We’ve spent a lot of time recently talking about online videos and how great they are. The truth is though, that unless you are using video correctly it will add no value whatsoever to your business.
With all the discussions about the importance of videos, many businesses appear eager to hop on the trend and include video on their websites without considering the purpose behind it. It seems that some companies just want to add videos because others are doing it, or because they noticed a competitor doing it and it looks appealing, or because they’ve been told that having a video on their site will draw in many new customers.
In reality, just making a video and posting it to your website will do you no favours whatsoever.
In order to get real value and a return on your video investment you need to remember that the video itself is not a whole strategy, it’s just a tool used to make a bigger marketing machine.
That said, video marketing shouldn’t be viewed as a complicated cost, especially for small or local businesses. I mention small and local businesses because they often have limited resources and cash flow, making time and budget even more important. Small businesses may not have the in-house resources to create and manage videos, so they focus their efforts on other areas.
This is a real shame. There are lots of ways to introduce video to your marketing mix without blowing the budget, or without having to appear on camera yourself.
Video is easier for people to assimilate than text, meaning it’s a fantastic way to get your points across. A good marketing video can even solve your customers’ problems, sometimes problems that they didn’t even know they have! As with any strategy, you must understand your ideal demographic, but the real trick is not to alienate people outside of that. Video can allow for more flexibility and creativity than text or images alone so can be a great way to achieve this.
The most important thing to think about before committing to any video is to be clear on what the objective is that you want to achieve and to track your results.
With a clear objective and an eye on the numbers, video can, and should be, one of the best ways to increase awareness of your brand. It’s highly shareable, can be watched again and again and can be used across email and social media as well as your website. When done correctly, Video can help you to grow your email list, help you stick in people’s memory and attract additional customers to your business.
Surely every business owner would like to achieve these goals? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below…