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Video has dominated the content marketing game for quite some time now. So much so that last year, video content was accountable for 80% of all online traffic. This shouldn’t come as a surprise against today’s social backdrop. Audiences are more demanding than ever, and exciting videos are one of the most effective ways to persuade even the savviest consumer. Few mediums are as engaging as video. They are arguably the best storytelling tool for marketers and are an effective way for businesses to communicate with their customers and shape their brand image. Video content is especially important when it comes to social strategy. Creative and original videos are shareable and tend to have more viral potential than other types of content.

These days, it doesn’t cut it to simply incorporate video content into your overall marketing strategy. According to research and statistics, video should be the star of the show. So, how can businesses optimise their video content to skyrocket conversion rates? Here are 6 tips to get you started.

Know your audience

Consumers are concerned with one thing above all else. What’s in it for me? Every marketing endeavour must therefore begin with the target customer in mind. In order to be sharable, video content must be relevant to your audience. Viewers should benefit from the video in some capacity, whether it makes them laugh, teaches them something useful or triggers nostalgia. Study your demographics, create buyer personas and invest in analytics. Find out what your target customer is interested and build your video content accordingly. Once you have developed tailored content, most social media platforms can target audiences for you. Facebook, for example, allows you to segment users according to age, gender, location and language. This ensures that your video content will reach your prospective consumers. Treat this as a last line of defence, however. If your video content isn’t relevant, no amount of targeting will win you customers.

Engage with your viewers

Not only is the modern consumer selfish, but they can also be needy. It’s not enough just to post video content on your social channels. Take your strategy to the next level by interacting with your viewers. Replying to comments builds a direct rapport between brand and consumer and is a sure-fire way to boost customer loyalty. Maintain a personable and friendly tone towards your consumers in your interactions. This will help to lift the faceless, cold and corporate veil that envelops many businesses. Interacting with your customers can also make them feel important. Human nature tells us that feelings of importance influence actions. Since the ultimate goal of any campaign is to compel customers to buy, engaging with them in this way is a worthwhile endeavour. Going the extra mile pays handsomely.

Tell a story

As a race, humans are essentially addicted to stories. We are empathetic beings, biologically hardwired to engage in storytelling. Compelling stories can evoke powerful emotions inside of us. We remember them intricately and are often permanently affected by them. Marketers capitalise on this because it means that stories can influence consumer attitudes and behaviours. Videos, in particular, are powerful storytelling vehicles. Video is a multi-sensory experience, leveraging the power of colour and sound to deliver messages in a highly stimulating way. When developing video content, focus your efforts on stories rather than sales. Avalanched by countless unsolicited ads, modern audiences have become impervious to most marketing material. If you’re sceptical about making this shift, you can always include a strategic call to action at the end of the video. Just try not to be too pushy or overly salesy.

Use a mix of topical and evergreen content

To maximise engagement, your business should incorporate a blend of topical and evergreen video content into its overall strategy.  Topical content is that which relates to something current. This type of content goes hand in hand with social media. Topical marketing is a clever way to captivate audiences and create a buzz, boosting brand awareness and bolstering brand image. Monitor trends and see if you can feature them in your videos. The Twitter explore page is a good place to start. While topical content has its advantages, however, its shelf life is limited. Evergreen content has greater longevity, meaning it will remain relevant for longer. Customer testimonials are a prime example. Testimonials can build your brand’s credibility, eliciting trust and confidence. Your company website is a great home for them. Publish them on your landing page and where they can live for years - their perennial appeal means they will stand the test of time. 

Incorporate humour

If and when appropriate, try injecting humour into your video content. Studies suggest a positive correlation between humour and memory, meaning that consumers are more likely to remember funny content. In addition, people are more likely to share humorous videos, increasing their reach and thus their potential to go viral. Humour is subjective, so remember to tailor your jokes toward your audience. What’s funny to a millennial could be offensive to a baby boomer. Consider what style best resonates with your target demographic. Humour based on shared experience, for example, can be highly effective. Keep it simple with this observational style, celebrating the mundane, day-to-day occurrences that unite us in life. Self-deprecation is another popular approach. Poking fun at your brand helps to humanise it, inspiring trust in sceptical consumers. Lampooning current affairs can work well for edgier brands. This practice, known as newsjacking, requires deftness and well-timed creativity, but can have huge payoff when properly executed.

Choose the right thumbnail

First impressions are everything. The same logic applies with your video content. Thumbnails should be visually striking, instantly captivating your audience and leaving them hungry for more. Faces work well on thumbnails, particularly those portraying strong emotions and making direct eye contact. Remember, there is a fine line between grabbing attention and using clickbait. Rather than opting for the shock factor, your thumbnail should give the viewer a genuine taste of what’s in store. Choose a still-shot from your video if possible. You’ve worked hard on your video content, don’t let a bad thumbnail be your demise. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest differences.

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