8 Ways to Avoid Common Video Marketing Mistakes Focus on telling stories about people using your products and the benefits that they derive from using them.
By Gordon Tredgold Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Video marketing used to be an expensive and lengthy business, but with the advances in professional video production equipment, smartphone technology and the ease of use of platforms such YouTube, almost anyone can become a video marketer. As a result, this has led to an astonishing 87 percent of online marketers currently using video content in their marketing according to Outbrain.
Related: By 2019, Video Marketing Will Be Everything. You've Got to Get in on the Trend -- Now.
Faster, easier and cheaper does not always mean superior, but there are a few simple steps that you can take to ensure you create quality videos.According to Juan Rutz and Martin Borer of RutzRoberts Productions, the following represent eight common mistakes aspiring video marketers make and how to avoid them:
1. Excessive "hard selling"
When you apply the "hard sell" it is much like asking your first date to marry you.
Yes, there is a very remote possibility, but you more likely be successful building a relationship step by step. By creating teaser videos, you will intrigue potential clients, further sharing your content and inspiring a continued relationship.
2. Videos are not part of a campaign
You may only get one chance to make a first impression, and as a result, many companies tend to "overload" their costumer base with info and pandering about themselves. Pace your message and leave something to the imagination and curiosity without exhausting the rather short attention span of your viewer.
Juan and Martin say that campaigns are the way to go every single time. Rather than creating a single five-minute video, companies should focus on a multi-faceted approach to creating a two-minute video in concert with six 30-second segments still adding up to a total of five minutes. However, it multiplies and concentrates the intended purpose in what they call the "marinating effect." More than ever the attention span of viewers have been condensed, hence the need to be short, informative, entertaining and to the point.
Make an emotional connection, inspire and leave them wanting for more.
3. Poor title and SEO
Content is one thing -- lead in title is entirely a different animal. Interesting titles and effective tagging are essential in maximizing your SEO and harnessing your views.
Having a great video no one can find defeats that purpose entirely and renders all production efforts useless.
4. Disharmonized content
Video marketing is not just about visual images. Effective videos all harmonize the images with the best use of voice and text. All of these components need to be taken into consideration when producing your video. Everything needs to be deliberate and intentionally planned.
Use of words, tone of voice, sectional use of the screen and content all add to the appeal of your overall production package.
5. Focus on products not people
If facts tell and stories sell, then don't make your video a list of facts about your products. Focus on telling stories about people using your products and the benefits that they derive from using them. If your story is well told, then people will seek out more information.
Related: The 4 Pillars of Stellar Video Marketing
6. Not harnessing the power of video
If a picture paints 1,000 words just imagine how much a well-crafted video -- even one that's only 30 seconds long -- can communicate. But you need to make sure that your videos portray the right content and in the right essence. Juan and Martin say that videos are all about style. In fact, contrary to what you might think, style is actually more important than content. You need to have the appropriate style, one which is authentic to your brand and which will elevate your message and make it resonate with your target audience.
7. Under-using available social media platforms
YouTube is great, but it is not the only game in town. Maximize not only your reach but also your SEO by publishing your videos on all platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. This doesn't mean load it into YouTube, then copy and paste the link on the other platforms. When you load your video into platforms natively, such as Facebook, you get twice as many views as you would if you had just put a link to the YouTube video.
And don't forget email. According to established research, including a video in your emails will increase click-through rates by 200 to 300 percent.
8. Videos are too long
We live in a world of immediate gratification and small attention span. Therein lies the magic formula to capture your audience in a comprehensive, entertaining, yet limited stage. That has become the hallmark of video marketing.
Related: Why You Need to Start Video Marketing Now
By avoiding these common mistakes, it will help you to create a video marketing strategy that will connect, resonate and engage with your target audience which will help drive traffic to your website and increase sales.
