Showing posts with label free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free. Show all posts

Friday, March 11, 2011

What's the Future of Video Marketing

In looking back only a few years, we saw video on the Internet rise at a rate unlike anything in previous years. Today, 80% of Internet users worldwide watch online video, according to a comScore study).
In that same study, it reported more than 167 million viewers in the U.S. watched an average of 167 videos each, while YouTube reached 1 billion views per day - or 41 million views per hour - in the same month (October 2009).

From these numbers, it shows how powerful of a platform the Internet is, and how video marketing is poised to take center stage in marketing efforts.

The Importance of Web Videos
Undoubtedly, you've seen many social video sharing sites popping up, telling us we're in an emerging industry. And, although digital media and online video space is very young, we are definitely seeing the beginning of this space.

Why? Because video engages people in a way that static content cannot. Video boosts customer interaction, drives sales, encourages viral sharing, and builds brand awareness.

With moving pictures, you have a very compelling medium to tell your story and sell a product. You can show prospective and existing customers your product instead of just telling them about it.
So now we're at a time that having video on your website is needed as much as you need someone to code and put up your website.

However, many small businesses are too busy and don't have a "video product manager" overseeing video production or deployment for them. Nor do they usually have the technological knowledge to be able to set up an online video offering themselves.

Well, video is too important to put it off much longer.

With more than 50% of people now looking online for products and services, a website has become an important aspect in connecting with your public.

What is happening here is that video marketing has become the nucleus of online success for companies. It is leading the way for businesses and individuals to incorporate a video strategy alongside an online, social, paid media, PR, and other marketing strategies.

Here's another statistic for you: 52% of people who watched an online video ad took action after viewing the ad, such as visiting the advertiser's website (31%) or searching online for more info on the product (22%). A full 21% went on to make a purchase - giving video ads one of the HIGHEST CONVERSION RATES IN THE INDUSTRY (per Online Publishers Association).

Here are a few companies that I came across that have substantial success with video:
  • Zappos (an online shoe and clothing retailer) increased sales from 6 to 30% using video marketing.
  • Deloitte (a consulting firm) uses web video to enhance their business with useful videos for current and future employees and company stock holders.
  • Jivox (an online video ad platform) used video demos on their website to increase registrations by 25%.
  • Fuse Box had 20% higher close rates when sales reps play a video at the beginning of their virtual sales demo.
  • Jigsaw uses crowd-sourcing to gather and vet business contact info, a new approach that relies on customer participation.
  • Car dealers with videos on their website generate more phone calls and emails from prospective shoppers vs. websites without video.
  • FrontPoint Security successfully uses video demonstrations to expand its pool of customers, and monthly sales leads from website increased 250 percent with video.
With success like this, it is a no-brainer that 94% of ad agencies plan on increasing their online video marketing budgets this year (BrightRoll survey).
In Summary....
  • Video shows your story and/or product and service.
  • Video drives sales
  • Video builds your brand
  • Videos help position you as an expert in your field.
  • Video makes your site more "sticky" - visitors stay longer.
  • Video engages people
  • Video goes viral
  • Video increases website conversions
Okay, I think you get the point.

Tips to Make Captivating Videos

Two things to consider when making a video.

1. Content
Most people use the web cam on their laptop and just record them randomly blabbing about something for 10 minutes and it's just rediculus. If you can't have some hard hitting information for 1 to 2 minutes... then you probably shouldn't make a video. Think of your video as the heading for a news paper article. It's just there to grab attention and then your website text should continue the conversation. It's been proven that websites that have videos on them have people stay on those sites longer then websites with out. So that's good to know. But a pathetic video just like a pathetic website will have people clicking away just as fast as they came.

2. "The Look" (audio video)
Video Part 1: Hey, I don't want to be the guy who sounds so superficial but... not everyone should be on video. NO ONE should do video unscripted and unprepared. With that said, I've seen way to many videos of some guy talking about how he's going to help me make millions of dollars when it looks like he's a middle aged guy sitting on his 80 year old grandmas couch. I mean COME ON! who else is with me on this one. If you are going to be talking about how you are going to help people make all this money. You better have a background that is either a blank white wall, with no holes in it or you should get a back drop. A black sheet, or something that looks like you planned it.

Video part 2: Buy a camera, and you can pick up a lite version of some kind of video editing software or use windows movie maker. It's on most PC's. I personally use a mac and iMovie which is the mac equivalent of windows movie maker, but it's WAY better. Combine that with iLife... which is an upgrade plugin and NOW you can do green screen videos. WHICH are way cool. If you really want to make your videos look great get a mac, a green screen, a bunch of lights and go to it. Then you can make whatever background you want.

Audio: Does your video look great but sound like crap. that's no good either. When buying a video camera buy one with a good mic. Read the reviews and or buy an additional mic. Mic's can be expensive, mine is 200 dollars for the lapel mic and it's not exactly great. I should have just spent the 300 bucks and bought a professional grade one instead of the pro-sumer one. Don't get crazy, you don't need a 3000 dollar mic but a few hundred bucks and your golden. B&H is a great place to buy those kinds of items or eBay. Remember, that no amount of looking good will over come poor audio. It's also not a bad idea to lay down a little background music, but be careful there not to over power the audio from the person speaking.

I hope this helps someone just getting started in video marketing.