need to help your business grow.