7 Steps to Video Content Strategy that Engages

It’s been called the ‘untapped frontier’ by Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner and the ‘new king’ by Socialbakers, video content is now critical to your content strategy.   Follow our seven step programme to adding video content to your strategy.

Michael Stelzner Source: Socially Sorted

Why video matters and how you can add video to your content strategy

1. Why video matters for your content strategy

YouTube can boast 1 billion unique visitors per month, but its social media rivals are getting in on the game.

You’ve probably noticed Twitter’s launch of Periscope and Vine. Well social media platforms want to host video and not just be distributors and promoters for the likes of YouTube.  Video is going native to the platform and you need to pay attention.

Facebook already exceeds YouTube for the number of videos it carries for brands.

 

Since Jan 2015, it has prioritised video to make up 30% of its newsfeed  and now plays video automatically,  When as few as 6% of your standard posts are ever seen by your fans you’d be a fool to ignore video.

Mobile viewing is also spectacularly changing reach.  40% of YouTube minutes are watched on smartphone.  In a typical day, 98% of 18- to 34-year-olds reported use smartphones to watch video content.

Mobile also holds viewers’ attention better. Only 28% of TV watching occasions get our undivided attention.  Compare that to 53% of mobile video sessions which are uninterrupted.

 2. Choose your video tools and platforms

The best tool is going to be the one used by your target audience and what‘s right for your business goal. Here are some of the options:

• Vine gives you 6 second videos and runs on Twitter. Good for funny, quirky items. It’s immediate. Can be good for quick instructions. Grabs attention in the timeline. Doesn’t ask too much of the audience’s time.
• Instagram has 15 second videos. Good for snappy, amusing, pieces. ‘Delight’ is the term often used in connection with Instagram. Less corporate, more community building content works well.

For some platforms it just comes down to popularity – which has the most followers.

• Twitter’s release of its live streaming app, Periscope, has quickly stolen a march on Meerkat.
• The Periscope app is free to download and easy to use. You can live stream direct from a mobile phone. Users can watch on any device including mobile. Even better, the live stream can be saved so you can edit clips and share later on your website and social media. It has great potential for use at conferences, workshops and live events for your business.

Though still in its app infancy, Periscope has caught the media’s eye. Ellen DeGeneres has live streamed her show. And we all know how her Oscars ceremony selfie with Hollywood stars broke the record for retweets.  That’s a powerful endorsement.

Not to be outdone, Facebook has launched its own viral video app Riff.

Riff app Source: Facebook

Video clips can be 20s or shorter.  It’s designed so friends can collaborate and create a chain of videos by adding clips to a hash tagged topic.  It’s inspired by 2014’s ice bucket challenge craze.

Facebook favours its own platform, so if you want to reach more viewers on Facebook upload your video direct to the platform rather than just linking to YouTube.

YouTube is the second biggest search engine after Google (its owner). So placing your videos on this platform will certainly increase awareness of your product.  And having video will increase your chances of being found.

Whatever video tools and platforms you decide to use, make sure customers know where to find you and that you have clear links to and from your website to the channels. Oh, and fill out your profile and bio.  Use hashtags # and make them focussed and concise. They make it easier for people to find and follow your topic and brand.

3. Keep your video short and sweet

‘The most successful videos are almost unanimously below 2 minutes in length. ‘ – Socialbakers

Ok, so you’ve chosen your video tool, according to Socialbakers you have between 1-10 seconds to grab the viewer’s attention and on Facebook that’s without sound.  So no pressure then.

Socialbakers tested popular YouTube videos and found that 16 seconds to 120 seconds generate almost 50% of all views on YouTube.

 

 

 4. Create compelling content

Create content that will leave an impression and has a connection to your brand.

Make your key points at the start of your video. Consider those ‘no sound’ videos on Facebook. Ask yourself: which ones do you actually end up watching?  Is it the cute kittens, spectacular landscapes or news? Ask yourself why. Learn from that.

You need repeat visits, to win new fans to your business and to convert.  Instead of a one-off video, think in terms of a sequence of stories that relate to your business product or service. Let’s say you have a bicycle shop you could do a series about changing wheels, fixing punctures, using gears during a bike race.  That way you have several shots at engaging and getting return visits from your hard won audience.

Schedule your series. Commit to a time frame when you will regularly publish your videos.  Be realistic but consistent.

Think ‘evergreen’.  We are talking topics that don’t date.  ‘How to’ videos will always be good.  Mix them in with content that is of-the-moment like the next ice bucket challenge.  You’ll be good and ready this time. Hopefully better than this Irishman.

5. SEO your Video

Digital marketers talk about Search Engine Optimisation. In practice this means leaving a digital breadcrumb trail of clues so Google – by far the most popular search engine – can find your video when someone types in a search.

Google can’t read video, it looks for words, so you have to give it a nudge.

• Give your video a descriptive catchy headline e.g. ‘Cat in a blender’.
• Create a video site map so when someone clicks your video on Google search, they will go you to your website (more visitors for you) and not to YouTube.
• Consider adding a transcript of the video to your website. This helps with SEO and provides extra information to your customer. And you are all about helping your customers, right?

6. Measure your video’s effectiveness

YouTube, WordPress, Facebook, Twitter they all have easy-to-use analytics. The best thing is to learn from your efforts in real time. So monitor regularly.  But don’t get lost in the information. Decide what is important to you. Here are some key indicators to keep in mind:

• Views – how many views is your video getting? What days are most popular? What time of day?
• Traffic – where are your viewers coming from? Which promotions are working best – Google search, Facebook, Twitter etc.?
• Duration – how long does your audience watch?
• Who is watching? – are they male or female, what age, where are they?
• What device are they using? Android, iPhone, iPad or desktop.
• Measure shares, comments and likes. This will track what is engaging with your audience, what they talk about and share with others.

7. Final tips for your video

Remember:

• Ask permission if you plan to go Periscope crazy. Make sure people are happy to be in your video.
• Video in landscape. Never in portrait. Those horrible black bars look awful. So don’t do it!!!
• Use social media to promote and share your videos

Video content is not the future it is the present so what are you waiting for?

Posted by Oonagh O’Farrell