Video marketing is no longer an option or luxury. It is a necessity that is keeping most small and medium businesses alive. 2016 was the year of video. Everywhere we looked, videos were inundating every inch of available social media. Videos have changed the way people look at products and businesses. People don't want to read anymore. People don't want to just pictures and scroll through lines of black and white text. Your customer wants something more exciting. Something that bears the promise of better service.

Here's what last year's video boom has to show us -

1. Four times the number of people would like to watch a video about a product rather than read about it.

2. Including the term "Video" in a meta description can get you 65% more CTR.

3. 92% of all mobile users share videos with fellow users through social media platforms and messaging services.

4. 56% of all videos published last year were less than 2 minutes long.

5. The top 5% of these videos retained 77% of the viewers until the end.

Videos enthrall, engage and deliver more than text content. You can express more, give more room for creativity and involve more potential customers/clients in the process.

If you are still a fresher in this genre. Let us share a few quick words about how to get it right.

1.  Tell a story

Your customers have had enough "vacuum sales pitches, " and they are now looking for something else. They need moving content that appeals to them at an emotional level. Your videos should have a personal quality. Your brand video should uphold your brand values.

Take some extra time to research what your customers want and what they need. Find out what your competitors are doing. Try to build a story involving all the emotional elements and your products in the background. A real story is the perfect sales pitch your company will ever need.

2.  Create instructional videos

Most of the people on the Internet are looking for answers. They are asking "how to" do something at least 8 out of 10 times. Chances are a title like "how to make web video for getting a million views" will get a million views.

If you are launching a new product or service, explain the USP in the first 10 seconds of the video. Studies show, almost 95% of your viewers will stick around until the end of the video. Out of them, 73% are likely to purchase the product featured as well.

Your video needs to be crisp. People do not have the patience for lectures. Delivery in the first 10 seconds. By the end of 30 seconds, you will lose 33% of your viewers anyway! The faster you deliver your message, the further will be your reach.

3.  Don't worry about budget

Videos have a high ROI. Nonetheless, you might need a significant amount of resources to start a video campaign. You can start with basic videos that explain the use and the USP of your signature products.

You can start with creating your YouTube channel and publishing one "how-to" video each day. The selection of the topic will depend on recent search trends and video trends. You can either do the research yourself or approach a digital marketing company. Although the latter is a comparatively expensive idea, it offers a more comprehensive package. If you want to do it yourself, you can start with researching your competitors. Start with the subjects of their videos and the views. Followed their posting schedule. You will get a practical idea of how video marketing works. 

In the beginning, the turnout will be low. Don't be disheartened. You need to blow your own trumpet a little bit to get people to notice.

4.  Don't be boring

This is the most important thing you need to remember while making a brand video. There are billions of videos out there. Multinational corporations are coming up with thousands of videos each month. Your video should not just be another brick in the wall.

You need to be able to express your vision, entice the right target group and sell your product through a video that is preferably less than a minute long.

A good example is the "Dumb Ways to Die" video. We have watched it on a loop at times (it has 68 million views). It is funny. It is smart. Moreover, it delivers the message. This video is about safety and at the end of the video; there is no ambiguity about it.

Nobody wants to look at statistics with transition effects. That's just a PowerPoint presentation. People want to see real movement. And nothing gets them swooning like a good dose of comedy. Try to deliver witty content with a clear message.

5.  Start small

Do not over-invest. Start with a small budget even if you are feeling like Scrooge McDuck right now. Do not forget that not all expensive videos are successful. Start with low-budget videos that are high on information. You do not need a huge budget to make successful videos. You just need to market it right. Share your videos on Instagram and YouTube. Cross-publish the links on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure every follower gets to see your new video, and you get at least 20% new followers with each new video.

Once your video campaigns start gaining momentum, think about redistributing your resources. If you have big animation plans or celebrity cast dreams, keep them for later on.

If you are just waiting inside your cave waiting for videos to pass by while you hibernate, that's not going to happen. Videos are here to stay, and you customer wants you to accept that truth. Video marketing is the holy grail of digital marketing and social media marketing right now. If you want to tap into a new market of tech-savvy netizens, hooked onto their devices and avatars, get your cameras ready now!

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