Tuesday 26 June 2012

The growing trend of Online Video Marketing – Part 2

Birmingham based online marketing expert, Waseem Saddique, continues his review following the growing trend of online video marketing. In part 2, Waseem Saddique offers advice on how to make your video feature above all the rest.

Having a strategy in place that will make your online video marketing campaign stand-out is vitally important to its success and its longevity. Here are some tactics that will help to give your online marketing video that added ‘wow’ factor when it comes to drawing in audiences:

#1 – Establish a campaign: Some of the most successful online video marketing campaigns have been campaigns that feature more than ‘one’ video. Many businesses have gone on to generate a series of videos that tell a story that keep audiences captivated, but more importantly it brings them back to a website as they are intrigued to find out how the ‘story’ will conclude. For wider reach and exposure you can quite easily create a series of videos that are published frequently. This will allow you to establish brand awareness that will only increase with every video that is posted.

#2 – Don’t underestimate the importance of a Call-to-Action: Waseem Saddique comments: “I am often astounded by the number of online marketing campaigns that fail to use call-to-actions and get customers interacting and involved. Instead, too many businesses focus attention on promoting themselves and essentially miss the point of giving customers an incentive to explore what’s on offer.”

When it comes to online video marketing, don’t pass up the opportunity to encourage your audience to take some form of action, whether it is within the video or right at the end. Be specific, for example, ask them to sign up to a newsletter, visit your website or ask them to tell you what they thought about your video by leaving a comments box. If your video is of a high standard, chances are you will have their undivided attention, so be sure to use that to your advantage.

#3 – Don’t get drawn into making a sales pitch: Try to avoid selling your business all the way through your online marketing video. Much of the web is littered with ‘sales’ and most audiences are bored of it, so you need to make your video unique by subtly selling your business, but keeping the audience interested. Your video should identify what your audience wants or needs, offer solutions to that want or need and then should tell them how your business is the answer.

Waseem Saddique comments: “It is important to promote your business, but it is essential that you remember that the customer is the most important factor of your business. Without them you have no business anyway. So avoid online marketing videos that spend the duration telling everyone how great the company is and remember to engage the audience. If they have no incentive to buy your products or use your service, they WILL look elsewhere."