Photo by Melanie Deziel on Unsplash
Video marketing, when done effectively, is an incredibly powerful tool for your business to reach and engage with a large audience. While it can be challenging to create an engaging and potentially viral video, the results are worth it. Research suggests that social videos produce 1200% more shares than content containing just text and image. Another study found that 64% of consumers purchased from a brand after watching their social videos. Now that you’re convinced by the power of video marketing, here are ten common mistakes for your business to avoid.
1. Not devising a plan or script
Instead of rushing to production, take the time to figure out the purpose of your video and the best way to convey that message. Decide on your target audience. Write a proper script and develop a plan for filming and editing (unless you choose to outsource) to make more efficient use of your time. Strategic planning can make all the difference in terms of click-through rates.
2. Creating a video without an SEO strategy
SEO is crucial to promoting your video content online. Create videos that are based on highly searched keywords to reach a bigger audience of potential consumers. Utilize SEO in the name of your video as well as in its description to help your target audience find it easier.
3. Forgetting to include a CTA
Always add a clear call to action in every single of your videos. You can redirect your audience to your website or other social media accounts. You can also ask them to like the video and subscribe for more content. Marketers sometimes forget to include a CTA in the midst of all the other information they want to include in the video, but this is a mistake that should be avoided.
4. Content that focuses too much on selling
If your video is entirely promotional, chances are, people will opt to skip it. You can communicate the advantages of your product while relating it to the consumer. “Focus on the consumer and their needs, and how your product fits those needs. By concentrating on the customer and the product’s potential benefits for them, your videos will appear to be less focused on selling and more engaging,” says Tim Richmon, a writer at Simple Grad and Ukservicesreviews.
5. Content that is too long
Creating videos that are too long is one of the most common mistakes among marketing experts when they first begin creating video content. Communicating too much information that results in lengthy videos will cost you your audience’s interest. While long-form videos that are impactful and story-driven allow brands to successfully connect emotionally with their audience, research shows that short-form videos drive the highest engagement. Engagement is typically highest during the first three minutes of a video and then steadily drops afterwards.
6. Content that has no emotional or entertainment value
Marketing strategies often advocate for direct messages. Video marketing requires a bit more. Include an entertainment factor to hold your audience’s attention. Your videos need to connect with your audience emotionally to capture their interest. Being aware of trending topics and memes can go a long way towards building and retaining your audience.
7. Weak branding
Similar to other forms of marketing, branding is crucial in video marketing. Ensure that your brand is highly visible in every video. There’s nothing worse than creating great video content, but your consumers can’t even recall your company’s name. Include your brand’s logo and social media platforms at the end of the video as well as in the description.
8. Not promoting your videos on other platforms
After uploading a video, share it on every single one of your social media platforms. All of your content should link to each other somehow. Sharing it on multiple platforms ensures maximum exposure and reach.
9. Lack of audience engagement
Invest the time to engage with your audience as much as possible through the video. You could ask them a question at the end and tell them to comment the answer below. Encourage them to share the video or tag someone they know. Ask your audience to subscribe and like the video if they enjoyed it. “It takes little to no effort to like comments from your audience, but it builds a relationship with them. Engagement is necessary not only in attracting and retaining an audience for your video content, but to drive conversions and sales,” says Daniel Larmont, a marketer at Big Assignments and Australianreviewer.
10. Not checking video analytics
Each time you upload a video, pay attention to the analytics. Check your video analytics often to discover how your audience interacts with your video. Rewatch your video and use the information to identify possible areas of improvement. Recognize the points where your audience lost interest and figure out ways to address that in the next video. Video analytics are designed to inform you about your audience so don’t make the mistake of undervaluing it.
Emily Henry is a writer and editor with an interest in video marketing and other marketing strategies. You can find her writing at Study Demic and Best Essay Services, and her editing work at Student Writing Services.
