How Business Owners Can Use Video Marketing to Get More Customers Online
Videos not looking as bussin’ as you’d hoped? No problem. Lets cover some basic tips for producing killer videos and making sure they are seen by the right people. There’s nothing worse than making a killer video and only getting a like from your aunt(been there).
Introduction
In today's digital age, leveraging video content is essential for business owners seeking to attract more customers online. Video has become an integral part of online marketing strategies, as it allows businesses to effectively showcase their products and services, share their story, and engage their target audience. In this article, we will explore the benefits of video marketing, types of videos business owners can create, tips for producing high-quality videos, and strategies for optimizing video content for maximum online visibility.
Video + Marketing strategy is about as close as you can get to lightening in a bottle.
There are a lot of technical considerations for the specific topics we’ll talk about in this blog BUT this is meant to be a general guide on the process of video marketing as opposed to a detailed technical walkthrough. We’ll release some of those soon!
Benefits of Video Marketing for Business Owners
Increased Engagement
Videos are more engaging than text or images alone. They can captivate your audience's attention, convey your message more effectively, and encourage viewers to share your content on social media platforms, thereby expanding your reach.
Higher Conversion Rates
Videos can have a significant impact on conversion rates. By showcasing your products or services in action, you can demonstrate their value and persuade potential customers to make a purchase or sign up for your services.
Improved SEO
Search engines, like Google, value video content and tend to rank websites with videos higher in search results. By optimizing your videos for SEO, you can boost your online visibility and drive more organic traffic to your website.
Stronger Brand Identity
Videos help establish a strong brand identity by giving your business a unique voice and personality. They enable you to connect with your audience on a deeper level, fostering trust and loyalty.
Types of Videos to Attract Customers
There are honestly an incredible amount of different videos you can create.
That means it can be easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged from starting your video marketing journey. We know how it is, so we wanted to give you a nice list of some of the most impactful videos you can make today.
Product Demonstrations
Showcase your products in action to help potential customers understand their features and benefits. Product demonstration videos can be highly persuasive and lead to increased sales.
Customer Testimonials
Build trust and credibility by featuring real customers sharing their positive experiences with your products or services. These videos can have a powerful impact on potential customers' decision-making process.
How-to Videos
Educate your audience by creating instructional videos that demonstrate how to use your products or services effectively. This type of content adds value and positions your business as an expert in your industry.
Behind-the-Scenes
Offer a glimpse into the inner workings of your business, such as the production process or a day in the life of your team. Behind-the-scenes videos humanize your brand and help build an emotional connection with your audience.
Webinars and Live Streams
Host webinars or live streams to educate, entertain, or engage with your audience in real-time. These events can boost your credibility, increase brand awareness, and generate leads.
Creating High-Quality Videos
It doesn’t take much to stand out from your competition in the realm of video.
A lot of people don’t even know where to start when it comes to quality. We want you to have that edge. Lets take a look at some of the things that can give you that extra juice you’ve been looking for.
Planning and Scripting
Before shooting your video, create a detailed plan that outlines your objectives, target audience, key messages, and visual elements. Develop a script to ensure a smooth flow of information and maintain audience interest throughout the video. Artificial intelligence chat bots like chat gpt are a great resource for script outlines and video topic ideas!
Production Tips
Invest in quality equipment, such as cameras, microphones, and lighting, to produce professional-looking videos. Focus on good audio quality more than anything else. If its windy out, go inside! If you’re in a crowded spot with lots of background noise, find a quiet corner to record in. Alternatively, consider hiring a video production company to handle the technical aspects of your project so you don’t have to deal with the headaches.
Editing Techniques
Use editing software to polish your video by trimming unnecessary footage, adding transitions, and incorporating text, graphics, or music. Remember that a well-edited video can make a significant difference in audience engagement and overall effectiveness.
Optimizing Videos for Online Visibility
Now to make sure people see and admire all that hard work!
Videos by themselves are an incredible marketing asset but they won’t produce the results you’re looking for without an intentional video marketing strategy. Here are a few of the tactics you can use to achieve success in your next video marketing campaign.
SEO for Video Content
Optimize your videos for search engines by including relevant keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags. Also, consider adding captions or transcripts to make your content more accessible and SEO-friendly.
Social Media Marketing
Share your videos across various social media platforms to increase their reach and engagement. Tailor your content to each platform's specific audience and format, such as creating shorter versions for Instagram or utilizing Facebook's native video player.
Email Marketing
Incorporate videos in your email marketing campaigns to boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement. Embedding videos directly in your emails or linking to them on your website can encourage recipients to interact with your content.
Measuring Video Marketing Success
Monitor your video marketing performance by tracking key metrics, such as views, watch time, engagement, and conversion rates. Analyzing this data will help you identify areas for improvement and inform your future video marketing strategies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, video marketing is an essential tool for business owners looking to attract more customers online. By creating engaging and informative videos, optimizing them for online visibility, and measuring their success, you can effectively leverage video content to grow your business. So, start planning your next video marketing campaign today and experience the benefits it can bring to your business.
FAQs
How long should my marketing videos be? The ideal length for marketing videos depends on the content and platform. In general, aim for 1-3 minutes for social media, while longer formats like webinars can last up to an hour.
Can I create videos on a budget? Yes, with a smartphone camera, affordable lighting, and basic editing software, you can create engaging videos without breaking the bank.
How often should I post videos? Consistency is key. Aim to post videos regularly, whether that's once a week or once a month, depending on your resources and audience preferences.
Should I use video ads? Video ads can be an effective way to reach a larger audience and drive traffic to your website. Consider using platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram to run targeted video ad campaigns.
Do I need professional help for video marketing? While it's possible to create videos in-house, hiring a professional video production company or marketing agency can ensure high-quality content and save you time and effort.
the implications of AI for Local Business Owners
Ai is here, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. What does this mean for you as a local business owner? Probably nothing.. but maybe everything.
Ai Generated image using Midjourney
The impact of AI technology on local businesses cannot be overstated. From chatbots to predictive analytics, AI has revolutionized the way we do business. As a marketing agency, we understand the importance of utilizing AI tools to help our clients increase productivity and grow their businesses.
The benefits of AI go beyond just saving time and money. AI can help you personalize your marketing campaigns to better target your audience, optimize your pricing strategy, and even automate routine tasks like scheduling appointments. By using AI to its fullest potential, you can gain a competitive advantage and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
We have found some of the AI tools that our team uses on a daily basis on Appsumo.com. AppSumo is a platform that offers lifetime deals on software products for businesses of all sizes. It's a great place to find deals on AI tools and other software that can help businesses increase productivity and streamline their operations. The platform works with some of the best software developers and startups from around the world to offer users access to exclusive deals that are not available anywhere else. With AppSumo, businesses can save money and access powerful AI software that can help them achieve their goals faster and more efficiently than ever before. Whether you're looking to automate routine tasks or gain insights from big data, AppSumo has a wide variety of AI tools and software that can help take your business to the next level.
As a marketing agency, we're always on the lookout for new tools and software that can help us improve our efficiency and get better results for our clients. AppSumo has been a game-changer for us, offering us access to some of the best AI tools and software products on the market. We've purchased several lifetime deals from AppSumo, and we use these tools on a daily basis to automate routine tasks, analyze data, and gain insights that help us make smarter decisions for our clients. We can't say enough good things about AppSumo and the incredible value it offers to businesses looking to improve their operations and increase productivity. If you're not already using AppSumo, we highly recommend giving it a try – it's a game-changer!
We're excited about the possibilities that AI presents for our clients. By harnessing the power of AI, we have helped our clients achieve their goals and grow their businesses in ways they never thought possible. And as AI technology continues to evolve, we look forward to staying at the forefront of this exciting new frontier.
So if you're a local business owner looking to take advantage of the benefits of AI, don't hesitate to reach out to our team. We're here to help you harness the power of AI and take your business to the next level.
Using Video to Market Your Business
*This Blog Contains Affiliate Links*
If you purchase items using these links, it helps me stock up on ramen and toilet paper at no extra cost to you.
Video marketing can seem like a daunting task to undertake. All of the expensive gear, camera angles, editing. It really is a lot to learn and we both know you’re already working yourself to death keeping your business running. Fortunately there are a few actionable steps you can take to set yourself apart with quality video.
So where should you start? The most important thing to understand is that you can make amazing video content with the phone you’re reading this on. Yes even that sh*tty bargain bin android potato from 8 years ago(been there). Now that’s out of the way, there are only three things you need to stand out.
Stabilization-
This is a big one. Go to Best Buy. Get on Amazon. Check goodwill. I don’t care where you get it but please get a simple tripod with a phone mount. A good stable shot of you speaking directly to the camera(we’ll get to speaking on camera later) is a simple upgrade that makes a world of difference to your video content.
A couple easy, cheap solutions include the <Joby Gorillapod kit> or, my personal favorite, the <Switchpod>. Follow those affiliate links to check them out on Amazon! The Switchpod has a <Tripod Head> sold separately which is worth the extra $35ish bucks to have the freedom of changing your camera angle while still being rock solid. The Gorillapod tends to be a bit precarious depending on where you have it but both are great options for around $100 bucks.
Lighting-
This topic can get pretty contentious as you don’t REALLY need it but let me give you a quick example of how a couple cheap LEDs can up your game instantly.
Crazy, right? I got (most of) these lights for approximately $150 on Amazon. The key to this lighting set up is a decent bright “key” light set up at a 45 degree angle, lighting you from a slightly elevated stand, as well as some slightly dimmer accent lights for the background. My best advice is to spend the bulk of your budget on the key light, as this needs to be the brightest and it helps if the light is controllable in some way e.g. the brightness or color temperature. Check these out from Neewer <Light Sticks>. I spent a bit more on my lighting but the concept remains the same. Preferably you’ll want your key light to be bi-color, meaning you can control how warm(orange) the light is. Something like these will work on a budget <Neewer Bi-color Panels>
For your accent lighting, check out your local big box store for some cheap RGB LED’s. I like to go with something in the cooler color range to contrast my key lighting. Blue perhaps? Maybe a nice purple if I’m feeling risky.
3. This last one is open to interpretation. Feeling, or at the very least SEEMING comfortable on camera will help you cut through the noise of social media more than almost anything else. Unfortunately this can oftentimes be the most difficult thing to achieve.
It all comes down to finding and holding onto the feeling you have when you’re telling your best friend or spouse about the new exciting thing happening with your company. You know beyond a doubt that they love and support you, and are going to be excited with you about your new venture. Carry this energy with you into your videos and speak to the camera as if its another person in the room who is just as fired up about your business as you are.
The truth is, you really are just speaking to one other person. No matter how many views your video gets, it all comes down to individual potential clients seeing your video. Someone’s scrolling through their feed trying to avoid emailing that annoying customer back and they see your ad. If they don’t immediately keep scrolling, they have similar interests to you. That’s all it takes to form a meaningful connection with someone in the real world and I’ve found it can be just as effective with video marketing.
Speak directly to your ideal customer and they might just reach out to continue the conversation.
Speaking of continuing the conversation… If you have questions about this topic or would like a free video marketing strategy, schedule your free consultation call below! We would love to hear from you and look forward to speaking with you about your video marketing needs.
Cotton carrier Camera harness
This blog contains Affiliate links. If you click on a product or brand named in this blog, it will take you to my preferred place to purchase that product. If you purchase anything using one of my links, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is a fantastic way to support what I’m doing while doing your normal online shopping!
Alright friends. I never saw myself as a product review guy but I’ve finally come across something that I feel needs to be shouted from the roof tops. As some of you know, I spend a considerable amount of time hiking, searching for native wildlife to photograph. These hikes take me through all kinds of terrain all while carrying a heavy pack laden with lenses and camera bodies. My constant struggle became trying to cover distance while having quick & easy access to my camera and long lens combo in case a photo opportunity arose. I feel like I tried everything at some point. I carried my set-up by the tripod collar which is a short term solution at best. I made makeshift harnesses on my pack that I never fully trusted to not drop my camera in the mud. I even spent the money on Black Rapid shoulder straps, which I love but aren’t great for longer treks, as the camera is free to swing at your hip while hiking. I find myself using the Black Rapid harness for my commercial work such as family portraits and weddings when I’ll be shooting more than walking.
This brings me to my recent purchase. I want to point out that this is not a paid endorsement nor am I a sponsor of this company. In fact I paid full price for this product because I had been searching for something like this for months. The Cotton Carrier G3 Camera Harness popped up as a targeted Facebook ad and I was sold before even visiting their site. I’ll start with what I love about it because there’s a lot to cover.
Photo From Cotton Carrier Website
This harness system features a locking plate that mounts to the thread on the bottom of your mirrorless or DSLR camera. The mechanism slides easily into the chest mounting plate on the harness itself and can only be removed when turned ninety degrees. This means no unexpected falls. Just in case, they included a safety strap that attaches to the eyelet where a normal camera strap would attach, which then buckles to the harness. The harness itself is made of a soft yet durable fabric with breathable mesh. This doesn’t totally eliminate the heat buildup beneath it on hot days but it for sure helps. Not to be understated, this harness is extremely comfortable under an already heavy backpack.
I purchased the version that came with an additional carry all attachment and mounting plate. This can be used for anything from binoculars to a light weight tripod or even a second camera. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this addition. Many times, optional add-ons can feel like flimsy after thoughts but that’s not the case here.
Photo from Cotton Carrier Website
Essentially, everything about this product design is well thought out and intentional. Now that I’ve extolled the benefits, we have to get into a couple minor setbacks. The biggest flaw, if you can even call it that, is that while using the harness to carry my Nikon D850 with the 200-500mm Nikkor Lens, and Battery Grip, the tripod collar hangs down past the bottom of the padding on the harness. The tripod collar digs into my sternum which becomes uncomfortable over time. I know what you’re thinking,
“Take the tripod collar off, idiot!”
Yeah yeah I did that. The issue then becomes that there is to much angled pressure on the lens mount of the camera itself. I may just be nit picking but I never like to have the full weight of a lens that size hanging on the lens mount. My short term solution has been to put a small amount of upward pressure on the lens while hiking with this set-up. I also tried mounting the Cotton Carrier hardware onto the tripod collar instead of the thread on the bottom of the camera but this put the camera body to high for comfort. Lastly, The included rain cover is rather small for my needs but works well as a shower cap.
These “negatives’ are a small price to pay for quick, easy access to my gear without having to fumble around in my backpack. I went with the camo model first so I can stay sneaky in the woods but I’m ordering the gray one to match my Peak Design Bag as soon as I can. This product is the solution to most of my annoyance on long hikes with heavy gear and I’m only upset that I didn’t find it sooner!