Believe it or not, there was a time when MTV actually played music videos. The channel changed the music industry and made household names out of one-hit wonders like The Buggles and Kajagoogoo.
These days, channels are called platforms, and a music video is easier to find on YouTube than Music Television. But video is now doing to inbound marketing what it did to music 30 years ago: It's changing the game.
A good video can make any company stand out by engaging your audience in ways you may have never dreamed. So, here’s a look at why you need to start or expand your video marketing strategy and how you can build an audience for your brand with video.
One big reason why video marketing is so important is there is a huge audience for it.
So, now that you know why video marketing is so important, let’s talk about some ways you can make it work for you.
One of the easiest ways to break into the video marketing world is to produce tip videos, or educational videos. These are a great way to show people what types of expertise your company offers. They're also a good way to introduce some of your experts to potential customers.
In fact, Vanderbilt University studied the art of creating educational videos. Researchers say you should do things like:
If your company continually helps people solve problems, you need to tell these stories. If you're a hospital that saves lives—or are changing them—don't be afraid to tell people. Better yet, let your customers tell your story.
A personal story gives you the chance to show potential customers your company in a different light. If they hear a real person talking about how your business helped them, you could end up with a customer for life.
It’s important to think about optimizing any video you create for mobile. One way to do this is to produce videos without sound.
Sure, a powerful voice-over is great, but some of the most compelling, thumb-stopping videos are those you can watch with the sound turned down (probably at work).
Why? Because you can walk people through your story without ever saying a word. Graphics and music may be all you need. In fact, 85 percent of Facebook videos are watched without sound.
Think about all those times you find yourself stopping to watch a video that shows you all of the steps needed to complete a recipe. A few graphics lay out the ingredients, but no sound is required.
You don’t always need an infomercial to get your point across. Sometimes you can do it in a 10- to 20-second soundbite.
Like the old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” one good soundbite can be worth 30 minutes of emotional content.
Take the last line of basketball coach Jim Valvano’s speech at the 1993 ESPY awards. Valvano was battling cancer as he accepted the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Before he left the podium he reminded everyone, “Never give up. Don’t ever give up.” Some people call those the seven most powerful words ever spoken. Not only for what he says, but how he says it.
You probably don’t remember the bulk of the speech, but there’s a good chance his last line stays with you.
That’s why it’s tough to top good sound. Especially in the here-today-gone-tomorrow world in which we live. Good soundbites go by quickly, but live with your audience forever.
When using video to send your message, it does not always have to be long, detailed and full of mind-blowing graphics. The success will lie in matching what you create to the audience you’re trying to reach, or the platform you intend to use.
Thinking about adding video marketing to your inbound strategy but not sure where to start? Learn more about our video marketing services.
