Make the most of online video marketing

Video is the future of online marketing, and now is a time more than ever for small businesses to make the most of this highly advanced and compelling communications tool.

Earlier this year, Cisco – the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet – published their Visual Networking Index report, which highlighted the rapidly rising demand for online video. By 2017 it is estimated that video will account for 69% of all online consumer traffic, whilst video on-demand traffic alone will have doubled.

The reality is, consumers are looking for increasingly advanced and interactive ways to receive information and have their entertainment needs met. Video sharing site, YouTube currently receives on average more than one billion users every month, while in the UK people are viewing at least one online video a week.

As well as proving increasingly popular, online video is low cost and ever-improving in quality and effectiveness. This makes it a marketing opportunity too good to miss, and small businesses in particular need to begin incorporating video into their content marketing strategy in order to keep up with consumer demand, and potentially increase their Google rankings, click through rates and conversions.

In order to help you kick-start a new online video strategy to grow and enhance your business, we have provided a few pointers to get you started:

1) Make sure your video is relevant

Before you dive straight in to creating a new marketing strategy that includes video content, make sure the audience you are trying to reach will appreciate this new medium. Is it relevant to them and the services you provide? If yes, make sure the content is valuable and keep it short, sweet and to the point.

2) Devise a campaign

Ensure your video marketing strategy is devised with a clever campaign around it. Aim to post videos regularly and promote them via multiple channels and social media outlets to keep your audience updated and engaged. You may also want to consider adding a call to action at the end of each video – encouraging visitors to leave a comment or sign up for a newsletter. You have their attention so make the most of it.

Another important thing to remember is that your video content should be tailored to mobile, iPad and tablet devices as well as a standard PC. At the end of 2013 it was reported that mobile phones held a 41% more share of video consumption than it had a year previously, and this figure is constantly rising.

3) Choose powerful titles

Your video titles are an opportunity to draw in viewers and improve your business’s search engine ranking. Apply a keyword strategy, make phrases specific and aim to imbed videos on pages with text that convey similar content.

4) Aim for variety

Online video is a competitive market so you need to ensure that what you are offering via this medium is unique and compelling. Steer clear from overly covered topics and add various types of videos to the mix. For example, for every educational video you provide, add a personal style feature that shares stories or asks people questions.

You may also want to make behind-the-scenes videos or show screen captures, and add interactive features like dynamic content and maps. Get creative – video marketing is an enjoyable and inexpensive way to boost your business potential and your creativity as an entrepreneur.