It’s no secret video marketing is the next generation in online marketing. Almost one-third of internet users use YouTube, with the video sharing platform totalling over one billion users who are hungry to consume video content. This has opened up all kinds of possibilities when it comes to marketing yourself and your business online.

If you are new to video marketing and don’t know how to go about creating and distributing your first campaign then keep reading.

You don’t need to compete with hollywood

These days there are many tools and equipment available that allow practically anyone to create and publish videos to the web. The result of this is that there is a level playing field for anyone wishing to create a video and it is not necessary to spend a small fortune trying to create a video that is of Hollywood quality.

Of course as a professional trying to market a product or service you should ensure that whatever content you publish suitably portrays your business image. With a little creativity it is possible to create a video that is entertaining to watch, good quality, and gets your message across with minimal effort.

Video marketing best practices

1. Be smart with your pitch
   There is an art to creating a powerful marketing video online that will have people clamber to watch it. In the online world, videos that have a direct marketing message rarely have much success.
2. 
Keep it light and simple

   People mainly watch videos to be entertained rather than sold to, so a simple video that is well crafted and entertaining is usually enough to be effective.
3. Know who your audience is
   In order to create a video that appeals to the masses and goes viral you need to first get a full understanding of your market. Only then can you create a video that appeals to them and makes them want to share it with their peers. This is where the real power of video marketing is and those that get it right will benefit greatly.
4. Target your videos to each stage of the buyer’s journey
   Different videos should be created for different stages in the buyer’s journey. A brand awareness video is going to be much less relevant to someone in the final stages of the funnel.
5. Leverage the content across all channels
   Remember to serve your video on places other than just your website or YouTube channel. With the introduction of Instagram Stories and Snapchat, even snippets of your video can be shared to reach your desired audience effectively.

Get everyone back to your place for the party

Before you start your video marketing campaign you need to ensure that your place is clean and welcoming – your place being your website. Videos are great for getting people to come and see the content on your website but first, the video or videos need to be enticing enough and second, the website needs to do a good job of holding these visitors once they get there.

In short, whatever curiosity or excitement the video instils in the audience, the website should serve to satisfy that.

There is certainly an art to making powerful marketing videos, but once you understand your market’s wants and needs it is possible to get creative and set a video marketing campaign in motion that will drive your business to levels you didn’t imagine were possible.