In today's digital world, video marketing has become an essential tool for small businesses. With the potential to reach thousands of people at once, it is an effective way to get your message out and increase brand awareness.
But where do you start?
Creating a successful video marketing strategy requires careful planning and consideration of various factors.
In this article, we'll discuss how to create a video marketing strategy specifically tailored for small businesses – from outlining objectives and goals to choosing the right platform and measuring success. By following these steps, you can ensure that your business will be able to maximize its return on investment when it comes to video content.
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Why Video Marketing Strategy is essential for small businesses?
Video marketing is a powerful tool that has become increasingly popular among small businesses. It's an effective way to reach thousands of potential customers and build brand awareness.
Studies have shown that video content is more engaging than text and can be used to effectively communicate messages in a short amount of time. Video marketing also has the potential to deepen relationships with existing customers and attract new ones.
When introducing video marketing to your business, it's important to consider factors such as the right platform for hosting, the target audience, and budget constraints. Doing this research will help you create a strategy tailored specifically to your business needs.
As stated on the Youtube Statistics from Google:
- 70% of YouTube viewers have purchased a product after seeing an ad on the platform
- Nearly 7 out of 10 users rely on video content on Youtube to help them make informed decisions for their next purchase
- Discovering new brands on YouTube has proven to be a surprisingly attractive proposition for almost 50% of shoppers
Steps on How to Create a Video Marketing Strategy
Video consumption has exploded in recent years with YouTube alone boasting two billion monthly active users and one billion hours of video watched daily. With all this content, small businesses should be taking advantage of video marketing to help spread their message.
Creating a successful video marketing strategy may seem intimidating at first, but with the right approach and clear action plan, you can be well on your way to success.
Breaking down the process into simple steps can help ensure that you craft a strategy that best fits your specific needs and objectives. This guide will walk you through how to create a sound video marketing strategy so that you can start optimizing your videos and reach new heights of success with your campaigns.
Step 1: Outline objectives and goals for your video content
When creating video content, it is important to have a clear set of objectives and goals in mind. This will help to ensure that your videos serve a purpose and provide an effective message that resonates with viewers. You need to keep in mind some things in creating your video content.
Establish the target audience for each video
When determining who your audience is, consider factors such as age, gender, location, interests, and any other demographic or psychographic information that might be relevant. This will help to ensure that you are creating content that speaks to your target audience and resonates with them.
What message or information the video should communicate
Video content should be focused on communicating a message or providing information in a concise and engaging way. The message should be relevant to the audience and provide value, whether it be educational content or entertaining content. The goal of the video is to capture the attention of the viewer and leave them wanting more.
Step 2: Choose your video types
When deciding on what type of video content to create, small businesses must consider their target audience and objectives. The videos should be engaging and informative, while still conveying the message that the business wants to deliver. With so many different types of videos out there, it can be overwhelming to decide which are best suited for your business’s needs.
Explainer Videos
Often used as a simple way to introduce products or services to viewers. These videos often provide a quick overview or walkthrough, offering an easy way for people to learn about your business in a short amount of time.
Tutorial Videos
It can be used to provide easy-to-follow instructions on how to use the product or service that you are selling. Tutorials are especially helpful when launching a new product, as they will give customers an idea of how to use it in the most effective way.
Testimonial Videos
It can be an incredibly powerful marketing tool for businesses. These videos give potential customers a chance to hear from existing customers or industry experts who are already using your company’s products or services. Testimonials show that your business is delivering results and making customers or clients happy.
Live Videos
Can be used to directly engage with your audience in real-time. This type of content gives viewers a chance to ask questions or provide feedback on the spot. Live videos are especially useful for increasing brand awareness and creating a personal connection with potential customers.
Narrative Videos
It can be used to tell a story that resonates with your target audience. This type of video is perfect for creating an emotional connection and helping your business stand out in the crowded marketplace. Whether you choose an animated approach or a documentary-style format, create something that viewers won't forget. Tell the tale of how your company was born or highlight a customer success
“Behind the scenes” Videos
A great way to showcase the culture of your business and give insight into the people who work there. These types of videos can help build trust, as viewers are more likely to be comfortable working with a business that they feel they already know.
From explainer videos to live streams and narrative stories, there are a variety of video types that small businesses can use for their marketing strategies. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it is important to consider the objectives of your business when deciding which one will be most effective in helping you reach your goals.
Step 3: Create an effective video script
Creating an effective video script is essential for any successful video marketing strategy. A well-crafted script should be concise, engaging, and tailored to the target audience. It should also include a clear call to action that encourages viewers to take the desired action after watching the video.
The message you want to convey
The message that businesses want to convey through video content is one of trust and reliability. They want viewers to have confidence that their product or service will meet their needs and provide them with the desired results. To achieve this, businesses should focus on telling stories that are compelling and authentic.
Moreover, make sure your key points are easy to follow and understand, while still providing enough detail so that viewers can get a good understanding of what they need from the video. Consider using humor or storytelling elements if appropriate as these can help keep people engaged throughout the entire video.
Script Review
Once you have written your script, make sure it is reviewed by someone else before filming begins – this will ensure accuracy and provide another set of eyes on whether or not all key points were included in the final product. Finally, practice reading through your script out loud several times before shooting so that you feel comfortable delivering it during filming day.
Step 4: Produce engaging visuals that will attract viewers
Producing visually engaging content is crucial to creating a successful video marketing strategy. Not only do visuals help capture the attention of viewers, but they also provide an opportunity to express your message in a more creative and impactful way.
When creating visuals for your videos, it's important to think about what will stand out and draw in viewers. Experiment with graphics, text, and different color schemes to create something unique and memorable. Additionally, be sure to use high-quality images and footage that will look professional and capture attention without becoming too distracting or overwhelming.
Below are the video editing tools that you may consider to create professional-looking videos:
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is a professional video editing software that offers powerful tools for creating stunning videos. It features a streamlined workflow, intuitive user interface, and advanced editing capabilities to make creating professional-level videos easy and intuitive. With its wide range of features, Premiere Pro can help small businesses create captivating content quickly and efficiently.
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a powerful video editing software that can help small businesses create professional-quality videos. It offers a range of features including intuitive timeline editing, advanced color grading tools, and tons of creative effects that make it an ideal choice for small businesses looking to create compelling video content. The software also provides an easy-to-use interface that allows users to quickly and easily create engaging videos.
iMovie
iMovie is an extremely popular video editing software developed by Apple, and it is the perfect tool for small businesses looking to create captivating videos in a simple, cost-effective way. It has an easy-to-use interface that allows users to quickly and easily edit video clips without any prior experience. Additionally, its powerful editing tools make it easy to add text, music, and transitions for a professional-looking finish. Furthermore, iMovie offers stunning 4K resolution and special effects that make videos look great on any device.
Wevideo
WeVideo makes it easy to edit and enhance video clips, add text and graphics, and add music. Additionally, Wevideo offers advanced features such as motion tracking, chroma-keying, picture-in-picture effects, and more. This makes it an ideal choice for small businesses that need to take their videos to the next level.
Once you have chosen software and edited your video, it is time to upload it to your chosen platform. Depending on your goal, determine which platform would be the best fit for your business. YouTube, Vimeo, and Instagram are some of the most commonly used platforms for video marketing, but other options such as Dailymotion and TikTok should also be considered.
Step 5: Choose a platform to host your videos
Once you have outlined your objectives and goals for your video content, the next step is to choose a platform to host your videos.
If you're a total video newbie, the best place to start is by trying it out on channels where your audience already hangs out.
You can also choose from many different platforms available for hosting videos, including YouTube, Vimeo, and Instagram. Each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages and it's important to select the one that best suits your needs.
Facebook has become a popular platform for videos, especially since recently adding many new hosting and streaming capabilities. Live broadcasts, narrated music videos, trailers and more can be shared with friends and the public with ease.
Users can also comment on each video and even save it to refer back to in the future. Hosting a video on Facebook nowadays is a great way to quickly reach out to people; whether it's in order to show something funny, advertise your small business or simply showcase an event.
Furthermore, private messages can be sent along with the videos if you choose, allowing communication directly between one user and another without the content being exposed to the public.
TikTok
TikTok is a global video hosting platform that enables users to post incredibly short videos for friends and followers. With the platform being free to join, anyone of all ages can create a profile and share content.
The app also offers an array of tools as well as special effects, sound sections, and music to enhance each user’s creative experience and make their content truly one-of-a-kind.
The main feature of TikTok is its algorithm that recommends suited videos to viewers based on their interests. This algorithm often helps new TikTokers start out with a better chance of success since their content might be seen more easily by their desired demographics.
Youtube
YouTube is a revolutionary hosting video platform that has changed the way people consume content and access entertainment. It’s a hub for creators to upload videos and promote their work worldwide—whether it’s music, cooking, or other educational content.
It has been used as a source of income for many users, becoming an invaluable asset that is integral to getting exposure and building an audience. Read here to know more about how to make money on Youtube.
There are many features such as playlists, captions, and live streams which can all make viewing easier. It's also used as a tool to promote brands, products, and services by businesses looking to reach out to their target market.
A business can use Instagram‘s variety of features, such as 15-60 second videos, Stories, Reels, Live Videos, and more – to showcase their product or services to their audience.
For example, businesses may opt to upload a series of educational videos or run contests and giveaways. With its huge user base, the possibilities of reaching a broad customer base with powerful video content are endless on Instagram.
Furthermore, even without completely original content businesses can join in trending topics by creating hashtag challenges and connecting with relevant influencers or micro-influencers.
Vimeo
With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, Vimeo is a great choice for businesses that need a reliable and secure hosting video platform. From major corporations to small startups, Vimeo provides incredibly high-quality playback with customizable privacy settings that allow users to stay in control of their content.
Whether you choose to broadcast your video live or just upload prerecorded pieces, marketers can benefit from Vimeo's marketing tools by sharing content on multiple platforms, tracking viewer engagement data from embedded videos, and setting up paid viewable videos for monetizing content.
Step 6: Promote your videos through social media
Social media is a great way to promote videos and spread the message. It's one of the most effective ways to get your content seen and attract new viewers. On platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, sharing videos can drive engagement and increase views exponentially.
It is also important that you should also keep your video content organized and make them easier to find by using hashtags.
Create Social Media Plan
Social media is an essential part of any video marketing strategy, as it provides businesses with a platform to reach their target audiences. As such, it is important for businesses to create a comprehensive social media plan when launching a video marketing campaign. This plan should cover all aspects of the campaign, from content creation and distribution to audience targeting and measurement. You can read here for a more complete guide on how to make a social media planner
Hashtags and other tags
Hashtags and other tags are an essential part of any video marketing strategy, as they help to increase visibility, reach new audiences, and engage with potential customers.
Hashtags are short phrases or words that are used to categorize content on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Users will use hashtags in their posts or comments to help the post or comment be found by others who are interested in the same content. Other tags, such as location tags, are used to specify a geographical area and target people within that geographic area.
Step 7: Measure success with analytics tools
Analytics tools can be used to track and measure the performance of videos, allowing businesses to adjust their strategies accordingly. With detailed insights into audience engagement and views, businesses can gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to their video content.
The most popular analytics tools used by marketers include Google Analytics, YouTube Analytics, Vimeo Insights, and more. These tools track metrics such as views, watch time, click-through rates, shares, and engagement levels – giving businesses a complete picture of how their videos are performing.
Google Analytics
Hosting video platforms coupled with Google Analytics create an opportunity to analyze user engagement with each video, including duration, views, and shares. Additionally, marketers can use these analytics tools to better understand their market, deducing which countries the videos are being viewed in the most, the most popular device viewers are using, and how viewers interact with any calls to action within the videos.
YouTube Analytics
YouTube Analytics provides data-driven insights into the viewership of your videos, including demographic information, such as the geographic location of viewers, how they are finding and interacting with your content, likes/dislikes, and more.
By using these analytics tools, businesses can measure the success of their video marketing campaigns and make real-time adjustments to drive better results. This helps to ensure that their budgets are being used efficiently and that their content is reaching the right audience.
Conclusion
Technology has made it easier than ever to get started with video marketing. You don't need fancy equipment or a professional production crew – just your trusty smartphone and the seven steps! It might feel uncomfortable at first, but taking this leap could bring tremendous rewards for your business down the line.
With the right platform, content planning, and promotional strategies in place, you’ll be able to reach a larger audience and gain traction from your videos quickly.
