If you’re reading this, you know the impact that video can have to your website in terms of getting traffic and converting those visitors into buyers, subscribers or whatever action you want them to take. That said, not all videos get traffic. And, among those that do, there are even fewer that convert.
So what kind of videos get traffic? And what kind of internet video marketing content converts? This guide will help you create a video that will help grow your business through targeted communication, which will lead to better video conversion rates, increased sales and greater profit.
Tip 1: Be Attractive
Today’s Internet surfers have become very keen at ignoring advertising in all forms–they are virtually blind to banner ads, block emails from unknown senders and skip over advertisements in YouTube videos. Paid advertising is no longer the most viable method for getting visitors to your website; you have to earn traffic by providing valuable content.
Content can be anything, but in this case, we’re talking about Internet video marketing. And in your case, video should be a valuable piece of entertainment or information that attracts leads to your site.
Some video naturally attracts leads. For example, if you sell music editing software, you could create a video called “10 Awesome Recording Techniques.” You could focus other videos on brand awareness, such as a vlog (video blog) post titled “2013 Forecast on Hot Indy Artists.”
In both cases, your video will lure traffic with valuable information. More importantly, you’ll begin to establish a trusted relationship with viewers. Once you have your video in place, you want people to find it. Here are some ideas to start you off on the right track.
Don’t Ignore SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is extremely important for effective Internet video marketing; what you use to help you video get found and indexed properly by search engines such as Yahoo, Bing or Google. By employing SEO techniques, you’ll increase your search engine rankings–and that increases traffic to your video.
Be Social
If you want to be popular, you can’t stand in the shadows waiting for someone to ask you to dance. Did you know 75% of shoppers use social media to collect information about services and products? You can’t afford not to have a presence in the social atmosphere. Drive traffic to your videos by blogging about new services or products you’re offering, company updates or industry news, and point your readers back to your videos. Reward your followers and fans with exclusive offers or coupons. Keep in touch with your B2B connections via LinkedIn. Most importantly, be consistent and be genuine.
Tip 2: Focus on Action
Getting traffic is only the first step. While a high-quality video can drive visitors to your site, you need to be sure it entices them to take action and give you their information or make a purchase. If you’re getting a lot of views but aren’t getting any opt-ins, there could be several factors dissuading viewers from taking action.
Your Content Isn’t Compelling
In order to get a person to give you their information or contact you, they must be motivated enough to take the time to watch your whole video. If you have low opt-in rates, it could be because your video doesn’t seem to offer enough value.
The best videos are informative, entertaining and original. When the video is full of fluff, looks thrown together or seems like it regurgitates information from elsewhere it will not perform well. If you do make an offer in your video, make sure you are clear about what your offer is, when it is available, how and where she can go to cash in on the offer.
Be sure the way you present your offer motivates visitors to take action. Apply a strong call-to-action and make the benefits of taking action “right now” apparent.
You Don’t Come Across as Trustworthy
This is a crucial point. If your video is representing your brand, it needs to communicate your brand’s professionalism, reliability and quality. When a visitor views your video, they should feel like it offers a comfortable level or expertise. If they don’t feel this, you’ve lost your chance. Consider including consumer confidence-inspiring content such as case studies, testimonials or mentions of industry awards.
You’re Asking for Too Much
Internet surfers are protective of their personal information, and time. To maximize the number of leads you obtain, minimize the number of fields in the form accompanying your video. In most cases, name and email should suffice.
Tip 3: Get Personal
You don’t need a study to tell you that your viewers will respond better to a video that seems to be personalized to them. Evaluate your target audience and determine how you can customize your video to address your audience in the most personal way possible.
Tip 4: Interact
If you’re posting your video on a social marketing platform such as YouTube or Facebook, you’re in a great position to grow even more through “Likes,” comments and referrals. So don’t forget to clearly ask for a “Like” or pose an engaging question and ask for an answer. And, when you do get people commenting, make sure you reply. Consumers want to know that there is a real person behind the video, not a robot.
Overall, make sure your video is interesting and informative enough to get people talking. If you use these four tips not just during and after your video production, but actually in the planning stages, you’ll discover the huge advantage that comes with marketing with video: new traffic, new leads and a loyal community of fans.
