How can marketers use videos to capture maximum Internet traffic
With the advent of the digital revolution, online consumer behavior has changed drastically. Today, the online consumer is transitioning from reading textual context to clicking online videos. With minimal effort, videos are consumed more quickly by the end consumer.
According to a study conducted by Syndacast, videos will capture 74% of all Internet traffic by 2017. This surely speaks volume about effectiveness of videos as a channel for content distribution.
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There is no doubt that videos with search engine optimized (SEO) titles, descriptions and keywords earn higher rankings over images and text results on Google searches. Also videos with eye-catching thumbnails tend to encourage more clicks.
Video – new age communication tool
Video content can be easily embedded on corporate websites, shared with prospective clients in email campaigns, and used for internal communication and training programs. They can be easily repurposed for multiple viewing platforms, including smartphones and tablets. Videos embrace cross-platform marketing – be it Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, YouTube, or Instagram. Optimized repurposed videos thrive on all channels and can be easily shared for social consumption.
In the contemporary digital landscape, videos are emerging as a quintessential marketing tool for brands. As a marketer, one can deduce useful insights about one’s targeted consumers by analyzing data such as number of views, likes, demographic, geographic locations and watch-time. Video marketing can also be leveraged to convey brand message by choosing voice tones and branding styles. With that said, it becomes really crucial for brands to incorporate video marketing into their digital marketing strategy.
Digital video marketing is in a nascent stage, with the right tools and strategies still evolving. Problems arise when marketers try to apply the same traditional marketing concepts to a digital video order that changes in real time. Marketers should not forget that digital video marketing is more quick, engaging and participatory than traditional marketing. To make video marketing work, there has to be a two-way sharable connection between marketers and consumers.
It can’t be denied that adding videos to marketing efforts can generate more leads and sales for abrand. Being visible on video streaming channels opens the brand up to new audiences and, therefore, new potential customers. Digital video marketing is easy to adopt, if implemented appropriately. There are a few vital steps in the digital video marketing value chain, which marketers must adopt to minimize inefficiencies and failures and to maximize ROI.
- Firstly, marketers should incorporate videos in their content strategies, clearly defining target audience, target markets, platforms, video metrics and ROI expected from video campaigns.
- Marketers must stress on creating custom SEO videos by embedding best-in-class search and discovery tools (including metadata, keywords, tags, and transcripts).
- There must be a meticulously planned video distribution strategy, ensuring a seamless distribution of video content to relevant target audience via various social media channels. Videos should also be embedded with social sharing functionalities and customized call-to-action in the form of overlays, annotations, linear messaging or branding features.
- Finally, distributed video content must be monitored and measured against defined goals and video metrics, thus implementing the learnings in real time.
To help marketers effectively implement video marketing strategies, there are various digital video marketing agencies in play. They specialize in end-to-end digital video supply chain management with defined success parameters which will guide marketers achieve desired goals. Whatever be the case, video are the new “in” thing and marketers can’t afford to lose the advantage they could provide.
About the Author: Akhil leads the Content Services at TO THE NEW Digital, which is a leading SMACK player and a complete internet products and solutions company. He has rich experience in digital video transformation and OTT publishing. Akhil has played an instrumental role in executing large VOD and near-live publishing projects including IPL, FIFA and distribution of video and metadata to a number of digital platforms.