As a small business owner, you may not have thought of online video marketing being for you. The initial investment might seem too high, the equipment too expensive, but the reality is that you don’t need expensive equipment to create a compelling video that will drive traffic to you and engage potential customers.
Engage the viewer and call them to action
Many web videos make the mistake of spending a ton of money on cameras, sets, and lighting, without a solid premise to back it up. Do the opposite. With your iPhone camera, or point and shoot digital camera, capture a story worth telling: how your business got started, an employee biography, how your products are made, etc. If the story is compelling, the price of the camera you’re using isn’t important.
Produce professional quality videos
Just because you’re not shelling out a ton of money on top of the line equipment doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shell out some. If your budget is big enough, consider hiring a producer to come in and make your video with a professional’s knowledge. If that’s not within your budget, be sure to read up on lighting and sound tips so you can make the best video with what you have available. If you do it right, you can have a professional looking video shot on an iPhone with natural lighting. But you have to do it right.
Market videos through many channels
YouTube is important, but keep in mind all the other methods of sharing your video. Place them on your website, in e-newsletters, on your Facebook and Twitter pages, and even in print ads. On your advertising efforts, print a QR code that people can scan to watch your video. Make sure that everywhere you post your video, it is fully tagged and titled so search engines can index it properly.
Measure results
Using Google Analytics and YouTube’s built in analytics features, keep an eye on who is viewing your videos and how they’re getting there. Ask questions of your customers in “contact us” or “feedback” forms on your website. Find out if they’ve seen your video, how they found it, and ask what they liked about the video, and what they didn’t. This will help you make changes for even greater return on investment in future videos.
Here is a great video about how brands are using Video Content for Marketing:
