Is video a big deal right now? Just ask Forrester Research – they say that videos are 50 times more likely to get a first page ranking than traditional text pages. In another study, Cisco found that video will account for about 69% of total user web traffic in the coming year.
So, yes, video is a big deal. Which means that you need to be taking a deep dive into how to use it to promote your next conference or event.
Today, we’ll explore tips and strategies you can use to integrate video marketing into your own event marketing program. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started.
Focus on the details
Here’s a secret — your audio is one of the most important elements of your video. Most people don’t realize that, but if the viewer can hear too much room noise or echo in the background, it signals that the video wasn’t professionally created. The solution is to either use a lapel microphone or use a baffle to minimize the room noise.
In similar fashion, you’ll want to make sure the lighting is balanced and even across the board. I used fill lighting in the video below to counter-balance the bright light of the monitor behind me and it improve the quality significantly.
Start with the end in mind
Every event marketing campaign starts with a list of goals and objectives. Your goal might be as simple as building awareness for your event. A more specific goal might be to drive clicks to your website so that people purchase tickets. Or, you could get even more specific by having a goal of driving prospects to a landing page where they fill out a form and become a lead for a future event.
No matter what your goal is, it’s important to have a specific result in mind. So, first things first – think through what your end game is and write it down so you can keep you sights on the desired outcome.
Review your live video options
Meerkat and Blab are dead, which is a bummer. Periscope is owned by Twitter, which means as long as there’s a Twitter, there’ll be a Periscope. That leaves us with Facebook and LinkedIn as your primary live video options.
Getting set up on Periscope, Facebook and LinkedIn is pretty easy. Just check their websites for plenty of up-to-date instructions. Actually doing a video on any of those platforms is another story altogether – the technology is simple, but the nerves can get in the way.
Fear not. We live in a short-attention-span digital world where what you did last week (or in the last hour) is quickly forgotten. Plus, people are surprisingly forgiving to people who give live video a try. So don’t be afraid – dive in and start using the platforms.
Create an engaging title
The title of your video may have just as much of an impact on your traffic as the actual content itself. As a starting point, a great title has the ability to instantly grab the attention of a potential attendee. Additionally, using appropriate keywords in your title increases the likelihood that your content will show up on search engines. Also, when it comes to SEO, it is important to keep in mind that Google owns YouTube, so there is a strong connection between SEO and video.
Become a storyteller
Effective video content tells a story to the consumer as opposed to strictly “selling” to the consumer. Furthermore, it is important for businesses to recognize the power of emotion and to use it to their advantage when creating video content. The Digital Marketing Institute notes that businesses should use this tactic in an effort to appeal to their customer’s needs and desires.
Keep it short and sweet
According to a study conducted by Visible Measures, nearly 1/5 of all viewers will discontinue watching a video within 10 seconds or less. It is recommended that video content be as short and to the point as possible. Make sure the introduction to your video is entertaining and informative.
(Side note: For every study I’ve seen saying that short video is best, I’ve seen another study that says long form video is best. In the end, you’ll need to test your way to success to see what works for your event, but in my experience, short videos outperform long videos almost every time.)
Make it compatible for mobile
Mobile devices are quickly becoming the most commonly used medium to view content. According to YouTube, consumption of mobile video increases by 100% every year. Most platforms are automatically set up to be viewed on a mobile device, so from a technology standpoint, there’s not a lot to worry about. Just try to keep context in mind – that is, that your viewer might be sitting at a bus stop, in a mall, or at a restaurant.
Mobile user engagement
Whereas desktop viewers of video content are known to only stick with a video for 2 minutes or less, this number increases when it comes to mobile viewers. iPhone users typically watch for 2.4 minutes, while Andriod users are estimated to engage with a video for 3 minutes. Users who watch video content on iPad’s have the longest user engagement of all at around 5 minutes.
Make content educational in nature
One of the best ways to use video for your business is to focus on educating your viewers. A majority of viewers search for videos that offer informative content such as advice, tips, news, etc. This type of content has been found to be more effective than strictly promotional video content.
Add music
Another useful way to take advantage of video content is to incorporate music. Music can strike a variety of emotions in the consumer. Use music that fits the overall mood of the message and provides a more well-rounded experience for users.
Tagging for SEO
Search engines use specific algorithms to provide users with the most relevant information in their search journey. Therefore SEO is becoming increasingly important for traditional and video content alike.
Be sure to upload your video to your own website first as a way to get the most bang for your SEO buck. And don’t forget to tag your videos with keywords that are important to you. Descriptions and tags allow Google to make sense of your video content and give it the ability to properly rank your video.
Create a campaign
While stand-alone videos can be effective, think outside of the box when it comes to video content marketing. Creating a theme or campaign of content-rich videos allows you to reach greater exposure. A campaign also allows consumers to easily access more information on the same topic, which provides your business the ability to build upon your brand identity.
Incorporate a call to action
A call to action is important for businesses to build a following for their brand. Businesses can ask consumers to visit a specific website, subscribe to their channel, sign up for their newsletters, or any number of other requests. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to ask users to continue to engage with your brand by implementing the above techniques.
Provide a link and embed your content
Be sure to provide a link to your viewers to drive traffic to your website. Additionally, make sure to embed your video on your own website. By implementing these tactics, you will provide multiple opportunities for your business to increase traffic and grow an audience. Google’s algorithm takes in to consideration how many times a video is viewed. So, essentially, by embedding your video into your website or other platforms, the views you receive gets added to the total views on YouTube.
According to Forbes, it is estimated that video content will account for more than 80% of all web traffic by 2019, making it all the more important to implement each of the tactics outlined in this blog post. Good luck! And keep us posted on your results.
About the Author: Jamie Turner is an internationally recognized author, speaker, and CEO who speaks about business, digital media, and leadership at events, conferences, and corporations around the globe. He has been profiled in one of the world’s best selling marketing textbooks, is the author of several business books, and can be seen regularly on CNN and HLN. He can be reached at +1-678-313-3472 or via email at Jamie.Turner@SIXTY.Company.