If Content is King, Video is Queen

Everywhere you look these days—both figuratively and literally—you’ll see video. Originally sired to serve the kingdom of television, video has matured and conquered the realm of the Internet. (Okay, we may be flashing our “Game of Thrones” fandom a bit much, but you get the point.)

Since video itself is not especially new, why are companies now claiming that video marketing is the most sought-after skill for their teams? And if video is really that important, how in the world does one get started making it (and making it good)?

Let’s start with the “why.” Sure, video isn’t new, but it has become ubiquitous. So much so, that Cisco predicts that global IP video traffic will be 82% of all consumer Internet traffic by 2021. That’s a whole lot of consumer attention, and that’s what marketers want.

More important than the eyeballs on the video, though, is the brain processing it. Unlike the early days of analog Super 8 home videos, today’s digital clips are capturing a lot of extremely useful information. What videos people are watching and sharing, how long they’re viewing and on which platforms, when they click through and when they don’t—these are all data points that you can use to better understand your audience.

Better understanding leads to closer connections. Closer connections contribute to more sales. It makes sense why video is in demand. After all, customers are already obsessed with video content…don’t you want them obsessed with yours?

Show Me, Don’t Tell Me

Beyond just building brand awareness, video is a powerful way to clearly communicate complex ideas to your audience and guide them through your customer lifecycle. You could educate customers on your products and services. You could onboard new employees or share company updates. If those aren’t enough, check out even more examples of how video content can be used throughout your marketing funnel to get your creative juices really flowing.

Pick a few goals you want to accomplish with video content, then start creating a strategy to reach them.

A Goal Without a Plan is Just a Wish

Now it’s time for the “how.” Video understandably intimidates a lot of marketers, but the process of creating a successful video strategy is easier than you think. An ideal place to start is by examining your current marketing activities. Identify any opportunities or gaps where video content might be appropriate.

First Things First

Because there are a considerable number of moving parts involved with video creation, it’s important to put some framework in place from the get-go. Here’s how I recommend getting started.

1. Rules of Thumb: Video’s important, but that doesn’t mean using video for everything. There will be times when it simply isn’t possible or just doesn’t make sense. Put some rules in place. For instance, you may want to always use video at a new product launch, but selectively use it during the sales cycle (tip: read up on these best practices for prospecting with video). Knowing the “Always, Sometimes, and Nevers” of video usage will speed decision-making and keep priorities straight.
2. Branding: As with your other marketing collateral, your videos should reflect your brand’s unique look and feel. Make sure you’re considering the voice and tone of your content; are you a pinstriped-suit-and-tie business, or an aloha shirt and flip flops one? I know that seems like an easy one to answer now, but you’ll really need specifics because your shoot location and styling, actors and dialogue, and post-production audio and visual overlays will all be pieces of how your videos get dressed up and presented to viewers.
3. Roles and Responsibilities: One of the great things about video is that unedited, unscripted material can quickly be captured on-site and in-the-moment—and there’s nothing like participating in a genuine experience to really engage an audience. However, there will be times when multiple people need to be involved to create high quality video content. Determine who will be responsible for tasks including project management, scripting, filming, editing, and distribution so your team can reserve the necessary budget, time, and staffing resources.

Putting It All In Place

Now that you’re on the road to becoming a video producer, you’ll need to consider how to put that content to work.

1. Distribution Channels: One of the most common mistakes new video marketers make is in creating great content before deciding where it will go. That 15-minute how-to video may work wonders on YouTube, but it won’t fly on Twitter. You need to pick your distribution channels first, and then tailor the content to fit the formats and limitations of those channels. As an example, you may need to script your video so it can be edited neatly into shorter clips for Instagram or email newsletter. Knowing where the content will eventually live is key to efficient creation and use.
2. Measuring Success: Taking your goals from the beginning, define the metrics that will provide you with deeper audience insight. Engagement metrics such as number of views, shares, and comments can help refine what type of content is resonating. But click-through rates don’t tell the whole story. Videos can drive significant success for your business if you’re also tracking the number of leads, pipeline, and revenue generated from it. Hold your video content to the same standards as your other marketing content pieces to make sure you’re maximizing its ROI.

Video creation doesn’t have to be hard, but it does need to be planned. Whether you’re just getting started with video or are already incorporating it, this Video Strategy Workbook is a fantastic resource to sharpen your focus and take it to the next level.

With video’s ability to collect critical data about audience preferences, attention spans, and actions as well as its potential for strengthening consumer/brand loyalty, it’s clear this is a powerful arrow to add to your marketing quiver. As we say at Convince & Convert, “If content is king, video is his queen.” (And yes, winter is coming…)

P.S. If you are already utilizing video, good for you! Check out “Generate More Value From Your Existing Videos” from our post sponsor, Vidyard, to learn how to reach new audiences and generate new leads.