Although I’m happy you’ve taken the time to read this, only 25% of you will read an entire online article. More than half of you will only spend 15 seconds on this page.
But almost all of you will watch a video until the end – because you simply love video.
In fact, 80% of the world’s internet traffic will be video by 2019. It’s not surprising that video is growing as Americans check their social media accounts from their phones 17 times a day and spend a whopping 4.7 hours per day on their smartphones. I believe it’s not just love of video that is increasing, but a simple matter of convenience and engagement. It’s easier and more engaging to watch a video than read an article on a tiny screen.
We all understand the importance of content marketing, as 72% of B2B marketers believe creating engaging content is a top priority. We all know content includes case studies, blog posts, articles, and eBooks. Yet, if I can’t get a reader to finish this 700 or so word article, how will you ever get them to read a 2000 word case study?
The obvious answer is to turn to the medium that people love. Video builds a brand’s image, adds value to your website or platform, and it engages consumers. Here’re three tips to start creating a video empire that will grow along with the explosion in video media.
Be Unique and Interesting
The last thing your customers, or anyone else on the planet, wants to see is a sales video. Even sales people hate watching those. Instead, make videos that people love to share like interviews, hacks, tricks, tell stories, how-to’s or simple solutions.
Hampton Creek Foods created a YouTube channel with short, simple recipe videos. Some are only 15 seconds long and the only star in the videos is food. These type of videos are affordable to create and are often shared on FaceBook. Video recipes are so popular they have actually changed the way people learn about food, as 50% of consumers use sites like Twitter and Facebook to find recipes.
Don’t Be a YouTuber
Jonathan Long from Entrepreneur.com says “It’s borderline insane to not have a presence on YouTube these days”. He profiles YouTubers like Casey Heistat who have insane followings and incredibly entertaining videos. Plus, one of the most popular YouTubers, PewDiePie, makes $ 4 million a year. With profits like that, who wouldn’t want to be a YouTube star?
However, let me caution you as you start your path towards stardom. Some business owners are perfect for being their own spokespeople and telling their own stories, and some are not.
Ever see the car salesmen TV ad’s where you just want to cringe because they are so bad? It’s the same principle. Unless you’re a one-man brand, avoid trying to become a YouTuber (even though they have super-cool conventions).
YouTubers gain massive followings and are able to gain sponsorship. However, you want to sell your business’s brand, not someone else’s.
This PewDiePie video has over 56,000 comments!
Support a Cause
I’m a huge fan of social responsibility and would love every business to embrace a cause. And not because it’s a good PR move, but because they generally believe in supporting the issue. GreaterGood.com built its entire business model around nine causes, including animals, the rainforest, veterans, and hunger. Each sale contributes to one of these issues, which is a huge marketing opportunity.
However, this decision cannot and should not be based on profit. Having said that, video is the perfect medium to share information about a cause you’re passionate about. The Animal Rescue Site (part of GreaterGood.com) often shares information about animals, including this video about life after getting a cat:
Lights, Camera, Action!
Wow, you’re still here!
As a writer, I don’t want to waste hours of my time writing an article only to have 25% of my readers finish it. So while I’d rather just write, it’s time we all start moving towards more video content and less written content. Written content isn’t dead (no matter how many times people say it), and I’m not suggesting you have to stop creating blog posts and articles. But people want to watch videos on their smartphones, not read articles right now.
So give the people what they want.
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