In our first blog for the month of October, we’ll be covering the top five ways to use video to help you boost your traffic and gain more business…in particular the different types of videos and their impact on users and how that can help increase viewership. To begin with, let’s go over a notion that should be second nature to you already – at least if you’ve been following Green Screen Media Now’s blog posts – which is video gets peoples’ attention. There’s simply no way around this any further as we get ready to move into the year 2016: People will pay more attention to what you are saying if you say it with video (and audio). Video also helps with controlling how long visitors remain on your website; because people read at different speeds, text-based marketing renders the measurement of how much time consumers spend on your site – exposed to and thinking about your product and services – unclear.
With video, it’s all about control…controlling how long information is and how fast it gets to your customer. The more time they spend on your site, the longer they ponder buying your product or taking advantage of your service.
The Social Media Video Factor
The single-most important strategy in content marketing today is video (we’re going to continue beating the importance of this medium into everyone’s subconscious until it sticks…because it’s that vital) – whether it’s video on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or YouTube, the content you need to be thinking about creating and marketing on social for your business is video. Plain and simple.
No matter what you’re selling and irrespective of what your company makes or is engaged in, lacking a video marketing strategy for the largest video platforms is a recipe for disaster. There’s no way you couldn’t have noticed by now: The platforms of distribution for online video content have shifted drastically over even the last few months.
GSTN Fun Facts: Facebook is getting more daily minutes watched than YouTube, Snapchat’s daily views now reside in the BILLIONS and video on Twitter has taken listening and one-to-one branding to an entirely new, dramatically revolutionizing level.
Now, perhaps we’ve scared you a little with this wealth of knowledge – that wasn’t our intention, and you shouldn’t be intimidated by any of this. We just want you, our valued readers, to understand the ever-shifting landscape that comprises all the biggest social media platforms which matter right now. As we delve into the five types of videos that get viewed on social media and what they’re all about, you can rest assured knowing by the end of this blog you’ll have the information you need to kill at video…we promise.
Analyzing the Types of Videos Heavily Viewed on Social Media Platforms
1. Videos That Teach
Audiences love videos that teach them about things they didn’t know anything about before – this is a really great way to reach people in an audience and engage certain particular demographics such as older women or students in college. Take a minute to think of just how much the Internet dominates our lives – we’re literally online more than ever before, and whether we’re tweeting on Twitter, posting to Instagram or sharing on Facebook, there’s no denying that we’re glued to our devices and phones. Yet when people aren’t sharing, tweeting and liking, they’re WATCHING…and this means video.
Here are some eye-opening statistics:
• Online videos are dominating people’s phones, tablets, laptops and mobile devices.
• YouTubers watch more than six BILLION hours of video each month.
• Three hundred hours of video content are uploaded to YouTube EVERY MINUTE.
• People watch over 300 days-worth of video on Facebook PER MINUTE.
Suffice to say, people LOVE their video content, and smart businesses understand that video is one of the best ways to engage with their clients and successfully market their service or product. We’re going to let you in on a really powerful way to keep your current customers AND obtain new ones: Teach them how to do something. That’s right…whether it’s a skill they want to improve at or something they’ve never done before – or knew anything about – offering how-to videos is an extremely effective way of connecting with clients on a totally different level than you’ve most likely ever tried before. And it works like magic, believe us.
How do you go about doing this? That’s a good question, so we’re going to cover the basics to get you thinking about some things…
• Offer “lessons” people will want to learn
• Think about broad topics that anyone would be happy to learn more about
• Teach with a “partner” (i.e. a well-known or knowledgeable presenter)
• Do something unique that connects with your brand
• Offer a unique twist to make your tutorial stand out
• Teach customers how to do what you do best
• Show your product in action while teaching your customers
Your audience is always looking for new information and better ways to perform everyday tasks, so make sure your video content is interesting and informative, because it will then also be highly sharable. Everyone wants to learn something they didn’t already know, and videos can be a great tool for curating top-notch information.
2. Videos That Inspire
Viewers love videos that leave them feeling empowered; when it comes to video, people won’t always remember what you showed them or what you said, but rather how you made them FEEL. You should capitalize on this by creating videos that appeal to viewers while leaving them with a feeling they want to share with others.
By now, the incredible story of Upworthy’s success is old news, but let’s point this out: The site skyrocketed to more than SIX MILLION unique page views per MONTH in its first year, thanks in part to its famous – and sometimes infamous – headlines. The other reason? The site seeks to find inspiring stories to share with their large readership. To obtain the viral edge you want – i.e. how to make your video go viral – look for stories to inspire your readership, whether it’s one of overcoming struggle, standing up in the face of adversary or simply achieving success. Audiences love a good inspirational tale, and the more inspirational it is the more your audience will want to share it with others.
3. Videos That Move Viewers
Alongside mediums such as films that inspire audiences, viewers tend to respond more frequently and positively to videos that provide moments to reflect. Taking viewers down memory lane makes for moments of nostalgia that help viewers reconnect with long-lost followers, or find new members who have the same memory. Think about this: When was the last time you saw your favorite band perform live…or for the very first time? THAT’S the power that videos that “move us” have.
4. Videos That Inform
While on the surface this may seem very similar to the aforementioned “videos that teach” point, videos that inform actually provide people with more information about a wide range of topics that they may already follow or be passionate about. You see, people are more inclined to share updates of their favorite events or provide more information on current events that is not found elsewhere.
While network programming like TLC prioritizes entertainment first and education second, as a business owner you should “flip the script” when creating videos for channels such as YouTube – put informing your audience first and the entertainment factor second. Figure out the utility value of the content (in other words, consider what the viewer gets out of it) while always keeping in mind the fundamental rule: To inform your viewer. Now, that’s not to say you don’t have to determine the entertainment aspect of it…just that it should serve as the sizzle of the educational steak.
5. Video That’s Relatable
Can you think of a better way to connect with your audience than by showing them that they’re not the only ones? Viewers can better connect to a video in which they see a part of themselves in a work boasting quality content.
What are we saying here? When viewers see videos that they relate to, they’re often excited enough to pass the concept along to their family, friends and followers. Essentially, they like to communicate, “Hey! This video shows the way I feel!” Indeed, if you can create a video or series that evokes this feeling, you are on the right track to triggering lots of shares among viewers.
As a social media marketing strategy, online video marketing as implemented by professional video marketing companies like Green Screen Talent Now has many facets and layers. But if you follow at least some of our suggestions here, you will be well on your way to boosting your traffic and gaining more business through your video marketing strategy.