What is Video Marketing?

What is Video Marketing?

Video marketing involves the content strategy, video production planning, as well as the optimization, distribution, and promotion of the ultimate video asset.  Online video marketing offers high user engagement rates, increased time spent on the site, significant social sharing, and the potential to achieve viral saturation.  In addition, online videos provide opportunities for branding, promotion of personalized company messaging, how-to and DIY solutions, pitching of products and services, inbound link building, lead generation, and sustainable exposure as a subject matter expert.

Videos that are strategized with marketing as the primary intent tend to fall into one of the following three value proposition categories:

• Entertainment
• Informative
• Educational

Each of the aforementioned value proposition categories serves a distinct marketing purpose.  During the content strategy phase, it is important to isolate the goal, target the relevant audience, and identify the most effective category for achieving optimal end user engagement.

Viral Video Marketing

Viral video marketing is the pinnacle achievement of a successful video asset.  When a video is shared on an exponential level across social networks, via word-of-mouth, and in a manner that far exceeds the expected outcome of the desired performance of the video asset, the video has achieved viral status.  In almost every case, the common thread amidst viral videos is the appeal to in-depth emotion.  More often than not, a video that focuses on telling a humorous story, contains controversy, adds shock value, features animals, or alludes to sex in a subtly creative manner all have a higher potential to end up as a viral video marketing campaign.

To date, there is no magic elixir that guarantees the success of a viral video marketing strategy.  Whether or not a video goes viral is clouded by end user perception, timing of life occurrences that accentuate conditions of topic relevancy, and there is very much a factor of right place, right time, right message.  As with any online marketing campaign, there are definitive analytics to video marketing.  By studying the analytics of viral videos and identifying commonalities, to increase the odds of the video going viral, the aforementioned takeaways should be factored into all video marketing strategies.

Video Sharing Sites

While YouTube is by far the largest and most substantial video sharing site, there are a variety of properties that are worth utilizing to help increase the exposure of video marketing assets.  As is the case in any situation, the more places a video is posted, the greater the chance the video will go viral.

• YouTube
• Vimeo
• Yahoo Video
• Metacafe
• Break
• Revver
• Vidilife
• DailyMotion
• StupidVideos
• Flixya

VSEO – Video Search Engine Optimization

Exactly as is the case with on page and off page search engine optimization, VSEO begins with extensive keyword research.   One of the most commonly used video keyword search tools is the YouTube Keyword Tool.  Once the keyword selection process has been conducted, the next step is to create compelling content that incorporates the targeted keyword phrases.  In a similar manner to on page search engine optimization, VSEO has several key components that help to determine the video SERPs.  These components include but are not limited to:

• Titles
• Description
• Tags
• Transcriptions
• Comments

Video Channels

Video sharing sites offer the ability for video publishers to create channels where all videos from that publisher can be found.  These channels are similar in construct to other social media profiles.  Most channels will allow for the uploading of logos or avatars, a title, a company or page description, tags, links to other social media profiles, comments, and more.  A strong VSEO strategy will include the optimization of both the channel and each of the video assets.

Video marketing is rapidly emerging as one of the most powerful means of connecting with a consumer on the Internet.

Video Marketing – A Blockbuster Marketing Strategy

Like a Steven Spielberg production, video marketing has taken the Internet by storm.  The creative possibilities are endless, the cost of production and distribution is a fraction of television and other traditional video options, and the chances to become famous overnight are far less elusive.  All it takes is a 15 to 30 second video and your company could have a viral video that dramatically escalates the recognition and fortune of your company.   Videos leave a lasting impression and they offer that chance to connect on an emotional level with your targeted audience.  There is no other online media that offers the dynamic ability to engage and entertain the way video marketing can.  My advice, start creating your blockbuster production today!