Video content doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult to create. And you don’t have to worry about setting up a studio. You can always turn to a video creation service.
If video marketing hasn’t been a part of your inbound strategy so far, you may not be sure where to start. There are many types of videos out there. Some of them could be more effective for your brand than others.
Turning away from video ads, let’s explore some of the easiest ways to create video content today. Whether you create the videos yourself or use a video creation service, here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Create Shorts or Mini Videos
Videos on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram can be very short. With Boomerang you can create tiny videos that loop back and forth. With Vidlab, you can animate images and text. These types of videos only cost you a bit of creativity.
You can use them to make your content marketing more visual even if you don’t work with a video creation service. They can help you draw attention to your brand before you start investing in longer videos.
2. Turn Slideshows into Videos
Is video content uncharted ground for you? Then it’s best to start small. Create short videos by setting slideshows to music. 30 seconds should be enough.
Inexpensive and quick to make, slideshow videos help you during the transitional phase from text to video content. The best part is that you can create them using only free resources. You can use existing content and images as the based for them.
3. Develop Animated Explainer Videos
Animated videos are a great way to make even an apparently boring industry look nice. Here’s a great example from the investment bank and financial services provider Ziegler. This animated video explains what Ziegler does without making it sound like marketing.
The best part about animated videos is that you can use them across your online channels. They are fun without making your business seem any less professional.
At the very least, you can create an animated video that explains what your business does. You can then create more videos to explain different products or address your audience’s concerns.
Some of the best video marketing services offer animated videos as part of their standard packages.
4. Create Silent Facebook Videos
Facebook videos generate around 8 billion views daily. And they’re not all that difficult to create.
The best use of video in a social media campaign is to engage with your audience in a brief time. This LG battery anxiety group therapy video does this wonderfully.
But this doesn’t mean you can’t use Facebook videos to showcase what makes your business stand out. Short, informal videos recorded with a mobile phone are great for Facebook. Here are some Facebook video marketing tips:
- Remember that Facebook marketing videos play on mute
- Keep your videos super short
- Make them feel natural
- Hint at some improvement that you’re offering
5. Turn Guides Into Educational Videos
Wouldn’t you rather watch a step-by-step guide than read one? On most days at least? Following visual instructions is easier. Also, people can use their mobile phones to view the guide as they put it into practice.
Educational videos are good for your blog, website, and social media pages. They are some of the more timeless videos you can create. Many educational videos use a combination of text, images, and voice-over or music. But you can also use a mobile phone camera to record them.
YouTube is the perfect network for educational videos and finding a YouTube script writer to assist you shouldn’t be a problem.
6. Make Entertaining Videos
When it comes to creating entertaining videos, your creativity is the only limit. But before you brainstorm ideas, you need to know your audience. Entertainment values and sensibilities can differ markedly from one audience to another.
Entertaining videos should be part of your viral video strategy. While all viral videos have a strong emotional impact, they don’t follow the same formula. For example, Knorr’s #LoveAtFirstTaste video is quite different from Dove’s Beauty on Your Own Terms. Yet both have amassed tens of millions of views.
Entertaining videos are idea-driven and they usually call for faces and identities viewers can empathize with. An animated video can be entertaining, but it may not have a strong emotional impact.
7. Team Up with Influencers
Reach out to influencers on YouTube and other video-based social networks. You don’t have to aim for celebrities to make an impact. Micro influencers can improve the way people see your brand.
The advantage of working with micro influencers is that they create the videos for you. Working with influencers may cost more than creating other types of videos, but the reach makes everything worthwhile.
Look for influencers that regularly create videos. They are more likely to say yes. And make sure their message and tone match your brand image.
8. Encourage Fans and Followers to Create Videos
Use social media campaigns to get your visitors to create user-generated content. Invite your fans and followers to record themselves using your product. Offer prizes and promote the best videos.
Choose different themes for your contests and host them regularly. Make sure to ask your followers to use hashtags for their videos. Better yet, create a #hashtag campaign for each contest.
9. Take It to the Next Level with Live Videos
Once you start to feel more comfortable with videos, you can turn to live video content marketing. You can use live videos to host interviews with experts in your market or Q&A sessions. You can also use them to show a product in action.
A great example of live video content marketing is this SpaceX webcast of a rocket launch. But you don’t have to go that far. A more down-to-earth example comes from Dunkin’ Donuts, which used live video to take their Facebook audience behind the scenes. As this video illustrates, the immediacy of live streaming makes amends for a less than ideal video quality. You don’t need an HD setup to stream live videos.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a startup or an established brand, there are many ways to integrate video into your content marketing strategy. From mini videos to live videos, video marketing is exciting.
But if your marketing team isn’t comfortable with videos, that’s okay. You can always hire a video script writing service.