If your business isn’t utilizing the advantage of video marketing, then you’re missing out on an essential tool that’s a prime way to promote your business. In an increasingly digital world, visitors want content they can digest in more ways than text – and they want it delivered faster and easier than ever before.
Videos are also beginning to rank higher in search engines, and video content goes viral just as well as a lengthy blog post. There are several important tips to follow if you want to increase the chances that your video will go viral.
Before you do anything, take a few minutes and consider what you want the video to accomplish and how you want to get it done. Choose the tone of the video, too. Will it be an amusing video promoting the use of your newest product? Will it be a serious video giving an important report to customers and prospects? Or will it be a combination of humor and learning?
Spending a few minutes brainstorming will allow you to come up with a vision for your video so that you know what you’re aiming for. Those who don’t plan their videos, record aimlessly – and it’s easy to tell in the final product that no real planning was put into it.
Even accomplished vloggers (video bloggers) will tell you that they carefully plan out their videos so they don’t run into the dreaded ‘dead zone’ where nothing is being said and nothing is happening on the video.
During this planning stage, it’s also important to think about the length of your video. While YouTube now allows video uploads of different lengths, depending on what your account has been granted, long videos rarely ever go viral. Your video should be three to six minutes in length at the very longest. An ideal time for a video is two to three minutes.
Now that you know what your video is going to be about, it’s important to get a quality recording device. Avoid using webcams, which are often grainy and hard for viewers to watch.
Instead, invest in a high quality camcorder like the Flip Video. Once you have your camcorder, it’s time to choose the location where you’ll record. If you’re using a public location, it’s not a good idea to record on any premises without permission from the owner first.
You’ll also want a spot that’s well lit and has minimal noise. If you can’t find an area that fits the bill, try your home office. Take a warm up recording of thirty seconds or so. Replay this recording and look at it carefully. Is there anything visible in the background that shouldn’t be? Do you have food on your shirt? This warm up recording will prevent you from having to perform lengthy edits later.
Be controversial. Be funny. Be inspiring. All of those qualities combined or tackled individually can help you achieve viral status for your video if done correctly.
Use everything in your content to your advantage – the headline, the content wording and the imaging. Spread the word about the video on all of your social media sites. Talk about it to your list, on any of the business forums that you’re on, etc. A video promotion that goes viral is proof that people are talking and taking notice of your business.