What makes Social Marketing Work?

If you don’t know what social media is by now, you’re pretty far behind the curve.  Sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc., allow users to stay in contact with one another, sharing ideas, videos, updates, news, recipes, etc.  Social media is exactly what it means: a place to be social and share media (and more).

For brands and individuals that are looking to connect with their audience, being on social media gives them a unique opportunity to engage their demographic.  Social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter allows you to open a direct line of communications with the masses, one that they can then respond to, share or ignore as they see fit.

With some social media networks(e.g. Facebook, Instagram, etc.), you have to get your audience to connect with you first before they can regularly see the content you post.  With other platforms (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), your content goes out to the world, but people can still choose to connect with you to better follow.

Join the Conversation

One popular method of getting others into the conversation is called “hashtagging.”  A hashtag (the pound sign followed by a keyword that represents the topic e.g. #SocialMedia) gets people to join the conversation, yourself included.

When you join the conversation about topics near and dear to your brand, you set yourself as an authority in the industry.  This is how you get people interested in you on social media.  Once they are following you (or “liking” you or “friending” you or whatever), your content will go directly into their newsfeeds.

When this happens, you have a direct line to your consumer to tell them anything you want.  This means you can talk about your new product line, give them information they need and want, or any other number of things.  Of course, you don’t want to just sell yourself – you want to keep them interested in what you have to say, so providing them with data, information, useful tips, funny stories, etc., will keep them coming back for more.

It will also create a viral aspect to your social media marketing since your followers will want to share your interesting, fresh and helpful content with their friends.  In turn, this brings more followers, viewers and ultimately, dollars to your brand.

Which Social Media Platforms are the Best for Marketing?

Generally speaking, the best social media sites for marketing are going to be Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and any one of the other few dozen out there – as long as your audience is there.  Each social media site has a fairly reliable user profile in terms of age group, interests and online habits.

For example:

• Facebook tends to attract a middle-aged to older crowd (think college graduates and up) while Twitter lends itself to the younger to teen crowd.
• LinkedIn is mainly used by business and industry professionals as well as those looking for careers (not jobs)
• People who use Pinterest are more likely to be into crafts, the arts, cooking and DIY projects

If you know your audience, you can directly translate that into knowing where your audience is on social media.  Then, it’s only a matter of being there and engaging – of course, that’s the part that takes a little bit of know-how.

Social Media FAQs

Q:  How many social networks should I be on?

A:  You should be on as many social media sites as you will be able to constantly keep updated.  A poorly kept social media site is worse than no social media profile at all.  It also makes no sense to be on social media sites if your target audience isn’t using them.

Q:  What is the cost of social  marketing?

A:  While some of the social marketing success you will have will be organic (and thus free), it’s becoming more common for paid social media campaigns to be a normal part of marketing spend.  This trend towards paid social media marketing campaigns’ results being worth the spend in terms of ROI is expected to continue to increase.
 

Case Studies from Endless Leadz

This may sound easier said than done—but video marketing for business owners is far from an uphill battle or a lost cause. The marketing team at Endless Leadz has generated incredible success through video marketing. A few examples:

• Conducting a quick search for “free Facebook ads” will take you directly to an Endless Leadz video, one that has amassed 1 billion hits and counting!
• We have also won the #1 Google search engine ranking for “private school Budapest.”
• Likewise, we have won search engine prominence for a client under the Google search term “epoxy flooring Ottawa.”

Surveying these Google rankings shows that it is indeed possible to win search engine visibility through strategic video marketing. Not only that, but these videos also reveal a few important tips and techniques that are important for video marketing for business.

Video Marketing and Local SEO

The first takeaway from these successful online video marketing endeavors is that video is not only great for general SEO, but for local SEO, as well. That’s why the geo-specific signifiers in these videos—mentions of Budapest and Ottawa—are so important. These companies are both trying to bring in local customers, so including these city names in the titles and descriptions of these videos is a must. That’s an important tip for any business seeking to capitalize on video marketing.

Actionable Content Imperative

Take a moment to check out the “free Facebook ads” video. It includes a number of statistics and compelling figures, all displayed in graph form. This is a great example of the kind of content that your video marketing endeavors should focus on—content that educated and informs, or else suggests specific plans of action. The bottom line is that your marketing videos should provide viewers with some steps they can take, right here and now, to put the content of your video into practice.

Calls to Action are Critical

Another thing you might notice in the “free Facebook ads” video is that it includes a clear call to action. The video ends with a strong admonition to call EndlezzLeadz.com today, and to inquire about Facebook ad services. A call to action is a crucial component in any sales copy, and that includes video content; you might also consider including a brief call to action in the written description of your video, as well as a link to your website or to a landing page.

Take Advantage of Different Channels

Another thing to notice: The videos in our three cases studies are posted to an array of sites and channels, including not just YouTube but also DailyMotion. There is some real merit to varying the online video platforms you use; YouTube may be the most popular, but you can cover more bases and reach more potential clients by spreading your content across a few different channels. Also worth noting is the pending launch of paid video channels on YouTube, which will provide some great opportunities for video marketing for business owners.

Video Marketing Can be Simple

A final point to make about the videos noted here is that, while all three look good and are professionally-done, none of them are particularly long, complicated, or expensive. In fact, all three of them are really as simple as business owners speaking to the camera, sharing their insights and their expertise. This is a key consideration for those interested in video marketing for business purposes: You don’t need a fancy film studio or an expensive camera crew—all you need is your own industry know-how and a desire to connect with viewers.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/digital-marketing/video-marketing-for-business-case-studies-and-quick-tips-0499034#iWPvqozXSORPgVhl.99

According to comScore, 84.5% of the U.S. Internet audience views online videos. Videos continue to have a more significant role in the online viewing experience, and even Facebook wants to focus on video ads for their clients. So, what is video marketing? Essentially, it is incorporating video into your marketing campaign to help sell your product, service or company. Not to mention, studies show that video helps to increase your Google ranking, open rates, click through rates and conversions. Here are some online video statistics:

• Salesforce.com named 2014 as the year of B2B video marketing.
• Forrester Research found that pages with videos have a 50% higher probability of landing on the first pages of Google search results.
• Google currently includes more video results within its organic search listings.
• Emails with “video” in their subject line get 2-3 times more opens than those without video.
• Cisco predicts that, by 2016, 70% of mobile data traffic will consist of mobile video.

So, if you are ready to get started, read on for some tips.

Think of Powerful Titles

Even with video, you still need to find a way to draw viewers. The first step of the process is with a popping title. First of all, you want a title that attracts traffic. Second of all, a good title, with the appropriate mix of keywords, will rank your video higher in the search engines. Also, Google owns YouTube, so they place significance on the name of your video.

Consider Your Audience

Who are your target viewers? What type of content would they find valuable? Do you have something to teach? One of the most profitable video types are the “How To.” They teach your audience something new while improving your reputation in addition to establishing your credibility as an expert in your field.

Moreover, if possible, keep your video length in mind. Viewers don’t want to spend an hour on one video, they have other sites they want to visit. The best time frame is no longer than three minutes. For example, Vine and Instagram make the most of several seconds. Brands such as Zappos and Burberry both use Vine to assist with sales conversions.

Make it Different

With millions of videos, you need to stand out from the crowd. Figure out what topics are overly saturated, and stay away from those. People won’t be interested in videos that are similar to all the others. Look for trending topics for some ideas. You can also ask your clients for suggestions of what they would like to see.

Create a Greeting and Sign-Off Script

When you meet people for the first time, you usually start with an introduction where you state your name and give some information about yourself. It helps to do the same with your video content, especially when you are just starting out. Tell your viewers your name and business name, as well as any other relevant information you wish to include.

Next, write your sign-off script. You can mention your business name again and maybe your location as well as your call out. Practice your script as many times as needed until you can say them naturally without any visual aids or cues.

Don’t Forget Your URL and Logo

The whole idea behind video marketing is to advertise your company, product or service. So, when editing your video, you can also add a text box with your website address. This gives you an extra bang for your buck. You want people to watch your videos; then you want them to visit your site. Additionally, keep your logo where it can be seen, easily.

Review

The most difficult part of the process are taking the first steps. Your initial set of videos is a great way to gauge what works and what doesn’t. Don’t be too hard on yourself because you always have room to learn and grow. Look at the comments and viewing statistics. Which videos are the most popular and why? Which videos need some tweaking? When you answer these questions, your future videos will benefit from your experience.

Boost Your Video Marketing Strategy

Once you start feeling more comfortable, create a campaign. So, instead of posting videos here and there, construct a series around your chosen topics. Make each one follow after the other, and publish consistently. This gives energy to your efforts, and viewers will start to look forward to your videos.

End each video with a call to action. This can be visiting your site, signing up for a newsletter or leaving a comment. If you have their attention, now is the time to take advantage of it.

Stay away from sounding too sales-y. You want your videos to feel like your written content. It should answer customer questions or provide solutions. If consumers feel they are watching a sales pitch, they will probably leave, immediately.

Optimize Your Keywords

Again, you want to use your keywords in your title, tags and descriptions. Improve your rankings by embedding your videos on your text pages that convey similar content. Make your phrases more specific. To illustrate, if your keyword is “fruit” for an organic raspberry farm, it will be better to use “organic raspberries” instead.

Video Content Suggestions

You want to include various types of videos in your marketing mix. This makes you feel more diverse and keeps your clients engaged. Here are some forms you can use:

• Educational (Features and benefits of your products and services).
• Discuss case studies.
• Share stories (Personal or business-related).
• Ask questions and answer them.
• Make behind-the-scenes videos.
• Show screen captures.
• Perform interviews.

Video marketing is an enjoyable and efficient way to improve sales conversions. They can be intimidating at first, but you get better as you go along. Moreover, you can post them on sites such as Facebook and Twitter, as well.

You can stay linked to a larger audience and especially millennials who are very connected to the online world. You can even integrate your video campaigns into your CRM system to measure and capture leads as well as data. The future of video marketing shows a lot of potential for use with Google Glass, smart watches and other wearable devices. So, are you pumped about video marketing?

Read more at http://www.business2community.com/video-marketing/7-tips-online-video-marketing-0859835#JHRipuXUmBkcS8UU.99

Video marketing is climbing in popularity because companies are realising how useful it can be to communicate with customers in new, more personal ways. If you haven’t been thinking about using video to market your brand, now is the time.

To get the ideas flowing, here are 16 facts about video marketing that will keep you up at night musing over how you can leverage the channel to better connect with customers.

1) YouTube—A Search Engine?

YouTube is the number two search engine in the world. Not Bing. Not Yahoo. But YouTube.

While everyone focuses so much on Google, YouTube is sitting there waiting to be used to generate leads.

Action Steps:

– Set up a YouTube channel.
– Choose a channel icon (think of it like your profile picture) that reflects your brand.
– Upload a trailer to introduce non-subscribers to what videos they should expect.

2) Increase Understanding

Videos increase people’s understanding of your product or service by 74%. If you have a complicated product, or you’re just trying to raise awareness of a new innovation, videos can help customers grasp new concepts.

Action Steps:

– Post product information videos on your website, and point back to them when customers have questions.
– Create a series of videos that explain your product with varying levels of detail and complexity. Which video you show to customers depends on their knowledge level and where they are in the buying process.

3) More Information

26% of Internet users look for more information after viewing a video ad. If it’s a well-targeted ad that lasts in the consumer’s mind, it’ll generate more views.

Action Steps:

– Always consider your audience when creating and placing a video ad.

• What types of videos do they appreciate?
• What do they want to know?
• Where do they hang out?

– Create a landing page that provides the information they’re looking for and entices them to navigate through other pages in your site.

4) Better Memory

80% of Internet users remember the video ads they watch online. This statistic really stands out to me because the web has become a chaotic, clustered place, and as a result, getting customers to remember your brand has become a daunting challenge.

Action Steps:

– Be intentional with what you put in your video ads. What do you want customers to remember? Product feature? Company name? Sales rep?
– Integrate other promotions via social media to further expose customers to the information you want them to remember.

5) More Willing To Watch

80% of your online visitors will watch a video, while only 20% will actually read content in its entirety. Even highly involved customers won’t take the time to finish reading your content. When customers aren’t personally invested in your product or service yet, video is a good way to still get their attention.

Action Steps:

– Do a video post on your blog discussing a topic you would have otherwise written about.
– Track this post to see what users say about it and how they interact with it.
– See the next statistic . . .

6) Vlogging

Blog posts incorporating video attract three times as many inbound links as blog posts without video—in case you needed another reason to try incorporating video into your normal posting schedule.

Action Steps:

– Take a poll of your readers to see if they would be interested in seeing more video content.
– Research competitor blogs to see how they are using video to discuss industry-related topics.

7) 1 Minute

45% of viewers will stop watching a video after 1 minute and 60% by 2 minutes. You don’t have a lot of time to make your point, so plan each second carefully. Every moment in your video should have a purpose.

Action Steps:

– Don’t waste time with unnecessary introductions or wordy answers. Edit these parts out.
– Always have a plan and a completed script when you film to make sure you’re touching on only the important points.

8) Shorter The Better

Videos 15 seconds or shorter are shared 37% more often than those that last between 30 seconds to a minute. Truly—the shorter the better. Respect your customers’ time and be as concise as possible.

Action Steps:

– Keep your videos short and sweet.
– Use applications like Vine and Instagram Video—both are perfect for developing to-the-point videos.

9) Extra Visits

75% of users visit the marketer’s website after viewing a video. It’s always challenging trying to find new ways to interest customers. Videos can pull customers into your website.

Action Step:

– Tweet, pin, and post videos on social media to distribute them as widely as possible.

10) Mobile Mania

Mobile users will watch a video anywhere from 2.4 to 5 minutes. While I just used the last two points to touch on the importance of keeping video lengths manageable, there is a place for longer videos, and it turns out, mobile users are more than willing to consume longer videos.

Action Steps:

– Optimise your videos for mobile.
– Make visuals and graphics large enough to be viewed on a smaller screen.
– Make sure your video can render quickly on mobile devices.

11) Data Trends

Two-thirds of the world’s mobile data traffic will be video by 2016. That’s less than two years away, and two-thirds is a large chunk of data. You need to have a mobile video presence by that time.

Action Steps:

– Even if it’s just one video per month that gives customers a company update, start posting—you may learn a lot from your customers’ initial feedback, and you will gain experience creating and posting videos.
– Optimise your video content so mobile viewers can have the best experience possible.

12) Introductory Emails

An introductory company email that includes a video receives an increase in click-through rate by 96%. That first contact with customers after they sign up for your email list is so important. You don’t want to waste it.

Action Steps:

– Use that first contact to introduce your company, employees, or even a special new product that the customer needs to know about.
– Begin incorporating video into your general email marketing strategy.
– Bonus stat: including video in an introductory email reduces the number of subscriber opt-outs by 75%.

13) Executive’s Love Video Too

75% of executives told Forbes they watch work-related videos on business websites at least once a week. Talk about a great tool for B2B businesses. Video is an effective way to share valuable information and insight with other professionals.

Action Steps:

– Connect with other professionals by targeting them with informative videos on industry-related topics.
– Use LinkedIn to better target upper-level employees with more authority.

14) Average Site Duration

The average user spends 88% more time on a website with video. Not only do videos attract more click-throughs, they also do a pretty good job of keeping customers interested in your offerings.

Action Steps:

– Use video on product landing pages to retain customers and pull them further into the sales funnel.
– Consider adding video to your homepage to introduce customers to your company, brand, and offerings.

15) Comedy Club

Comedy is the most popular form of online video content among all viewers (39%). No secret here—people love to laugh. They love to be entertained, and if you can entertain them, you’ll build brand loyalty. People protect what they like.

Action Steps:

– Avoid being too stuffy with every video—show customers you’re human with a sense of humor.
– Keep your humor relevant to the industry. You still need to target an audience.

16) Increasing Investment

76% of marketers plan to increase their use of video marketing, making it the top area marketers will invest in for 2014. Now is the time to get your team together to start developing a video marketing strategy. The longer you wait, the less of an impact your strategy will have.

Action Steps:

– Set your goals for video marketing. What do you want to accomplish by using this channel?
– Analyse some of the most viral video marketing campaigns out there, and then start piecing together your own strategy.
– Most importantly—get creative!

Final Thoughts

As I was researching these facts, I can’t say I was very surprised. The web has become very cluttered with content. If you can reach customers visually, your message is going to stand out. The more your message stands out, the more effectively you can reach customers.

Read more at http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/16-facts-video-marketing-will-keep-night-0844491#b7ooWDMqiJMBSbL7.99

Whether your e-tail operation is well established or just getting off the ground, it’s a well-nigh act of self-sabotage to opt out of the rich sights and sounds of video hosts such as Vimeo, Vine, YouTube, and Instagram. Although the parameters of these providers vary, they all offer the possibility of snappy, commanding messages that are easy to embed on your point-of-sale site or social media page. The format and strategy you choose, however, depends on the nature of your product and service and the resources at your command. Here are a few ways to use online video to get your brand noticed:

In-depth product description

Sometimes the best way to get your product across is through a no-frills demo. The shoe and clothing mega-site Zappos, for example, has seen significant spike in e-tailing that feature simple video demonstrations of products—and that’s for a relatively uncomplicated product like shoes. For a more abstract service such as the discount deals website Groupon, on the other hand, translating a process into easy-to-digest animation can be an invaluable way of letting customers know what your product is in the first place. Note how in a matter of moments, Groupon uses Vimeo to clearly identify how it works, but more importantly, that it’s a way to save.

Obviously, such videos by nature lend themselves to a long form presentation—YouTube over Vine—and are geared toward disseminating information as much as commanding eyeball-time. Furthermore, using a company’s actual staff tends to bring across a level of authenticity that actors won’t provide (again, Zappos has done well with this angle). In this way, customers feel like they’re getting a recommendation from a real person rather than a blatant pitch.

Behind the Scenes

In cases in which you’re reaching out to potential customers who already follow you via social media, it’s a safer bet that said people already have an elevated interest in your brand. Leaning on the personality of people behind the company and telling the operation’s story through vivacious sound and image bytes takes full advantage of this interest. You make your audience feel as though they’re part of the brand experience, and can even do double-duty as a product demo, as Stila achieved with a series of Fashion Week Vines.

For similar reasons, if your company hosts promotional events, capturing their energy with Instagram or Vine clips are also alluring. The rapid cutting of these host sites are by definition dynamic and eye-catching, and their elliptical quality can leave viewers with a “wish I were there” feeling, a tactic successfully exploited by Virgin Mobile’s bumping DJ parties.

Eye-Candy Branding

If your number one goal is to garner attention from new potential customers, the flash and dazzle of Vine or Instagram is the way to go. Indeed, short-form video lends itself to getting people to stand up and take notice of a brand rather than providing detailed information.

Obviously, the visual assault tactic can manifest in an array of forms contingent on the image you want to convey, not to mention the advertising budget in question. On the one hand, Samsung’s basketball Vines are a standard-bearer for what can be done with imagination and a crack animation team, putting the image of cellphones front and center and synergizing with a popular (and visually explosive) sport—all in a resounding memorable way.

Obviously, not everyone has the means to go head-to-head with Samsung here, but you don’t need to. Consider the recent strategy used by Old Spice in a series of amusing clips. In a few cryptic seconds, the video maker achieves brand recognition in an intriguingly opaque way that extends the conversation. And not only does the amateurishly no-budget production value slash costs, but it also imbues a slap-dash charm.

Fan Videos

Affirmation from satisfied customers is worth its weight in gold, so posting video testimonials of your product’s excellence is a great way to establish trust. Here, the more organic the better, so linking existing clips made by a truly spirited consumer on his or her own webpage can function as a muscular Yelp! review.

Admittedly, that might be a tall order, so solicitation of user-generated clips may be necessary. For this, there’s nothing better than contest calls for clever Instagram or YouTube videos featuring your product.

As we have gathered, the budget and ambitions of marketing-driven videos can be drastically different and should be tailored to your capabilities and demands. On the one hand, studies have shown that as a rule, people respond more positively to videos crafted by a professional third party source. On the other, the above suggestions offer very cost-effective ways of getting your brand across; note that there are providers to help you maximize this task. In the end, however, clear vision, clever presentations, and an organically-cultivated connection with customers can outdo big-budget bonanzas.

Read more at http://www.business2community.com/video-marketing/establish-ecommerce-business-using-video-marketing-0809246#ka27z3QUoOWVWQxZ.99

Accordingly, for those just dipping their toes in the deep and turbid waters of video content marketing, the question of where to invest your videos for maximum reach can be a tricky one. In fact I’ve had more than one client ask me just the over the past few months what the best solution is between the two; and my answer is always a definitive:

“well.. it depends”

Are you a production expert? Capable of crafting breathtaking video content with just the right amount of panache?

Or, are you the “Handheld How-To” type? Interested more in the quality of your video information rather than the quality of your video resolution?

After having the same conversation more than once with varied informational outcomes, the team at Wpromote decided to craft an infographic that would help both big business and small business owners alike navigate the medium of video, and evaluate the prospects for an internet audience for their content.

While it is quite obvious that we (unofficially, I must add) declared YouTube the winner in this match-up between video platforms, we also realize that every business has its own unique needs and will cater to its own unique audience. However, it cannot be denied that the potential for maximum exposure sits squarely in YouTube’s corner.

While everyone who engages in video marketing for B2B or eCommerce dreams of the kind of universal recognition (and sometimes wanton controversy) that be-falls the “Goldibloxes” and “Dollar Shave Clubs” and “Old Spices” of the internet advertising world; the reality of using video for your business is a little less “Michael Bay” and a lot more “Wes Anderson.”

In other words: explosions and hype are cool and all, but the key to “the goods” in video marketing is building your own loyal audience using your own unique style.

Read more at http://www.business2community.com/video-marketing/youtube-vs-vimeo-one-fits-video-marketing-needs-0836481#oQ9fb7JUiHkPmjMd.99

So how many businesses are currently taking advantage of this relatively inexpensive yet effective way to market? Not enough. I presented a webinar recently and polled the nearly 700 attendees on this topic.

During this nationwide business webinar presented for SCORE on the topic of Preparing to Sell: Defining Your Target Market and Aligning Your Sales and Marketing Message for Maximum Results, I discovered that most poll respondents do not include video in their marketing mix.

Only 14% of poll respondents currently use video marketing to promote their business. Given that 36% of respondents noted they have a limited marketing budget, and that 47% answered that they need more brand/business awareness, this is a missed opportunity. Nearly half of the respondents said they wanted to add video to their marketing, but did not know how. Video is an accelerator. It enables people to introduce themselves and develop a personal connection with prospects, before they enter an office or business.

Additionally, 47% of the webinar respondents said that the key benefit of their product or service is that it reduces effort for their clients. What better way to make this point than through video testimonials? Video helps convey complex information more easily, and is a great way to demonstrate how to use a product. Video can also create better connections within a niche market, by speaking the language of that specialty group. By adding video to their marketing efforts, businesses can connect, educate, build relationships and increase sales.

Additional Benefits of Video Marketing

1.  Video is shared easily and often throughout social media, which can amplify the reach of a carefully crafted video message, without any added effort or cost.

2.  Video is measurable. Analytics are easily accessible, and can help determine what is driving increased sales.

3.   Since videos evoke emotion, people enjoy commenting on what they watch. This gives businesses vital feedback; and they can adjust their messages accordingly.

4 .  Video and e-commerce go hand in hand. During online video research, consumers can be one click away from buying, unlike with print or TV advertising.

5 .  Video is mobile, and can be viewed wherever prospects happen to be when they’re searching for a product or service.

6.  Video levels the playing field between small companies and larger competition with a well-crafted, creative video, without a tremendous financial investment.

Videos can motivate people to try a new store, reach out to a business, or make purchases, at the convenience of the prospect. Done correctly, video allows prospects to get to know and trust the vendor more quickly, and provides much more information than any flat, static ad can. Therefore it can accelerate the sales process. Since videos can be re-purposed, and they remain available online unlike traditional forms of advertising; they are an efficient, cost effective way to market. Think beyond B2B and B2C; video helps create that P2P (person to person) connection.

Read more at http://www.business2community.com/video-marketing/video-marketing-effective-yet-utilized-businesses-0829991#rhI2Y1dfZJZ6Iprs.99