Did you know that VIDEO CONTENT is the number one form of media used in content strategy? According to research done by HubSpot in 2019, video has overtaken infographics and blogs as the best type of media, proving how powerful it can be when interacting and engaging with online users on marketing channels like YouTube and Facebook.
As reported by Biteable.com, a whopping 75% of marketers choose Facebook as the most popular channel to post their marketing videos, which is followed by YouTube. Furthermore, publishing video content allows you to leverage the power of YouTube, which is the second largest search engine following Google.
To execute a successful video marketing campaign, use these YouTube and Facebook video marketing hacks to grab the attention of your target audience and turn them into valuable leads:
7 YouTube and Facebook Video Marketing Hacks
1 – Tell a great story.
People love to listen to stories, especially from a brand they like. In fact, Hubspot reported that 96% of consumers increased their online video consumption in 2020, and 90% of viewers said they wanted to see more videos from businesses and brands they support. Powerful storytelling can captivate viewers and end up being shared by millions of people.
One example of a successful video campaign with a great story is the iconic DollarShaveClub.com video. With its engaging and humorous narrative, the video went viral. It helped the business grow until it was acquired by Unilever for a $1 billion all-cash acquisition.
With that being said, it helps to be creative in how you present your video. Personalize and create content with an emotional appeal to the viewers. Any message associated with strong emotion can easily attach to people’s memories, making emotional storytelling powerful in raising brand awareness.
2 – Grab their attention for the first five seconds.
The average attention span of humans has significantly decreased. According to Nielsen and Taboola, the attention span of consumers dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to just eight seconds in 2018. brands have a lesser amount of time now to grab the attention of a potential customer.
Photo Source: MuckRack.com
Because of this research, marketers have come up with the five-second rule. Brands only have the first five seconds of their video or content to introduce themselves and connect to the viewer. So avoid using lengthy and overstretched narratives and get to the point in the first five to ten seconds. Let your viewers know what to expect about your content right away.
3 – The shorter, the better.
The shorter attention span means that it is harder for marketers to convince viewers to watch their video until the end. The longer the video, the lower its retention rate. A report published by digital marketing expert Neil Patel shows that a video with a length of under a minute has an 80% retention rate. On the other hand, videos with a five to ten-minute length only have a 50% retention rate since viewers are likely to stop watching halfway through the video.
Photo Source: NeilPatel.com
So keep videos as short as possible and get to the point right away by telling your viewers in the introduction what they can get from watching the video. Follow with questions to build their curiosity or use teasers to hook their attention. Keep them entertained and give them enough reason to watch until the end.
4 – Use an eye-catching thumbnail.
Your video’s thumbnail is a crucial element in bringing in viewers. In fact, according to YouTube Creator Academy, 90% of the best-performing videos use a custom thumbnail. A high-quality thumbnail can make your target viewers click on your video, thus increasing its views and its conversion rate as well.
When creating a thumbnail, make sure that it is eye-catching. Use clear and high-contrast images because they tend to be more noticeable. Also, remember to use consistent layouts to deliver brand consistency and avoid using any irrelevant or misleading photos. And lastly, follow the recommended thumbnail size, a 1280 x 720 px image with a 16:9 aspect ratio in JPG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.
5 – Don’t forget to use SEO.
SEO optimization is important for your videos, like in any other form of digital content. By optimizing your videos for YouTube and Facebook, they are more likely to show on search results for users looking for your type of content. Video optimization is also crucial if you want your YouTube or Facebook videos to show on Google search results, which is highly important. According to Google, 80% of people typically switch between online search and video when searching for products to buy online.
Research for keywords that your target customers use when searching online. Use these keywords when creating a click-worthy title and engaging description. Also, don’t forget to add tags for your videos. It will also be helpful if you can add subtitles to your video. Many viewers on the go prefer to watch videos they can understand with less volume. In fact, according to Digiday.com, 85% of Facebook videos are played without sound.
6 – Advertise and promote your video.
When promoting your YouTube and Facebook videos, don’t depend on SEO alone. Invest and use your videos as ads to further promote your business and increase your brand awareness. Using video ads has been proven effective. 99% of current video marketers say they will continue using video in 2021, as published by the State of Video Marketing Survey. Animoto also states that video ads are so powerful that they are considered the number one way consumers discovered a brand and became customers.
Aside from video ads, you can also use other social media platforms to promote your videos, such as Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram. Another tip to increase your video’s views is to incorporate them into your email marketing content.
7 – Add an irresistible call-to-action.
Even the most successful video campaign can fail to generate leads if there isn’t a clear Call to Action (CTA) included. A CTA lets you guide your audience on what they need to do after watching your video. Do you want them to follow your Facebook page or subscribe to your channel? Visit your website? Or lead them to a landing page that introduces your main product or core service?
Adding CTA to your video is crucial as it can turn your video into a lead generation tool. In a report published by KISSmetrics, a CTA within a video is said to get 380% more clicks. Use annotations, cards, and pop-ups to add CTA to your videos. Make sure that it is clear and compelling enough for your audience to do what you want them to.
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Most marketers may find it time-consuming to produce professional videos. But undeniably, it is one of the most powerful tools one can use to achieve their marketing goals. YouTube and Facebook video marketing can engage users and turn them from viewers to potential leads and eventually to customers. By trying the video marketing hacks above and having a solid video marketing strategy, you can turn your videos into a sales funnel and bring new leads.
Do you need help in creating marketing videos for your brand? Cybertegic is a trusted digital marketing company in Los Angeles, who can help you produce eye-catching and engaging videos to reach your target audience. We have created many successful professional videos that have helped businesses increase their brand awareness and conversions. Get a free business consultation with us today by clicking this link.
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