Grow your audience using video

There is no argument about how effective video content is in engaging an audience, compared to text or still images. The ability to convey information and emotion naturally and efficiently makes it the most powerful tool available for marketing today.

However, there are still many people who simply post a video online and expect an audience to be engaged and interested in their business overnight. This unrealistic expectation then leads to a negative perspective of video content as a method of communicating, and they often stop their efforts altogether.

Video content should be treated like any other type of marketing activity, and there are just a few crucial steps that will grow your audience and keep them engaged and interested in what your company has to offer.

The following applies to growing a YouTube channel, but can also be used for your website or other social media platforms.

Post regular content and keep momentum

The key to building an audience using video lies in regular, consistent that adds value. What this essentially means, is that you should give your viewers a reason to come back and watch more of your videos - i.e. subscribe or follow you.

Solve problems - don't sell

In order to add value to your audience, which will in turn keep them interested in your company and establish you as an authority in your market, it's important to focus on solving your ideal customer's problems. This can be subtle, for example showing an event highlights film, or through a conversational interview with a fellow industry thought leader. Your customer's journey will start with you identifying their problems and providing a solution - this should be the common thread throughout your content. Don't be salesy and always add value.

Be honest and transparent

The key here is to be vulnerable - we live in a world where people spend hours on social media, most are just scrolling through looking for something real - something they can feel and experience. Give your audience this and you will quickly build not only engagement but also trust. The most common way of opening up to an audience is to provide a behind-the-scenes look at what you do and how you do it - feed their curiosity and show off your expertise. You can also take your customers on a journey -this might be the life of a project, or how your company is growing and adapting.

Plan ahead - make life easy

For regular content to be fed into a marketing channel - be it Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube - it's absolutely crucial to plan ahead. This will ensure that every piece of content plays to the wider goals whilst also making light work of producing the amount of content needed to grow your audience. There is no magic number, but the main thing is to produce a consistent flow of content so that your audience knows what to expect from you.

Interact and be social

Lastly, once you have your regular content that is adding value to your audience, you should focus on interaction - generate and participate in conversation. This could be simply replying to comments on YouTube and other social media platforms. You might also go one step further and create a video where viewers send in their questions and you answer them on camera . It's important to remember that your audience are giving your their time by following your company, and so you absolutely owe it to them to keep them informed and engaged.

A successful video strategy doesn't have to be overly complicated, and following these simple steps will take you most of the way there.

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Santiago

Founder, 42 South Films