They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. Well, according to Forrester Research, one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words! This stat begs the question, why aren’t you using video as part of your digital marketing strategy? If you’re just not sure where to start or where to focus your efforts, here are three cost-effective ways to use video for online marketing.
- Webcasting
“The process of video broadcasting live over the internet”
A webcast is a dynamic, live, web-based broadcast. Webcasts are all about the live interaction; from a live audience in the room with the presenter to designated people monitoring the live chat room and Twitter feeds. When you participate in a webcast, you will be able to ask questions throughout and receive real-time answers from the presenter(s).
An average setup for a webcast includes one or more presenters, multiple cameras, a live audience, chat room moderators, and multimedia capabilities. These multimedia capabilities can range from slides or images on a monitor to live video, audio, and more.
Why you should consider webcasting- It is trending
- It provides unique content to your customers
- It allows for real-time interaction
- It allows you to reach geographically dispersed audiences
- Common uses for webcasting
- Demonstrate a product or service
- Market an event or idea
- Educate customers
- Train employees
- Engage with diverse audiences
- YouTube
“YouTube reaches more US adults 18-34 than any cable network.” (Nielsen)
YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world making it a very important tool in your digital marketing toolkit. Of course, when YouTube is referred to as a “search engine” it isn’t meant in the traditional sense. YouTube only returns video results, unlike Google and Bing. The important thing to remember is that YouTube is a search engine in the sense that people are using it every day to find answers to their greatest questions.
Getting started, you’re probably wondering how on earth your company can use YouTube. No worries, each and every company could find a way to utilize this social media platform if they just took the time to outline a plan.
Possible YouTube video themes include:- Employee Spotlight
- Product Demonstrations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips and Tricks
Once you have uploaded your video to YouTube, you will want to ensure that people are seeing it. Here are a few high level tips for boosting views:- Create a compelling title and original thumbnail, like the examples below:
- Transcribe your videos – search engines cannot watch videos, they rely on your physical content to interpret the contents of the video.
- Make playlists. Categorize your videos so they are easy to sift through.
- Share your videos on your social media sites.
- Optimize your videos for search engines – Keywords matter!
- Vine
“Vine is a mobile application for creating and sharing 6-second, looping videos.”
Owned by Twitter, Vine is a newer mobile application that is quite popular among teenagers and young adults. According to GlobalWebIndex, 1 in 4 U.S. teens use Vine. People are so enthralled by bite-sized micro-blogging apps that we are becoming increasingly more impatient with longer forms of content. So, it’s time to hop on board!
Who should be using Vine? Good question! Really anyone can use Vine, it’s fairly simple. However, it is true that certain businesses will have an easier time utilizing the app. Companies with teens as their target demographic will likely see more success with this social media app. Additionally, companies selling products, especially products with an aesthetic appeal, will have an easier time utilizing Vine.
Tips for getting the most out of Vine:- Include hashtags – they’re just as relevant here as they are on Twitter!
- Focus on fun, creative, and helpful
- Promote your Vines across multiple social channel
We hope this list of cost-effective video marketing strategies has inspired you to add video to your digital marketing toolkit. If you need assistance with video marketing, contact Informatics Inc.
Photo credit: Esther Vargas via flickr cc
