What was the last video you watched? And how long ago did you watch it?
I know not everyone is as YouTube crazed as I am, religiously watching tours of mega-mansions, amateur cooking challenges, and celebrity videos that are just plain silly. However, I’m positive if you’re reading this that you’ve watched some sort of video content within the last 24 hours – most likely even within the last two hours if we’re being honest.
This comes as no surprise to me because the internet is now flooded with videos of all shapes and sizes. Even within your social media arsenal, there’s a world of videos to be watched, shared and entranced by.
Stay afloat with video in your content marketing strategy
It may come as old news to those who are aware of video’s dominance over social platforms, but video is the best-performing content type on Facebook. Not only that, but Tweets with videos see 10x more engagement than those without, and LinkedIn users are 20x more likely to share a video on the platform than any other type of post. But does that really surprise you?
Take this GIF above for example, did you watch it? It’s practically impossible not to given that it’s unavoidably enticing – but mostly just unavoidable. Brands and marketers are using this to their advantage because they know that video is alluring for the 21st Century media users.
We’re constantly presented with moving images and visuals, and for the most part, we can’t help but consume them. So much so that the average user spends 88% more time on a website with video content. Furthermore, with 54% of consumers wanting to see more video content from a brand or business they support, it comes as no surprise that no savvy brand or digital marketer should be avoiding video within their content strategy.
How to drop video into your strategy like it’s hot
Incorporating video into your strategy doesn’t have to be a headache. There are many different forms of video content that are easily achievable and come with a small scale of production. Here are a few examples of no-fuss videos to incorporate within your content game plan:
Video Slideshows
If you have a blog, you have the foundation of a video. By simply summarising the content and pairing the text with relevant video clips, photos and music, you’ve got yourself a piece of shareable content! It’s completely up to you to add animations, voice-overs etc. These will obviously increase the difficulty of post-production however, it will add the overall entertainment of the video.
Level of difficulty: 2/10
These are incredibly simple videos that require little to no filming and can easily be done through various websites. Fair warning, some of these sites come with a hefty subscription price however, there are ways to get around the costs by studying up on Youtube tutorials and getting familiar with apps included on your computer, like iMovie (a video editing software for Apple devices).
Product review/tutorial
These videos make your products come to life, coming across as informative and memorable. They’re a key player in informing consumers and increasing conversion rates. These videos display the value of your product, how it solves problems and why the viewer can’t live without it.
Level of difficulty: 3/10
Now you might not have the same resources as Casey Niestat, and your product might not be as cool as a drone. However, it’s still a simple concept that only truly requires video, audio and someone who can speak positively (and hopefully honestly) about your product…even if it happens to be something boring like hedge clippers.
Vlog
A vlog is one of the most cost-efficient options if you’re looking to shell out videos quickly. These videos feature a speaker talking in front of a camera, with perhaps simple visual elements (like text or still images) appearing behind or beside them. Subject material can be about anything, as long as it’s relevant to your company and brand.
Level of difficulty: 3/10
Again this is so simple! Find a confident speaker, give them something to talk about and press record. With minimal edits, this can be the quickest video option to produce and give you the most bang for your buck.
Bonus tip: Do you have a high-performing blog post that teaches a lesson or solves a high-volume search query? Turn it into a vlog, embed it on a page and watch the organic traffic soar!
Interview
Interview videos usually spotlight one or two people answering questions that are relevant to your brand – no surprises there! The interviewee is someone your audience already knows, such as an influencer, a well-known speaker, author etc. The interviewee could also be someone the audience would enjoy hearing from, for example, an industry expert, a specialist on the subject or the CEO.
Level of difficulty: 5/10
These videos occasionally require more work due to more subjects on camera. Here you’ll need to use mics on more than one person, and determine audio adjustments based on their voices’ volume. However, once you’ve nailed the setup, you’re free to film, edit and share to your audience.
Bonus tip: Add some pizzazz by using multiple cameras. The different angles will make the video more engaging for your audience. Research various camera setups before filming to get a better idea of how you’d like to position your subjects and what equipment to use.
Live Talks/Presentations
If a team member is giving a speech, filming their presentation, talk or panel, which with minor editing will create a great piece of content to share with your audience.
Level of difficulty: 4/10
The difficulty of this can vary depending on the size of the room, audio setup and lighting. Because you may not be in control of these factors, it’s important to come prepared! Things like a tripod, external microphone, on-camera lighting and a bit of quick wit, will help you to succeed with this video form.
Events
Whether you’re throwing an off-site team training or hosting an end-of-year party, these videos highlight the amazing aspects of your event, whilst being brag-worthy assets to share on LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
Level of difficulty: 5/10
Choosing the most visually pleasing aspects of your event will help to make the video more exciting to watch. To achieve success with this video form, I suggest taking a bunch of 4-5 second shots of things like food, people talking, decorations etc. Try varying the types of shots used and when editing, overlay the clips with music that suits your event and your brand.
Final thoughts
Video truly exudes ‘big content energy’ because it has an understated power to command attention. For example, a website is 53 times more likely to reach the front page of Google if it includes video. Moreover, including video on your landing page can boost your conversion rates by up to 80%. In addition, viewers are 95% more likely to remember a call to action after watching a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text format. If you don’t believe me, what was the call to action in the GIF from earlier? If you didn’t cheat and scroll back to the top, congratulations, you’ve helped me prove my point.
Overall, if your content strategy currently lacks videos, I suggest you quickly rethink your approach in order to start seeing improvements to your ROIs.
For more information on creating engaging and creative videos (at all price points), check out our video content menu or get in touch.
