As countless people around the world tried to relieve their lockdown boredom, videos became the number-one form of digital content. This trend was nothing new — video marketing had already been wildly successful at driving engagement, especially on social media.
Still, many brands have been reluctant to get on board. Now that video creation is so affordable and consumers are hungry for watchable content, there are no excuses. Here’s how to add video to your marketing strategy in 2021 — even if you’re on a budget.
Capture Authentic Moments
While polished, professional shot videos may look nice, your audience may prefer to see content that seems genuine and organic. In fact, many consumers would prefer to see something that resonates with their interests than something with high production value. That’s because people want to feel connected to their brands, rather than being sold to.
Your smartphone or tablet is likely more than capable of generating good video content. Try recording some behind-the-scenes footage, or take some great shots of your product being used by a happy customer or client. People love to see tutorial videos and demos as well. Remember, it’s okay if it looks a little “raw.” Just be sure that the lighting and sound quality is good so that viewers can enjoy your content! Often, a circle light and clip-on mic are all you need, and they’re quite reasonably priced.
Demonstrate Your Expertise
Explainer videos are incredibly popular — just look at the countless DIY videos on YouTube. You can get in on the action. Shoot a video of someone explaining how to use your product (or a topic relevant to your brand), and mix in helpful stills and animations. You don’t even have to shoot actual footage; animated explainer videos are on the rise! You can include a mix of digital animation and real-world footage.
Get creative with your explainer videos. Digital whiteboard videos can be really affordable and incredibly engaging — perfect for YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram.
Explainer videos are incomparable for boosting your brand authority and attracting organic traffic — it’s well worth the investment!
Don’t Be Afraid to Go Longer
It’s true that shorter videos (under 1 minute) perform better, but people are also spending more time than ever watching videos. The experts believe that the average consumer will spend 100 minutes per day on videos in 2021. To capture more of their time, make your videos short enough to be digestible but long enough to provide value.
YouTube remains the number-one source for longer videos, but you can also get a lot of views on Facebook and IGTV. Craft your videos in a way that entertains while providing useful information to your audience. And don’t forget to include multiple calls-to-action for viewers to subscribe to your mailing list or visit your website!
Video Marketing for 2021
Video marketing is on the rise, and 2021 is the year when video content will dominate. If you’re relying on text-based and static-image content, you could be missing out on large portions of your audience. Take the time to capture your brand’s best values and stories, and use video as a way to share your insights and tips. Your audience will appreciate your expertise and feel more connected to you, which is crucial to loyal customer relationships.
Get started with your own video marketing right here.
