There are several elements that can put off a user when it comes to video content, and as a content creator, it is up to you to ensure that they are addressed. Here, we share five of the most common video marketing mistakes brands make that can negatively impact online goals and even reputation. We have also provided actionable solutions that you can use to avoid these mistakes. Read on…
Video Marketing Mistake #1: Making the Video Just About the Company
There’s a better place to talk about your company’s credentials and that place is the ‘About Us’ page. Cramming everything – from your company’s history to its recent achievements – in one video can not only confuse viewers but also take up precious time from their short attention span.
To ensure that a video is to-the-point and relevant while not being overtly promotional, focus on your consumer personas and the consumer journey. Is your viewer in the awareness stage? This is the perfect time to create and upload an educational video. Or are they choosing between you and your competitor? Have your producer shoot a candid customer testimonial and convert that viewer now!
If you want to incorporate some branding into your video, do it subtly via a small logo on the bottom right corner of the video or in the background colours you use. The key is to focus your videos on your viewers’ needs and to create content that meet them where they are.
Video Marketing Mistake #2: Low-quality Videos
It’s 2018 and no one has patience for low-resolution videos. Instead of using embarrassing videos with shadows all over the place and laughable editing, invest in resources to create clips that don’t distract your audience. A perfect video requires lighting and other equipment, a decent camera and mic, and editing software to name a few. Perhaps most importantly, it requires a proper storyboard, a good narrator and actors, animators, and a team of experts who can blend all this work into one great video.
All of this can be challenging for a company to do by itself which is why, for many, it makes sense to hire a video production company that will take your vision and then take care of everything else. If work smart you can film lots of content at one time and re-purpose it time and time again. You can even get some photography stills to use in different areas of your social campaign.
Video Marketing Mistake #3: No Call to Action in the Video
There are videos that talk at you and there are videos that engage with you. As a video marketing professional, you want to create the latter. Present content that engages the viewer, drawing them in then directing them naturally to the next step of the consumer journey. No matter how good your video may be, leaving out a call to action (CTA) means you’re likely wasting a great opportunity to convert potential users.
CTAs come in many forms so don’t be afraid to test out different options. A great example of a CTA can be a link that takes users to a customised landing page where they can submit their contact information. Other types are buttons that take them to other relevant videos or special campaign pages on your website. Whatever you do, make sure your viewers have something to do at the end of the video, even if it means just having the narrator request that they subscribe to your YouTube channel. You’ve got their attention – Leverage it!
Video Marketing Mistake #4: Long (Very Long!) Videos
As noted earlier, videos that are hours long aren’t usually the most successful. Today’s online users have very short attention spans, and unless you are a celebrity (and even then), the odds of someone opting to view your video that says “1 hour, 55 minutes” are low. So, what do you do?
Break out the (figurative) scissors! Based on the type of the video you’re making, you have to stick to accepted lengths. While branding commercials should be less than sixty seconds, tutorials and explainers can go a bit longer (up to about 90 seconds). Testimonials, with real people talking about your brand, can be a little longer (up to two minutes, on average). Do not try fit too much into one video and instead divide them into parts, A well-composed playlist is a great way to keep viewers engaged on a topic without burning them out in one long video. The idea is to be short and sweet.
Video Marketing Mistake #5: Neglecting Video SEO
Search engines cannot understand videos. While they may in the future, your safest bet now is to optimize them to the best of your ability so that your video also comes up on search along with your website and other assets when your brand name is typed in as the query.
Whether your platform of choice is YouTube because everybody’s on it or Vimeo because your brand is artistically inclined or both and more, ensure you do not neglect video SEO parameters. Small elements like the title of the raw video, meta description, and keyword tags can go a long way in improving the SEO of your video.
Today, there’s too much content out there, most of which are just average. They do well in the online circles because their marketers have mastered the art of video marketing by avoiding these common mistakes. If you can do the same, just imagine how far you can go with your content that is a masterpiece.
