The error of the past is the wisdom of the future…
Unless you’re a prodigy, you probably aren’t perfect at every marketing tactic you try — at least not right away. Some strategies are easier to adopt than others. For example, anyone can learn to post on social media. But not everyone can master the art of video marketing. It takes creativity, practical skills, resources, and one heck of a distribution roadmap; plenty of steps and processes for you and your team to trip over.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you knew about that pothole in the road before you blew a tire on it? We can’t help you out there…but we can inform you about the many pitfalls of video marketing. Here are the 7 most common reasons your video marketing campaign failed and advice on how to fix them:
1. Convoluted Storylines
Video does one thing that no other form of content can — it makes information ultra-easy to digest. If your video isn’t delivering on this benefit, it’s not doing its job. Three issues will result in a convoluted storyline:
You don’t know your audience
You’re trying to reach everyone in your audience instead of segmented groups
You don’t know the point of your video
The Fix: make sure audience research is a major part of your pre-production strategy. Segment your audience using demographics, interests, behaviors, etc. And clearly define your objectives for the message. Make sure these objectives serve the segmented audience you plan to target.
2. All Talk and No Action
At this point, you may be thinking, “I already take great care to know my audience and target my messaging. And my videos still aren’t working.” The issue might not be with the messaging, but with the journey you create for your viewer. If you don’t provide a “next step” and make that next step easy to find and follow, you likely won’t engage your viewers past their initial watch.
The Fix: Don’t leave your CTA for the end of the video. Use more than one CTA, but keep the desired action consistent. Know your CTA options and experiment with different types and placements. Types of video CTAs include:
Annotations: clickable text layered on top of the video.
In-Video: CTAs that are actually a part of the video.
Verbal: spoken by a narrator.
End Cards: the final screen of the video with credits, links and (most recognizably) a CTA.
3. Copycat Content
Video marketing is as easy as looking at what your competitors are doing and doing it better. Right? WRONG. Your brand won’t be rewarded for doing what everyone else is doing. Audiences recognize original thought, and when they discover a brand that’s blazing a unique trail online, they are quick to follow.
The Fix: Like every person has a unique personality that differentiates them from the herd, your brand has a character that helps it stand out. If you don’t know your brand well enough to use its charm to your advantage, put your team through rigorous branding to figure it out. Additionally, don’t be afraid to take some risks. The most authentic and inspiring people I know are unapologetically themselves.
4. Low-Grade Production
Everyone with a smartphone has access to video recording and editing technology. It’s a wonderful thing but just because you have a camera doesn’t mean you know how to use it to promote your brand professionally. We’re all for creating some home-made projects. But your video marketing strategy won’t stand tall on a frail foundation.
The Fix: Hire a video marketing agency that dedicates all of its time and resources to creating incredible video campaigns. They work closely with your internal team to produce branded video content that maximizes your budget, effectively reaches target audiences and results in conversions.
5. Hard Selling
Customers are hyper-sensitive to being sold. Pushing your viewers with scare tactics, urgency and other hard selling tricks won’t deliver the results you wish to see.
The Fix: Be careful with the mission of your video. Instead of the goal being “to sell your product or service” make the goal a step closer to that end result. For example, urging viewers to visit your website, fill out a form, or watch more videos from your library.
6. Poor Distribution Planning
Too many people believe that the hard work is done once the video is published. They couldn’t be more wrong. Distribution is half the battle (if not more). If your video isn’t published in the places your audience will find it, how will you inspire viewership?
The Fix:Read this article for tons of distribution ideas and tips. Freshen up your social media presence; social networks are your most powerful marketing channels. Lastly, make certain your video is optimized for mobile viewers.
7. No SEO Optimization
Like every other form of content marketing, video has become oversaturated. If you aren’t using SEO to help it out, you might miss out on viewers.
The Fix: The easiest way to appeal to search engines is to transcribe your videos and build out the description and meta-data using keywords. We hook you up with all the SEO secrets right here.While we’re on the subject of video strategy, one of the biggest struggles for marketers is effectively integrating video into their existing content marketing playbook. Check outthis blogto continue your education on the subject.
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