In the digital world, content is still king but not all content is created equally. Images tend to gain higher traction than simple text-based messages on most platforms. People tend to interact and engage more with a gorgeous photograph on Instagram or a meme on Reddit.

Reading, to put it mildly, is simply old-fashioned now.

However, there is another type of content that’s gaining more traction than ever before – video. There was always some form of video content online, but the limitations of broadband speed and costs meant video was more difficult to produce and less viable to consume. Now, internet speeds are multiple times faster and everyone is probably carrying a professional-grade camera as part of their phone. Video is more abundant and more in demand online than ever before.

Making videos part of your business marketing strategy is probably the canniest move you can make.

Here are seven simple tips to get your video marketing efforts off the ground:

Weave a story

Every video content consumer is expecting a story. An interesting plotline is helpful even if the video you’re producing is a 30-second commercial. Your video’s storyline doesn’t need to be elaborate or multi-layered; it can be a simple plot with absolute minimalism. What counts is that the viewer gets the message in a concise way by the end of the video.

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The best example of a well-structured and concise video is the first promotional video published for Dollar Shave Club. The minute-and-a-half long video went absolutely viral in 2012 because of the way it was structured and the friendly persona of the presenter.

Get to the point

Human beings have woefully short attention spans. It’s important for any video creator to get to the point or objective within the first 10 seconds of the video. If a viewer doesn’t know what the video is about or what the company is trying to sell within those first 10 seconds, chances are they’ll tune off.

Experiment with live video

The immediacy, unpredictability and exclusivity of a live-streamed video evoke a visceral reaction from audiences. Obviously, these live videos tend to get higher engagement from viewers and could lead to better conversion rates for your business.

Experiment with live video on a platform that suits your business and is crowded with your target audience.

Leverage social media

Although one platform (Facebook) is the dominant force in the social media industry, there are niche platforms available for different subsections. Reddit, for example, is better suited to tech-savvy consumers, while snake people are more likely to interact with video on YouTube or Instagram. Gen Z is mostly on Snapchat.

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Your video or live-streamed content needs to be hosted on the platform where it will find its ideal audience. Alternatively, if your brand or product is generalised, you could stream your video across all platforms simultaneously using a tool like Social Live Stream.

Social Live Stream allows you to plan and schedule live streams on all social media platforms well in advance. You can upload pre-recorded video, and have it posted to these sites live at a time of your choosing. This clever bit of automation helps you widen the scope of your marketing resources with very little effort.

Use artificial intelligence

Another way to boost your video marketing efforts is to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to create your video. Video creation platform Lumen5 applies sophisticated algorithms to help you create a simple promotional or non-commercial video in a matter of minutes. Others, such as Magisto, also help creators leverage the power of AI to weave a visual story for their audiences.

Put your CTA in the middle

Any promotional video is incomplete without a call to action. If you’ve ever seen a YouTube video, that part towards the end where the host asks you to “Like, share, and subscribe” is what digital marketing experts describe as a CTA.

Most video creators and business marketers will place the CTA towards the end of the video. There’s nothing wrong with this tactic, but if you can get creative and place the CTA somewhere in the middle of your content without annoying viewers or disrupting the flow, you’ll probably achieve better conversion rates.

Optimise for search engines

Although most people associate search engine optimisation (SEO) with text-based content, savvy marketers understand that every social media platform has a built-in search engine designed to help users surface the most appropriate videos.

Optimising your content means using keywords in your titles, descriptions, and meta tags. It could also mean regulating the length of your video or placing it in the right category for higher traction. Using video sitemaps, mRSS feeds, or special accessibility tags for users with physical disabilities will help you even further.

Integrating video content into your marketing strategy is, perhaps, the best way to gain an edge over your competitors. The chances of any of your videos going viral instantly are slim, but that doesn’t mean each video won’t help you gain more followers, subscribers, users, or long-term clients.

Once you’re comfortable creating videos to market your business, leverage the power of sophisticated tools like Social Live Stream and Lumen5 to take your marketing game to the next level.

A well-executed video marketing strategy could fundamentally change the way you acquire customers and bolster your brand’s identity.

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