Video has boomed over the last few years. People watch an average of 16 hours of video online per week, a massive 52 per cent increase in the last two years. On social media, videos on Facebook clock in 8 billion views per day, while TikTok attracts 1 million views per day. With these numbers, it’s clear that demand for video content is surging.
The medium’s reach and impact have quickly affirmed its place as one of the most powerful consumer marketing tools there is. Dove, Reebok, Nike and Alibaba have some of the most successful video marketing campaigns in the world. But we don’t have to leave it up to the big brands, the potential benefits of video marketing is available to all businesses regardless of size! And creating a successful, impactful video campaign is not as hard as you may think.
Marketing videos are not just for big brand stories. When combining online video tools with social media, you can create marketing strategies that are easily accessible and at a low cost. Creating hi-end video marketing campaigns does not have to be expensive, nor does it require you to be a GenZ TikTok star.
Why is video the number one choice for marketing small businesses?
Using video as a way of communicating with audiences is an effective way to drive engagement to your brand and develop trust between your business and your customers. Videos engage audiences more than any other marketing tool there is. They are, arguably, one of the most inclusive mediums available and enable business owners to tell their brand story and ignite emotions from audiences while bringing a human element to your marketing campaigns. And the best part? It’s accessible – all you really need is a smartphone.
What you should consider when planning your video strategy
Before filming, set out a strategy for your content creation that will help you to clearly identify your objectives and enable you to achieve targets. Some key steps you should outline in your strategy include:
- Identify your target audience.
- Decide the type of video you are producing. Will this be a Vlog, behind the scenes, interview/Q&A, event, product review, testimonial, animation, brand film, giveaways/contests or user-generated content?
- Schedule & set goals.
- Decide on your publishing platforms. Youtube? Instagram? Facebook? The digital world, is your oyster!
Tools small businesses can tap into to create, edit and publish video content.
So, now you have a strategy and ideas, how do you create, edit and publish it? First and foremost, remember that you don’t need high-end equipment to create meaningful or authentic video content. Small business owners and DIY marketing teams can use something as simple as a smartphone to shoot quality video or photos. Additionally, other still imagery, such as stock photos or illustrations, can be used to create engaging video content.
Once you’ve compiled your assets – video, photos, illustrations etc. – you now have the foundations you need to create impactful video marketing campaigns.
Leverage digital tools and play around with sophisticated editing features, such as automatic captioning and text-to-speech, to create professional-quality content that’s sure to impress your audiences. Many digital and online tools will offer a free trial, so you can decide if it’s the right solution for you before investing in it.
Most marketers get caught up in the “too hard, too time-consuming” paradox, but it doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive to be effective. Many platforms will even provide you with customisable templates to help you kick off your video content creation journey.
