Video has turned into the new “it” thing in online marketing. Once you look at its advantages, it’s likely that you’ll begin to look at it in the same light, too. Video communicates things to your public that the written word alone can’t. It gives people the feel for the live events your organization hosts or even lets you answer common questions that your organization gets in your email. Here are five other ways that video can be great for your social media marketing plan.
1. The Search Engines Favor It
An article on Forbes suggests that over 60% of the searches on the web include video. That can translate into more than a 150% increase in search traffic for websites. While you may lament at the fact that you don’t have a fancy camera, you shouldn’t. Even video shot on a mobile phone outperforms most text-based posts.
Additionally, videos posted on YouTube help you play nice with Google, which owns YouTube. Typically, the search engine features its own videos, giving you a big advantage over your competitors when it comes to the search.
2. Some Platforms Allow for Autoplay
What if you just want to get some of the traffic that passes down the Facebook wall every day? Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook all have an autoplay feature. This type of messaging may be particularly useful if you’re running a promotion.
It increases the urgency and stands out in an otherwise static social media experience. People who may not have clicked on a video may stop to check out the content if it’s already playing in front of them.
3. Do a Product Demonstration
Nowadays, people use video to show their would-be customers how a product works or how to use their service. Sometimes, this kind of demonstration can mean the difference between making a sale and leaving one on the table.
If your product is particularly complicated or has hidden parts, video allows you to bring your customers on a tour of your goods and services. It also gives them the playback feature, which means if they need to watch the demonstration more than once to get the hang of how to use your products, they can.
4. Make Introductions
People like to buy from people that they like. Using video to introduce your client base to your company’s key players is a great way to do this. That’s how ACN Inc. introduced several key players that work with ACN in a series of short videos. This immediately allowed each person’s personality to shine through, something that’s more difficult to achieve with just the written word alone.
Further, video gives you an additional advantage in that most communication happens through facial expressions and body language. If you have someone who is particularly likable in your organization, video is the perfect way to introduce that person to your public.
5. Product Reveal
If you have some die-hard fans, no better way exists to introduce them to a new product in your line than via video. Think of these videos in the same light that you would a new movie trailer.
You can build excitement without giving too much away. You can gradually add more information about your new product in later videos. And yes, you can demonstrate how a product works, but this goes beyond the demonstration. Introducing a new product really boosts your marketing efforts in ways that can’t be beat.
Final Thoughts on Using Video in Your Marketing
Video captures a person’s essence in a way that few social media platforms can. It allows you to introduce key players for your business. In fact, it doesn’t just introduce them to your audience, it gives your audience a sense of their personalities and body language.
Video also increases your chance of being found on the web. Google and other search engines favor videos in search results, giving you a leg-up over your competition.
It additionally gives you a way to both introduce a new product and to demonstrate products in your existing line. Some products require a play-by-play demonstration. Video not only allows for that, but it also permits your customers to replay the demonstration. For products that are complicated to use, this is very helpful.
Finally, some social media platforms allow for autoplay. Because video is so dynamic, it stands out on a social media wall that is otherwise static. This helps your marketing reach new levels of engagement and views.
