If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine the value of a video. This is not lost on the vast majority of web surfers out there – it’s estimated that YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. If you haven’t harnessed the power of video marketing, it’s time to begin!
YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine.
One of the first questions you’ll need to ask yourself is whether you’re going to produce videos by yourself or outsource to a professional. Here are a few tips if you choose the former:
- Shoot horizontally (turn the camera!)
- Keep it short and simple (one-two minutes max!)
- Be prepared (have a beginning, middle and end)
- Have a call to action at the end (tell them where they can go for more information – i.e. your website)
- Keep in mind the questions that you’re getting asked most frequently – and address them.
Doing it yourself? Keep it short and simple.
Now a few things to remember if you’re looking to hire a pro:
- Interview between three and five people
- Ask for work samples
- Ask for work references
If you’re seeking a professional, make sure to ask for work samples and references.
At this point, you may be wondering about content ideas for your video. Here are a few ideas:
- Video blogging
- Instagram video
- Screen capture videos (using a tool like Camtasia or Screenr)
- Testimonials
- About you
- Community
- Neighborhood
- Video email (using a tool like BombBomb)
Neighborhood videos make great marketing pieces. Check out The Beach Show – they do a great job!
Looking to maximize your videos on Facebook? Here are some ideas for success:
- Upload videos directly to your Facebook business page instead of posting the YouTube link. Organically uploaded videos help to increase your reach for that video.
- Give each video a title and tag everyone in it
- Create video ads at facebook.com/ads
Upload videos organically to Facebook for better engagement.
Also, don’t forget to do this with each YouTube video:
- Title
- Description
- Call to action
- Link to your website and contact information
- Promote the video on social media, email databases and any other appropriate forum
Each YouTube video needs a title, description and your contact information.
You’ll also want to remember the nine steps you need to take with each video:
- Add it to your marketing calendar (now and 3-6 months from now if it is timeless)
- Add it to your website (blog)
- Email it one-to-one (who are the 3-5 people you can email your video to first and give a ‘sneak-peek?’)
- Email it to your database
- Upload it to YouTube
- Upload it to Facebook
- Tweet it (multiple times!)
- Post the link to LinkedIn
- Repeat
Remember that videos are one of the most powerful way we can connect with our clients and potential clients. If that isn’t motivation, I don’t know what is!
Add each video to your marketing calendar.
For even more video marketing advice check out my recent video sharing 3 Tips to Getting Started with Video Marketing. You can also find videos covering Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Periscope and much more on my YouTube channel.
