Unlock the Power of Video Marketing: Your Comprehensive Guide

Imagine channeling the thrill of a movie trailer into your branding efforts. The anticipation. The emotions. The ability to tell a compelling, memorable story in just a short clip.

With video marketing in your toolbox, you can achieve all of this and more.

In this article, the BRK Video team has laid out a full blockbuster script of our video marketing expertise to help you get started. We’ll cover video types, optimization, distribution, analytics, best practices, and an in-depth explanation of why video content works.

If you’re looking for a single resource to learn the ins and outs of integrating video into your marketing strategy, you’ve found it.

The Power of Video Marketing

Humans are visual creatures. So, it’s no surprise to see studies show time and again how consumers are more likely to remember video content than what they read in text. According to Insivia, the difference in retention is astounding, with viewers retaining 95% of a video message compared to only 10% when reading it as text.

Viewers are more likely to engage with videos, too. Whether that means consuming, liking or sharing, in virtually every instance video marketing wins out over text-based content. 

But increased engagement is just one element that explains the power of telling your brand story through video:

• Capture interest and deliver valuable content quickly in a fast-paced world where people’s attention spans are  shorter than ever
• Resonate on a deeper level with audiences by using visual cues to evoke emotional responses 
• Bridge communication gaps exist across different markets, industries or languages
• Communicate complex concepts in a universally understandable way
• Reach diverse audiences

Benefits of Video Marketing

Let’s dive deeper into the value of using video as part of your marketing mix and see how increased engagement leads to success across other business metrics.

• Drive sales and revenue. Active involvement with your content translates into more time spent on your website, a deeper understanding of your offerings, and ultimately higher conversion rates. Vidyard’s benchmark report found that marketers using video grow revenue 49% faster than those that don’t, and a study by Wyzowl found that 84% of people say they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video. 
• Enable better conversion rates. A compelling video makes it easier to effectively communicate your value proposition and persuade potential customers to take action. This means videos don’t just drive additional views, but that each view is more likely to convert into a sale. According to the Aberdeen Group, 34% more likely when the video is viewed online.
• Improve brand awareness. Videos give businesses an opportunity to express their personality and values in a unique and memorable way. Viewers that connect with a brand through video are more likely to remember the company and be loyal long-term when their values align.
• Build trust. Videos are an opportunity for businesses to put a “face” to their name. This humanization builds rapport and trust, for both B2C and B2B relationships. 

Exploring Common Types of Video Content

Different types of videos can cater to diverse business needs, from explaining complex concepts to showcasing products or sharing customer experiences. Here’s a closer look at some popular video styles.

• Explainer Videos
• Explainer videos, as their name suggests, are designed to break down intricate ideas into easily digestible chunks. They help viewers clearly and concisely understand your product or service and are often animated for added appeal.

• Studies indicate that 72% of people prefer learning about a product through video over text, which makes using explainer videos key in effectively reaching out to potential customers.

• Product Demos
• A step up from a simple explainer video is a full product demo. Product demos expand on how your offering works while highlighting unique benefits and features. Giving audiences a hands-on view lets prospects see exactly what they will be getting before making a purchase decision.

• Enhanced transparency offers the added benefits of reducing return rates and complaints, as customers have a more precise idea of what they are buying up front. 

• Customer Testimonials
• Nothing sells better than word-of-mouth—and that’s where customer testimonials come in handy as a potent tool in your marketing arsenal. Real-life success stories provide tangible proof that your solution works, leading to increased trust and credibility.

• The strength of testimonials (also known as trust-earned media) is backed by data, with 92% of consumers reporting that they trust testimonials more than any other form of advertising. 

• How-to Videos, Tutorials and Educational Content
• How-to videos,  tutorials and educational content expand on the concept of a product demo to further engage audiences while showcasing the breadth of a product’s value.

• These videos show how your offering can solve real world problems, highlight unique applications or teach users new skills that will help them get more value out of your product/service.

Creating Engaging Video Content

The idea of producing “engaging” content is a big-time buzzword that pops up repeatedly when talking about video marketing. But what does it really mean?

In short, content that is engaging doesn’t merely draw viewers in, it keeps them hooked until the very end.

Here’s how to keep your viewers on the edge of their seat until your video is complete.

• Craft a Compelling Story
• Everyone loves a great story. Especially a story that resonates with the viewer on an emotional level. So, instead of planning video content centered around your message, weave your message into a narrative that will stir up emotions inside your target audience. And the more your story aligns with your brand values, the greater the authenticity of your videos, which further establishes trust with your viewers.

• Make it Interactive
• Video hosting company Wistia has found that interactive videos experience a doubling in play rates compared to those that do not incorporate interactive features. By embedding interactive elements like polls or quizzes within the video itself, you give users control over their viewing experience and let them be part of it.

• Utilize Visual Elements Effectively
• A compelling script is a great start when creating video content, but a fantastic script falls short quickly if your visuals don’t match up. To keep a viewer’s attention, use high-quality graphics to better illustrate points in the dialogue and make the entire piece more aesthetically pleasing, which is a critical part of retaining interest.

Optimizing Videos for SEO

Just like your website or any other content you upload to the internet, proper SEO is key to directing the right traffic from search engines to your videos. Here are simple steps to optimize your videos: 

• Craft Keyword-Rich Titles & Descriptions
• Keywords are the breadcrumbs that lead customers to your door. Given that video content by nature does not use text, you need to make sure keywords are cleverly worked into all titles and descriptions.

• A study by Backlinko found that pages with a keyword-optimized title tag earned, on average, 35% more traffic than pages without one. The same concept holds true for the titles of your videos.

• Submit Sitemap  & Structured Data Markup
• Search engines are not quite yet sophisticated enough to watch your video and see what it is about. For now, the workaround is to embed structured data to tell them!

• You can learn more about structured data by reading the Google Developer Guide.

• Include Captions & Transcripts
• Uploading captions and a written transcript for your videos gives search engines something they have the tools to read and index. This 3Play Media article explains how this strategy works and highlights some of the other benefits, which includes making your content more accessible and inclusive. 

• Design Engaging, Recognizable Thumbnails
• Thumbnails might not directly affect SEO rankings but they do influence click-through rates (CTR), which in turn increases views today while boosting the long-term ranking of your content. 

• A catchy thumbnail that increases CTR sends a message to search engine algorithms that says, “Look, folks are really into this video, let’s show it off more.”

Incorporating Video Marketing into Your Strategy

Effectively incorporating videos into your marketing strategy relies on weaving them throughout your other marketing channels and not leaving the content stranded as standalone pieces. Get started on crafting a thoughtful strategy for video integration by understanding the most effective distribution techniques for getting your content in front of the right eyes at the right time.

• Social Media Platforms
• Social media platforms are indispensable tools for distributing video content. According to a study by Buffer, brands using video see an average increase in organic traffic from Facebook by 157%, while video Tweets receive over 6x as many retweets compared to those without any visual content at all. 

• Email Campaigns
• Adding video content to your email blasts packs a powerful punch. HubSpot statistics suggest that embedding a relevant video within your email campaign can increase CTR by up to 300%.

• Your Own Website/Blog
• Make the most of the online real estate you already own by adding videos to your website/blog. Adding video content to your page increases the amount of time users stay on your website while making it more interesting and engaging. As an added bonus, Google favors pages offering mixed-media content when calculating SEO rankings.

• Cross-Promotion and Partnerships
• Partnering with other businesses or content creators can help get your videos in front of a wider audience. Do be sure to only collaborate with companies that share your values.

• Paid Advertising
• Setting aside a budget to distribute video content on paid advertising platforms will maximize visibility while taking advantage of the ability to put your video in front of a highly-targeted audience.

Measuring Results for Long-Term Results

In marketing we say that what gets measured, gets managed – and video marketing is no exception.

Taking a set it and forget it approach won’t yield optimal results. You need to use tools like Google Analytics and YouTube Insights to stay in the loop and track the progress and popularity of your content to tweak your distribution strategy and produce better, more effective videos in the future.

Here are a few of the most important KPIs and metrics to follow.

• Viewership: While total views will always be an important number to measure, it is vital that you keep your finger on the pulse of who is watching and how engaged they are. Take note of unique views to see if you are attracting new viewers or earning repeat views from past users.
• Average View Duration: This metric tells you if the video is compelling enough to get viewers to watch the whole way through. A poor average view duration shows that you are losing your audience.
• Audience Retention: ‘Audience retention is a similar metric but one that measures when people leave your video library as opposed to when they close a specific video.
• Engagement Metrics: Tracking likes/dislikes, comments and shares provides insight into how well received a video was by its audience. Thousands of views with very little engagement can be a sign that the content did not resonate strongly enough with viewers.
• Conversion Rates: Views alone won’t pay the bills. Unless your campaign is specifically engineered for brand awareness, you will want to track CTA clicks and other conversion events to make sure viewers are taking your desired action after watching the video.
• Traffic Sources:  Understanding  the paths viewers take to find your content is crucial for ensuring that content is reaching your intended audience.

Best Practices for Video Marketing

• Keep Them Short and Sweet
• Don’t make videos longer than they need to be. In most cases, viewer attention begins to wane at around the two minute mark. 

• Captions are Your Friend
• It’s important to remember that viewers often watch your content in loud places or with the volume turned off. Adding captions or even subtitles gets your message across no matter where your audience is watching from.

• Create Clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
• Figure out what the next step is you’d like viewers to take after watching your video. Then, ask them to do it with a clear CTA. Whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for more information, sharing the video or making a purchase, telling your audience what’s next compels them to take action.

• Serve Up Quality Content Consistently
• Like bread, content goes stale. Regularly update with fresh videos that are relevant to your audience if you want to keep your brand top-of-mind.

• Leverage the Impact of Storytelling
• Drawing viewers in with a fascinating story is a more effective way to form an emotional connection with viewers than presenting facts and figures. Compelling storytelling is at the heart of any successful video marketing campaign.

Ready to Increase Engagement, Improve Brand Awareness, and Boost Conversion Rates?

Unleash the power of video marketing with the help of our talented Charlotte video production team. 

At BRK Video, we bring your brand’s ideas to life with our corporate B2B & B2C video production services. Using cinematography, 3D/2D animation, digital post-production, nonlinear video editing, broadcast & film, motion graphics, aerial & 4K drone, our experienced professional video team will provide the opportunity to make a lasting impact on your target audience.

From video concept to original script writing to voiceover and final post-production, we do it all.

To get started,  just shoot us a message!