Video marketing: how to develop and implement an effective strategy

Promotion of goods, services, companies and online stores with the help of video content has gained enormous popularity in the last 5 years. Researches of marketers confirm the effectiveness of this tool: 65% of users are ready to go to a site or make a purchase after watching a video in social networks, 74% of them watch the reviews when choosing a product, 75% of companies that use video report a high ROI. We talk about the pros and cons of video marketing, and the rules for developing and implementing an effective promotion strategy.

What is video marketing and why should it be used?

Video marketing is a way to promote products, services or businesses using video. By implementing a strategy, you can use both promotional and informal videos, which have a chance to go viral. They provide vivid presentations, information buzz and high audience engagement. The popularity of content is due to the ease of interaction for users: clips can be watched at home, on public transportation, or at work using a headset. Video marketing used to promote an online store provides the following positive results:

• Highly effective interaction with the audience;
• Presentation of goods and services in a more accessible and understandable format;
• Increased loyalty to the online store;
• Improvement of SEO-performance. Search engine algorithms like sites with video content, which has a beneficial effect on ranking positions;
• Users are introduced to products, services or businesses even without visiting the official site. They can see the video on affiliate networks or on YouTube;
• attracting lazy customers who do not want to read lengthy promotional texts;
• information buzz, if the content goes viral, and increasing reach on social networks;
• working with different audience segments by posting videos on popular platforms.

The use of video on an online store site increases the depth of page views and the number of clicks on internal links, which also has a positive impact on positions in search engines. Videos draw users in, stimulate visual memory and spread quickly - people actively share interesting content on social networks and messengers. Of the disadvantages of video marketing is the high cost of creating content and solid competition. The latter disadvantage can be mitigated by developing a viable strategy and original content that users will want to see through to the end.

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Types of video marketing

In the early stages of developing a promotion strategy, you need to choose the right types of video marketing (testing, competitive analysis, trend studies), which will highlight all the features and reveal the specifics of the business. Let's look at the most in-demand formats.

Demo videos

The aim of demonstration videos is to introduce potential customers to the business, product or service. There's no direct advertising; they are branded and show the advantages of the online store and the features of the product/service. The content should be supplemented with the name of the online store to ensure visual memory, it should be bright and non-trivial.

Training and practical usefulness

Educational and useful videos are a good solution to attract users who search for materials with information queries ("how to connect", "how to make", "how to choose", others). Industry experts are involved in the creation, as well as:

• representatives of brands and manufacturing companies;
• consultants of the online store;
• popular lecturers and bloggers.

An advertising block can be added to the content, but 90% of time is devoted to revealing the topic: using products, creating products with your own hands, self repair, applying makeup and other things closely related to business. A popular format is an interview with a guest expert, whose credibility automatically increases audience loyalty and trust. The potential of educational videos is used by online hypermarkets selling building materials, online stores selling equipment and representatives of other niches.

Promotional videos

Combines a demonstration of products, services, or online store, supplemented by advertising. Classical marketing formulas, such as AIDA, are used when creating commercials. Videos are emotional, the most important blocks are introduced in the first seconds or minutes, which depends on the duration. Some advertising formats go viral, especially if they are complemented by catchy slogans or tracks. It is important to have a unique selling proposition, solving pains and leveling objections that potential customers may have.

Live streaming

Streaming is gradually increasing in popularity (in 2022, it will get about 13% of all video content), so live streaming needs to be included in your marketing strategy. During a live stream, participants interact with each other and with users, answering relevant questions and covering various topics. Live streams can be held on social networks and video hosting sites (YouTube Live) by announcing them in a group or through newsletters beforehand. Streaming can attract new potential customers interested in the topic that the participants will touch upon. Such a format increases customer engagement and builds trust.

Reviews

Video reviews help clients look inside the box with a product: a full unpacking with technical characteristics and testing of functions takes place. Any kind of product can be unpacked, from a TV to a kid's toy. Many online stores engage in unpacking bloggers who, for a fee or product first record a video, and then post it on their channel. The format of such videos is a recommendation, they don't look like advertising, so they arouse users' confidence. The description of the video can include the name or site of the online store where the product was purchased.

User content

UGC content is one of the most effective tools for building audience loyalty. Content allows you to share an experience, users create it on their own for a small fee. By incorporating UGC content into your video marketing strategy, you can use the following formats:

• product and service reviews;
• Home unpacking and reviews of orders;
• practical application of purchased products: a customer bought paint and filmed instructions on how to properly use it for interior finishes;
• comparisons, for example, of smartphones in the same price category.

Users post content on their pages on social networks and video hosting sites, supplementing publications with relevant hashtags, as well as on the blog and groups of the online store (after pre-moderation).

In conclusion

Video marketing is a promising tool that will help increase a business's online presence, work with a large audience and attract new customers. It is necessary to follow trends, but at the same time keep an individual style and do not forget about the elements of branding. It is recommended to listen to the audience's opinion concerning any aspects - from music to stories that users want to see. When promoting videos it is worth using the potential of SEO and paid advertising, the frequency of adding videos is determined individually, it depends on the niche and competitors' strategy. Content will have to be created and published all the time, so it is important to conduct regular market research and ROI calculation to prevent loss.

Source: video marketing company