Most content marketers today agree that having a video strategy is an increasingly important part of your overall content strategy.

Why You Need a Video Strategy

According to YouTube (I certainly hope they aren’t lying):

  • Over 6 billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube
  • YouTube reaches more US adults ages 18 – 34 than any cable network and
  • The number of subscriptions to YouTube has more than doubled since last year

And that’s just YouTube. Admittedly, YouTube is a powerful tool. But you can also use your videos on other social media platforms and your own website as well.

In fact, self-hosting your video has important SEO benefits.

What You Will Learn About How to Create an Effective Video Strategy

This post will explore the basics of:

  • Creating a video strategy
  • Making videos and
  • Using your videos to promote your business

Okay! Let’s get started.

How to Create a Video Strategy

Your video strategy is part of your overall content strategy.

Include the types of videos you would like to publish and when you would like to publish them in your editorial calendar.

The goal of your video strategy will most likely be one of two things:

  • Driving traffic to your site and
  • Increasing conversions

To that end, you will either optimize your videos on YouTube or you will create interesting videos, hosted on your site, that help you convert customers.

If your goal is to drive traffic to your site, you will create optimized YouTube videos and use them on various social media platforms such as Facebook.

If your goal is to increase conversion once people on your site, you can create short videos on your landing pages that introduce your brand, products or services.

How to Make a Video

The most important things that you, as a bootstrapper, can do to make your videos successful are:

  • Keep it simple. Either use your iPhone or a Flip camera plus Mac’s iMovie. These tools allow you to easily download your video, edit and upload to YouTube. Don’t go for a fancy storyline. Start with interviews, for example, and only shoot what you want to use in order to minimize editing.
  • Keep it short. Aim for 2 minutes or less unless you really know something about making videos.
  • Focus on getting good sound. If your image quality isn’t perfect, don’t worry. If, however, the video has poor sound quality, that will be irritating for your viewers.

Remember: Successful videos are usually funny, weird and/or provide practical instruction.

How to Use Video to Promote Your Business

Although I said that your two major goals for using video should be to increase traffic to your site or improve conversion rates, this post wouldn’t be complete without some quick tips on how to use video to promote your business.

Here are 4 ideas to get you started:

  1. Introduce yourself. Do a short video introduction of you, the bootstrapper behind the brand.
  2. Introduce your favorite client. You could treat this type of video as a testimonial, or you could be a little more light hearted and simply make an introduction.
  3. Do a demo. Show how your product works or explain its uses.
  4. Tour your office (or your website). Make a little video that let’s people into your workspace — at least virtually.

As I like to say, the options are limited only by your imagination. So get started!

Where to Promote Your Video

There are many ways to promote video. Here are 3 suggestions:

  1. Send out a link via email
  2. Embed the video in your blog and
  3. Share the link on your social media platforms

Don’t forget the “ask.” In other words, when you post or email links, don’t be afraid to say “share this on Facebook” or “please retweet.”

Your Turn

Do you have a video strategy? Please share your tips. (See? I asked!)

Liked this post? Please subscribe to ANNACOLIBRI. You will find a MailChimp sign up form in the middle of the right sidebar (See? I asked!).

Citations

Bhargava, Rohit. 5 Super Easy Ways to Use Video to Promote Your Business. Influential Marketing Blog. January 28, 2011.

Camusio, Zeke. 12 Tips For Using YouTube to Promote Your Business. Startup Nation. January 13, 2011.

YouTube Statistics.

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