The Value of Video Marketing: 5 Top Tips For Going Viral

by Lily Bradic | DIGITAL MEDIA GHOST | DIGITAL MARKETING

Video marketing is only going to gain traction going forward. So here are a few reasons to wrap your brain around the concept.

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The prospect of video marketing intimidates a lot of people. It’s generally perceived as more costly, time-consuming and difficult than image- or text-based marketing — and while that can be true, it doesn’t have to be.​

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Like it or not, video marketing is only going to gain traction going forward. So here are a few reasons to wrap your brain around the concept: it's popular, effective, and can be highly beneficial for most brands. And it’s versatile. You can use video alone, or as part of a campaign.

Of course, every brand wants a viral video, but wanting one isn’t enough. You have to work for it — and it’s not about how much you spend, but what you do. And what you should be doing is this:

1. Use people. It’s psychology: there’s something about a real voice and a real face that we find reassuring. We’re programmed to absorb information this way. Body language, facial expression and tone of voice convey more than words alone.
2. Keep it short.  The length of a TV commercial is ideal. Any longer, and watching becomes a commitment. The longer the video, the more you’re asking of your audience. Not only that, but a large chunk of your audience will be using mobile devices, and a lengthy buffering period can be off-putting. 
3. Remember: titles matter. Perhaps even more than blog headlines. The title is all you have to convince potential viewers to watch. Sure, some people will see the video embedded on your page, but if it goes viral, there’ll be nothing to contextualise it, and you’ll have to rely on the title.  
4. Use annotations sparingly. Yes, YouTube annotations can be great for displaying your URL on screen mid-video, but those little text boxes remind us of pop-ups. And pop-ups remind us of spam. If you have to include any additional information, use the description box. Put your URL in there instead.
5. Include a call to action. Videos should encourage social media engagement, or prompt viewers to visit your website, or comment, or subscribe to your channel. If your videos are interesting, entertaining and informative, this should be easy. Videos that just aim to sell a product are a huge audience turn-off. 

Take care of the video, and the ‘viral’ will take care of itself. The more you make, the better you’ll get, and the better your chances of success. 

Still scared? Start small, with something like Vine. Or drop us a line, and we’ll show you the ropes!​

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