Chitraparna Sinha — February 25, 2017 Follow @chitraparnaShooting videos with a smartphone camera and uploading on YouTube are passé. The new darling of the digital marketing world, “video marketing” is a preferred brand marketing and exposure strategy for higher engagement and brand recall factor. We’re living in the generation of YouTubers and Instagramers, creating influencers that brands aspire to hire.
Let’s look at some statistics. Tweets with videos and photos get a higher number of retweets (source). Further, data from Syndacast study says there is a 19% increase in email open rates when the word “video” is in the subject line. Interestingly, in 2017, 74% of the Internet traffic will be video!
As such, video creators and marketers need to have awesome tools in their arsenal to create awesome videos for personal branding and brand outreach. In this list, I have listed six video creation and editing tools for you to explore.
#1 Renderforest
An interactive online video production platform, Renderforest helps to create videos for both personal and business use, free of cost. You can create and export an infinite number of quality videos and directly share them on social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Renderforest is suitable for both individuals and businesspeople. Individual users can get a variety of custom solutions for blog animations, photo and wedding slideshows, educational videos, and video invitations. For entrepreneurs, it provides easy-to-use options, such as business presentations, events invitations, promotional videos, kinetic typography, explainer videos, testimonials and more. There are hundreds of customizable templates to choose from that range from promotional templates to logo animation templates to slideshows and much more. You can also upload and edit your high-quality photos, music, and voiceovers absolutely for free.
#2 Nutshell
Want to turn boring slide decks into cool animated presentations? Nutshell, an iOS app from the creators of Prezi, is the answer to your prayers to jazz up your images. It works on a simple mechanism: snap three photos in succession, overlay them and add text, graphics, and animated components. And hey presto! What you get are not static images of individual photos, but a mini-movie that is divided into three distinct scenes with some neat visual extras.
To get the three scenes, all you need to do is to point and shoot subject number 1, then subject number 2 and lastly subject number 3. Now, add captions or animations to each one of them. Nutshell offers a choice of 3 caption styles and numerous animated graphics that include lightning bolts, starbursts, swirling musical notes and, for an inexplicable reason, about a dozen different animated potatoes! You also get the option of dragging and dropping these animated graphics anywhere on your scene. Once you have saved your creativity, you are at liberty to share it on the social media or through email or text.
#3 Videoshop
If you are just starting out experimenting with video apps, then Videoshop is your best bet. This beginner-friendly video editor helps you create and gives you a free hand with an interface suited to the user that is not restricted to a template format. You have the choice to share your video on the social media.
Videoshop offers many features, such as slow motion, time-lapse and stop motion. It also allows you to add sound effects or a song that can be picked up from its collection of tracks or your personal collection. With this, you have the freedom to arrange your clips as per your wish and trim them to optimal length. Although this video editor does not have many advanced editing options, it provides extra editing flexibility, enabling you to produce mesmerizing videos after putting in time and effort. You have a choice to use filters to alter your video or leave it as it is. You also have some basic text options.
#4 Prezi
Prezi, a short form of ‘presentation,’ is a visual storytelling software that is designed to add dynamism to your videos, thus making them compelling. This tool allows you to convey your ideas through presentations that feature a map-like, schematic overview and allows easy maneuvering between topics and zooming on desired details. This ‘conversational presenting’ empowers your sales force to effectively communicate everything that you are trying to do as a company. Prezi, an HTML 5 application that runs on JavaScript, boasts of over 75 million users. Although not an easy tool to master, it provides some awesome examples to get you inspired.
#5 YouTube Editor
There will scarcely be any web user who is not aware of YouTube, but do you know that this site also offers YouTube Editor for free. This editor not only hosts and stream your videos, but also provides a great editing capability right in the YouTube. You can automatically upload your clips, use the editor to put together those clips to create new videos and publish them on YouTube with just one click. You also have the option to make your videos more SEO-friendly by adding annotations and transcripts. The YouTube Editor has the wherewithal to combine multiple videos, trim the clips, add music from a library of approved tracks and customize with special tools and effects.
#6 Camtasia
Camtasia is ideally suited for creating video tutorials and presentations directly via screencast or via Microsoft PowerPoint through direct recording plug-in. This software suit allows you to freely choose the screen area to be recorded, while simultaneously making audio or multimedia recordings. The audio can also be added separately from other sources compatible with Camtasia Studio.
With Camtasia, all you need to do is to import your footage, either from the screen or from your camera, to make a great-looking video, even if you have never done this before. Once you have imported your footage, you can now start editing your videos through the drag-and-drop video editor that allows professional quality titles, animations, music, transitions, and much more. This suit targets educational, and information multimedia development marketplace and its popularity have made it the leader in the screen capture video world.
How to do Video Marketing?
It is one thing to use these awesome tools to create videos, but absolutely another to promote them for maximum exposure. Let’s read few projected video marketing trends for 2017.
- A case study by Magnifyre states videos help 90 percent people to make purchasing decisions, and since the rise of the 360-degree video format in 2016, the average video viewing experience drastically increased.
- The 18-34-year-old audience is inclined to drop their current activity to watch a video uploaded by their favorite YouTube artists, says the Think with Google
- In 2016, Facebook paid $ 50 million to media companies for producing live videos on its platform. Combine this with the projects $ 1 billion projected revenues for Snapchat, and you see a growth potential with live streaming and temporary content.
Based on these three marketing trends, I am sharing some video marketing strategies. Whether you’re an influencer or working for a brand, these will be helpful. For detailed reading on video marketing statistics, read Alfred Lua’s article.
#1 Go Live!
With millions of active Facebook users, it’s a robust platform to generate influence through their LIVE option. Stream conferences, meetups, fun activities, award shows, or interact with followers at an opportune time to remain engaged with the fan base. Many standup comedians and entertainers use Facebook Live to announce new comedy skits, sponsorships, giveaways, and teasers.
#2 Social Media Tribe
Struggling to build a social media followership? Heed my advice and start following Lilly Singh aka iiSuperwomanii on YouTube. With 11 million followers and an active social media presence, her videos receive millions of views within a couple of hours of upload. Do an in-depth research, and you’ll find that her social media followers make her videos viral. She has specific tribes of ‘Unicorns’ around the world sharing and interacting with the videos. Success with video marketing is about creating a loyal following.
#3 Interactive Reviews
Use the 360-degree technology to create interactive videos. The 360-degree videos lend a real-time experience to the viewer of being on the location and viewing the happenings. View this gigapixel image of Trump’s inauguration from CNN – you can zoom in on everyone’s face with amazing clarity! Such image quality and interactive video technology will enhance the value of product reviews.
#4 Video Emails
As I mentioned in the beginning, 19% increase in email open rates when the word “video” is in the subject line. Let’s extend this a bit further. Stop sending boring texts in email newsletters. Instead, record and send a video in the newsletter. There will be incredible retention rate and engagement.
Endnote
With immense opportunities in the “video” niche as a form of content marketing, it is logical to explore video marketing in 2017. What are your favorite video tools? Share with us.
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