Video Marketing. Long gone are the days when you had to slide a VHS tape into a camera that weighed more than a toaster to record a happy birthday chorus or dance recital. Video is impressively accessible now; anyone with a smartphone can record one and put it online for the world to see.
But the Internet is not all music videos and make-up tutorials. More than a million advertisers are using Google ad platforms, the majority of which are small businesses, according to YouTube statistics. To make the most impact, you must have a plan of attack when it comes to video production and marketing your business. Video production costs can be astronomical with no guarantee of views let alone converting views into sales. Here are several, low- to no-cost strategies to consider:
Teach Something
How-to videos are all about content. Your goal is to make a video that is useful to your target audience. The best way to do that is to avoid making it look or feel like an advertisement. In fact, it isn’t an advertisement. A lot of DIY and how-to videos are created solely to serve your audience.
Encourage employees to help brainstorm ideas for how-to videos. Plumbing companies can make a video showing customers how to temporarily plug a leak or how to keep a septic tank healthy. Jewelry store owners can create videos about how to clean jewelry at home or different local romantic spots to propose marriage. As a business owner, you have gained a unique insight into your industry. Share this knowledge wisely with your customer and you create a solid rapport that encourages sharing, trust and therefore spending.
Build a YouTube Following
YouTube has over 1 billion users and is the second largest search engine on the planet. And even if you don’t utilize it, if you have a Google Plus account, you also have a YouTube account. Liking, sharing, commenting on and creating playlists of videos from outside sources on YouTube can increase traffic by making your account into a valuable resource for your customers and engaging the thriving YouTube community.
When you upload your own original videos to YouTube, be sure that the title and description include relevant keywords and links to your website and social media sites.
Promote Customer Reviews
The power of reviews is growing at a staggering rate. Looking a happy customer in the eye and hearing the sincerity in their voice trumps an attributed quote any day of the week. A few informal videos of happy customers on your website, YouTube, and Facebook accounts can make a real difference in the conversion of your web traffic into sales. And it’s free and easy to do with just a camera phone. Look into phone tripods for an even higher quality video marketing but remember, these videos are more about the content than the quality. A truly specific and genuine review is likely to get a better response than one with paid actors and a high production value. For an example, check out Apple Rubber’s video series — it contains great examples of specific, genuine reviews from reputable people in the industry.
Share Your Story
People don’t buy things from companies, they buy things from people according to Simon Sinek of TedTalks superstardom. He cites Apple, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright brothers as examples of his theory. The gist of his argument is this: people don’t buy what you make but why you make it. In other words, your customers want to know that the people making the products they use are good, honest, and hardworking just like them.
And what better way to show your customers the humanity behind the industry than through employee testimonials. From humble beginnings to daily operations to your vision of the future, there is no better way to communicate how and why you do what you do than through video.
