30+ Video Marketing Tips: The Complete Guide

30+ Video Marketing Tips: The Complete Guide

Video content has become an essential part of any modern marketing strategy.

With platforms like YouTube and the rise of video across social media, video marketing presents a significant opportunity for brands looking to engage their target audience.

However, creating compelling marketing videos takes skill and planning. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to succeed with video marketing tips.

Why Video Marketing Matters

Video dominates internet traffic today. Consider these video marketing statistics:

• 90% of users say videos help them make buying decisions
• 64% of customers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it
• Companies that use video enjoy 41% more web traffic from search results than those that do not.

If you're not incorporating video into your digital marketing efforts, you're missing significant opportunities to connect with customers and drive conversions.

Key Benefits of Video Marketing

So why does video marketing work so well? There are several key reasons:

• Videos are engaging – Viewers pay more attention and retain more information from videos than other types of content.
• Videos build trust – Putting a human face behind your brand helps customers see you as trustworthy.
• Videos convert – Product demos, testimonials, and more can nudge viewers further down the sales funnel.
• Videos optimised for search – Search engines prefer pages with relevant video content.

With numbers like these, no brand can afford to ignore video marketing today. Continue reading to discover valuable tips for creating videos that deliver results.

Getting Started With Video Content Marketing

Jumping into video marketing can feel overwhelming. But getting started only requires three key steps:

1. Set Goals for Your Video Campaign

Be clear from the outset what you want your videos to achieve. Common video marketing goals include:

• Increase brand awareness or favorability
• Drive web traffic and reduce bounce rates
• Convert viewers into leads or sales
• Engage social media followers

Tracking goals will help you measure the success of your video campaign.

2. Understand Your Target Audience

Get very specific in defining who your videos aim to reach. Important audience insights include:

• Demographic details like age, location, and gender
• Values, interests and pain points
• Stage in the buyer's journey
• Objections and questions they have

Tailor your content accordingly to engage this audience.

3. Choose Video Types and Topics

With goals and audience insights, determine what videos will serve both best. Video types might include:

Popular marketing video types:

• Product demos
• Customer testimonials
• Behind-the-scenes company culture videos
• Educational how-to videos
• FAQ videos
• Event recordings
• Animated explainer videos

Match topics to each stage of your sales funnel while keeping audience needs in mind.

Now, let's examine best practices across the key stages of the video marketing process, from pre-production planning to post-launch optimisation.

Video Marketing Production Tips

Creating compelling marketing videos requires a combination of creativity and strategy. Use these pre-production tips to set your filming efforts up for success:

Script Writing Best Practices

• Have a clear objective – What should viewers think, feel or do after watching?
• Highlight benefits – Focus more on how your product or service solves problems vs. features.
• Lead with crucial points – Front-load videos with the most critical info to capture attention quickly.
• Keep it simple – avoid jargon and keep sentences and paragraphs concise.
• Use visual language – Phrases like “imagine,” “see,” and “look” help viewers visualise what you say.
• Employ hooks – Ask questions, use humour, surprise viewers – and give them reasons to keep watching.
• Close with a CTA – End each video with a clear call to action, encouraging viewers to take the next step.

Production Checklist

• Quality camera – Invest in HD resolution equipment for professional results
• Image composition – Frame shots using the rule of thirds for balanced scenes
• Get good light – Proper lighting prevents shadows or overexposure
• Clear audio – Use lavalier mics or recording equipment that ensures voices can be heard
• B-roll and visuals – Cut between speakers and relevant images to reinforce key points and keep viewers engaged
• Graphics and text – Insert occasional on-screen text, stats, graphics and branding
• Smooth editing – Make cuts timely while removing unwanted pauses or filler words
• Length – Usually between 30 seconds to 2 minutes maximum for marketing videos

Handling these production details upfront results in polished, compelling video content.

Video Marketing Distribution Tips

You’ve made a phenomenal video. Now it’s time to get it in front of the audiences that matter most. Use these best practices to distribute videos successfully:

Upload to Multiple Platforms

Post videos across the major platforms your audience uses, such as:

• YouTube – With over 2 billion logged-in monthly users, this is the #1 platform for video hosting and sharing. Look, you need to treat YouTube like the search engine it is. That means proper keyword research for your titles and descriptions is non-negotiable. Get a proper eye-catching thumbnail sorted, too; it's your video's billboard. Use end screens and cards to direct viewers to your other videos or your website; don't let them drift off without a clear next step. The algorithm tends to favour longer, more in-depth content for building real authority, so don't be afraid to thoroughly explore a topic.
• Social media – Native video performs well on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Twitter. But don't just chuck the same video everywhere.
  • For Instagram & Facebook, it's all about vertical video (a 9:16 aspect ratio) for Reels and Stories. The first few hours of engagement are massive here, so get it in front of people fast.
  • On LinkedIn, keep it professional. People are there for business, so share industry insights. Most users are scrolling in an office with the sound off, so burn your captions directly onto the video. Make it easy for them.
  • With TikTok, forget polish. It's about being authentic and quick. Jump on trending sounds and effects, keep it short (well under 60 seconds), and just have a bit of fun with it.
• Website and blog – Include videos in landing pages, product pages and relevant blog posts to engage website visitors. Embedding a video is a brilliant way to keep people on your site for longer, which search engines love. A video on a product page showing the item in action can be the final nudge someone needs to click ‘buy'.
• Email marketing – Add videos to email campaigns or send video-specific emails to subscribers

Choosing channels that align most closely with your audience's goals will expand your reach.

Optimise Descriptions

Validating videos with optimised titles, tags, and descriptions helps get them found:

• Compelling titles – Get clicks with reader-focused titles using powerful words viewers care about
• Relevant tags – Include keywords and phrases your audience searches for that relate to the content
• Video chapter timestamps – Let viewers skip ahead to different sections
• Links and CTAs – Drive viewers to take action by linking to your website, offers, and more.
• Engaging descriptions – Use questions and descriptive snippets to entice viewers to watch

Completing all metadata thoroughly gives videos a better chance of being discovered and converting viewers.

Amplify Further With Paid Ads

Beyond organic reach from shares and searches, dedicate a budget to promote videos using paid advertising:

• YouTube video discovery ads – Appear beside relevant YouTube videos
• Social ad campaigns – Raise awareness of videos with social platforms’ sophisticated targeting capabilities
• Retargeting ads – Chase viewers who have previously interacted with your videos or site
• Content discovery networks – third-party ad networks like Taboola and Outbrain showcase your videos to interested audiences across their extensive publisher network

Investing advertising dollars behind videos helps ensure they appear on the correct screens.

Analyse Performance

It’s critical to see what’s working when distributing marketing videos. Key metrics to track include:

• Clickthrough rates
• Completion rates
• Engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments)
• Traffic referred to your site
• Conversions driven

Monitoring return on investment will clarify what’s resonating so you can double down on top-performing video content.

Optimising Your YouTube Channel

With over 2.5 billion monthly users, YouTube offers an expansive video-sharing platform. But simply uploading videos isn’t enough. Brands should also optimise the setup of their YouTube channel itself to unlock more video marketing success.

Complete Channel Customisation

Make sure to utilise all of YouTube’s branding and customisation capabilities fully:

• Cover photo – Allows channels to showcase a brand image or campaign visual
• Profile picture – Displays a brand logo or icon consistently
• Trailers – Short teasers auto-play when visitors land on your channel
• Sections – Curate content into sections or playlists around topics/series
• Channel navigation links – Drive viewers to sign up or shop from videos

Completing all features ensures that visiting your YouTube channel is a polished, on-brand experience.

Include Robust Channel Descriptions

Well-crafted channel descriptions establish authority and trust:

• Summary – Explain the topics your channel will cover and the value it offers audiences
• Branding – Feature a brand overview sharing history, products/services and differentiators
• Value proposition – Summarise why viewers should subscribe in a compelling manner
• Playlists – Link out to different video playlists to facilitate content discovery
• Contact info – Provide links so viewers can follow or learn more about your brand

Descriptions should convince site visitors why they should stay and subscribe.

Turn On Affiliate and Merchandising

Additional money-making affiliate and merchandising options help monetise YouTube followings:

• Affiliate linking – Directs viewers to third-party product or service sites you endorse for commission off resulting purchases
• Product sales – Sell your own digital or physical products right through videos
• Channel memberships – Offer exclusive perks like emojis or badges to paid monthly subscribers
• Merchandise shelves – Highlight branded swag viewers can buy featured under videos

Activating these in YouTube channel settings makes it simple to generate revenue from engaged audiences.

Crafting Compelling Marketing Videos

Let’s examine tactics when creating standout marketing videos that engage viewers.

Product Demo Videos

Demo videos present branded products in action:

• Keep it short – Get right to the point fast, focusing on one primary feature/benefit.
• Make them engaging – Instead of creating demos that merely show potential users a random snapshot from your product, opt for demos that hand-hold users through each step of using a feature and help them get immediate value from the product. You can utilise various interactive product demo tools to easily create such videos.
• Demonstrate product versatility by showcasing usage across multiple contexts/customers.
• Lead with the wow – Hook viewers featuring your product’s most exciting/innovative capabilities.
• Enlist influencers – Recruit relevant personalities trusted by your niche to demo the product.
• Compare with competitors – Explain why your solution stands out from others.

Savvy product positioning through demos helps drive purchasing intent.

Customer Testimonial Videos

Satisfied customer testimonials offer powerful social proof:

• Highlight pain points – Have customers explain key challenges your brand solved for them.
• Emphasise outcomes – Quantify savings, increased profits or other concrete results achieved working with you
• Keep it authentic – Ask open-ended questions and avoid overly scripted sales pitches.
• Industry variety – Collect stories across customer size, vertical, and persona to showcase broad applicability
• Add B-roll – Supplement talking heads with images of products or customers in their environment.

Safeguard credibility, including client videos directly endorsing your solution.

Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC)

Right, let's talk about the real goldmine: User-Generated Content.

This includes any content, such as videos and pictures, created by actual customers rather than your marketing department.

The thing is, people trust other people far more than they'll ever trust a brand.

When a real customer posts a video showing how much they love your product, that's more powerful than any slick advert you could produce.

It's raw, it's real, and it works.

It’s also ridiculously cost-effective because your customers are doing the hard work for you.

Here’s how to get more of it:

• Run a contest – Ask people to submit a video using your product for a chance to win a prize. It’s a simple trade, and you’ll get loads of content.
• Create a hashtag – Get a simple, branded hashtag going and encourage customers to use it when they post. It organises all the content in one place for you.
• Feature them – When you find a great customer video, don't just watch it. Share it on your official channels and give the creator a massive shout-out. People love the recognition, and it encourages others to post as well.

Brand Story Videos

Origin stories and brand histories make companies memorable:

• Start with purpose – What pressing customer problem initially prompted your founders to launch?
• Share humble beginnings – Highlight early bootstrap days when the business was just a bold idea
• Showcase evolution – Trace growth covering new products, employees, offices, achievements
• Close with vision – Paint an inspirational picture of your future company aspirations

Blending humble roots with ambitious yearnings makes brands relatable and aspirational.

Behind-the-Scenes Videos

Pulling back the curtain generates goodwill:

• Spotlight company culture – Feature glimpses of the people, personality, values and camaraderie behind your brand
• Profile employee stories – Capture team members passionately explaining what they do
• Show off facilities – Offer virtual tours of office spaces or factories, emphasising state-of-the-art tools and practices
• Reveal R&D innovations – Tease early peeks at the following cutting-edge products under development

These inside looks make companies appear more transparent and accessible.

FAQ Videos

Addressing common questions builds trust:

• Identify pain points – Study customer conversations to uncover the most significant issues or uncertainties
• Speak conversationally – Answer sincerely as you would if queries came from a friend
• Overlay graphics – Display text on-screen, reinforcing complex terms or numbers cited
• Crosslink playlists- Remind viewers of other playlists with related FAQ video answers

Thorough explanations give customers the confidence to make a purchase from you.

Event Recording Videos

Conference keynotes make evergreen content:

• Promote pre-event – Upload event trailers in advance of driving registration
• Share presentations – Post slides to reinforce speaker points
• Chop into segments – Break speeches into focused excerpts around critical themes
• Supply metadata – Include chapter timestamps and speaker IDs
• Curate playlists – Organise sessions into tracks, such as greatest hits, panels, etc.
• Blog recaps – Write summaries directing attention to the best video clips

Repurposing events into videos helps continue conversations with digital audiences.

Video Marketing Measurement Tips

The most brilliant marketing video strategy still requires testing and optimisation. Use these analytics practices to refine your video approach over time for superior performance:

A/B Test Everything

If you're not testing, you're guessing.

It's as simple as that.

A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a method that helps you stop guessing what your audience wants and start using hard data to know for sure.

The idea is dead simple.

You create two versions of the same thing, show them to different segments of your audience, and see which one yields better results.

Here's what you should be testing with your videos:

• Thumbnails – This is a big one. Test a thumbnail with a person's face against one with just bold text. Try different colour schemes. A minor change here can significantly impact your click-through rate.
• Titles – Test a straightforward, keyword-heavy title against something that creates a bit of mystery or urgency. You'll quickly learn what makes your specific audience click.
• Calls-to-Action (CTAs) – Don't just slap “Click Here” at the end. Test “Learn More” against “Get Your Free Trial”. Test a verbal instruction in the video against a clickable button on the end screen. Find the exact words and placement that drive action.
• Video Length – Is a quick two-minute video better than a detailed ten-minute one? Test it. The results from your audience retention data will reveal exactly where the sweet spot lies.

Putting in the effort to test these bits and pieces systematically will pay off big time in your results.

Keep Viewer Attention

Viewer attention assesses if you engage audiences adequately from start to finish:

• Attention graph – Shows second-by-second peaks where people pay attention and plummet when they drop off
• Average view duration – Measures typical watch time from start to finish
• Audience retention – Calculates per cent still viewing at video 25%, 50%, 75% completion milestones

Evaluating attention metrics flags where videos may lose people, so you can refine content.

Track Influential Discovery Sources

Determine the best channels driving viewership:

• YouTube search
• YouTube suggested videos
• YouTube browse features
• External website referrals
• Social media posts
• Paid advertisements

Doubling down on pathways sending significant traffic allows you to reach more qualified viewers.

Assess Audience Retention Between Videos

Do viewers binge multiple videos or leave your channel?

• Traffic source analysis – Shows viewer loyalty breakdown by category, like YouTube search, channel pages, playlists, etc.
• Audience retention report – Displays per percentage of viewers watching another video on your channel after the current video ends

High audience retention across videos signals you likely have loyal, engaged subscribers versus one-off visitors.

Connect Views to Conversions

Tie video metrics to business results like:

• Website traffic – Did view count or shares drive traffic to your site?
• Brand interest – Are there positive brand sentiments or followers on social media?
• Leads – Can you track demo requests, newsletter signups, and video viewership?
• Revenue – Did particular videos produce a sales lift?

Quantifying real business value achieved from videos justifies further investment.

Optimise Based on Insights

Learn from analytics to guide video creation decisions:

• Double down on best performers – Expand production of popular topics and formats
• Retire poor performers – Allocate less budget/resources to content not resonating
• Improve weak points – Fix issues losing attention according to retention data
• Promote conversions – Optimise end cards and CTAs to increase desired actions

Continually improving based on data feedback guarantees long-term video success.

Video Marketing Trends and Innovations

Video marketing continues to advance rapidly. Stay ahead, observing these rising video spending trends and innovations:

Rising Adoption Across Generations

Younger users still watch more videos daily, but adoption is growing fastest among older groups, as the chart shows:

Brands finding success on platforms like TikTok with Gen Z and Millennials should consider expanding their mature adult targeting on YouTube and Facebook.

Live Video Streaming Taking Over

Live video will dominate through formats like:

• Product launches – Build anticipation by debuting items in real-time broadcasts
• Events – Extend reach by hosting award shows, conferences and meetings using interactive live streams
• Influencer takeovers – Let famous personalities broadcast using your channel/profile for a day

The future favours brands bold enough to test innovative live formats.

Video Interactivity Expanding

Look for more interactive video features like:

• Polls and quizzes – Solicit viewer opinions or test knowledge by embedding questions in the content
• Shoppable capabilities – Enable instant purchasing of products featured without leaving the video
• AR effects – Allow consumers to try on makeup or test products at home digitally

Widening opportunities for viewers to engage beyond passive watching makes videos more alluring.

Short-Form Video Content Surging

Brevity becomes more desirable with mobile usage:

• Snackable videos – Capture attention quickly with 60-90 second videos tackling a single quick tip or thought
• Short-form series – Present more significant stories in 5-10 minute episodes like a mini-show
• TikTok-style clips – Entertain and inform by harnessing tight shots, music, and effects

Trimming length satisfies dwindling attention spans but still educates audiences.

Visual Search Unlocks New Possibilities

AI-driven video analysis provides rich insights like:

• Automated tagging – Machine learning assigns scene tags, labels objects, detects emotions, and more to interpret video content
• Facial analysis – Identifies viewers in videos to quantify emotional reactions or demographics
• Speech-to-text – Automatically transcribes dialogue for deeper analysis of topics discussed and sentiment
• Performance prediction – Forecasts viewership metrics to estimate video success pre-launch

Leveraging smart tech to unlock data within videos lifts optimisation to new levels.

The Role of AI in Video Creation

Alright, let's talk about AI.

It's not some scary robot coming for your job.

For video marketing, it's a tool that's making things faster, cheaper, and easier for everyone, especially if you're not a professional video editor.

Here’s how AI is changing the game right now:

• AI Scripting – Stuck for ideas? There are AI tools that can generate a full video script or at least a solid outline from a simple prompt. It's a great way to beat writer's block.
• Text-to-Video – This is a massive leap. You can now feed a script into a platform and have it generate a full video, complete with stock footage, an AI voiceover, and captions. It's not Hollywood, but for quick social posts or explainers, it's a lifesaver.
• AI Avatars – Need someone on camera but don't have the budget or time for a shoot? You can use a digital human avatar to present your script. They're getting surprisingly realistic and are perfect for training videos or quick updates.
• Automated Editing – Imagine an editor that automatically cuts out all your “ums” and “ahs,” removes long pauses, suggests relevant B-roll, and generates perfect captions in seconds. That's not the future; that's available right now with AI editing software.

Video Marketing Budget and Resourcing Tips

Determining appropriate investment in video content aids decision-making:

Video Production Cost Breakdown

Typical marketing video production expenses include:

• Scriptwriting: $200-$500 per video
• Filming/editing: $1,000-$5,000 per video
• Animation: $3,000-$10,000 per minute of finished footage
• Hosting fees: $99-$399 per year for a basic YouTube channel

Working with an agency usually increases costs but also guarantees quality. Do-it-yourself videos lower spending yet still require proper tools and skills. Set realistic budgets, aligning video strategy with resources available.

In-House vs Outsourced Production

Weigh cost/control tradeoffs:

• In-house pros – More creative control, own all content, no vendor fees beyond equipment, builds internal skills
• In-house cons – Requires significant ramp-up time, likelihood of quality issues, and content bottlenecks
• Outsourced pros – Taps proven industry expertise, bandwidth flexible to initiative needs
• Outsourced cons – Forfeits creative control, adds vendor costs and management time

As programs mature, ambition may necessitate starting in-house video teams despite the initial complexity.

Staffing a Video Team

If launching internal video operations, key production roles needed include:

• Producers – Manage initiatives end-to-end from conception through talent booking, scripting, scheduling, budgeting and analysis
• Videographers – Professionally film footage, selecting equipment, angles, and lighting for the best quality
• Editors – Combine b-roll with graphics, titles, and effects using editing programs into impactful videos
• Motion graphic designers – Build dynamic animated sequences that generate excitement and clarify complex topics
• Content strategists – Ensure videos map to buyer journey campaigns and amplify the broader content ecosystem

Having cross-discipline expertise avoids production bottlenecks as libraries scale.

Video Marketing Legal and Ethical Guidelines

While video provides exciting communication potential, marketers must also consider legal and ethical considerations.

Respecting Privacy and Permissions

When filming customers or employees, transparency rules:

• Model releases – Obtain consent forms from anyone recognisable on camera approving usage
• Transparent filming – Disclose when recording is happening, informing participants of future video plans

Upholding privacy builds trust that you’ll represent brand partners appropriately.

Honouring Copyright Laws

Beware Legal issues when adapting the third-party film, music or images:

• Licensing content – Seek permission before incorporating others’ copyright-protected work into your videos
• Royalty-free alternatives – Use open-source content without rights constraints
• Original productions – Develop custom footage and music from scratch, circumventing any licensing needs

While licensing speeds production, the safer path minimises copyright infringement risk.

Ensuring Representation and Inclusion

Diverse perspectives should be welcomed:

• Intentional casting – Seek people of different ethnicities, abilities, gender identities, etc., as talent
• Respect Cultural Depictions – Avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes or tropes for any group.

Videos present a forum for unifying rather than dividing customer communities.

Enhancing Accessibility in Video Content

Look, making your videos accessible isn't just a box-ticking exercise or a matter of being nice.

It's smart business.

If your content can be consumed by a larger audience, you will reach a broader group of people.

End of story.

You need to be thinking about people with disabilities, but the changes you make help everyone.

Here are the main things to sort out:

• Accurate Closed Captions (CC) – Don't just rely on the auto-generated captions from YouTube. They're often full of mistakes. Take five minutes to review and edit them. This is a must for people with hearing impairments, but it also helps the massive number of people scrolling through social media on the bus with their sound off.
• Transcripts – Provide a full text version of your video's audio. It's great for people who use screen readers, and it provides search engines with a complete script of your content to crawl, which can give your SEO a nice boost.
• Audio Descriptions – This is a separate audio track that provides a description of what's happening on screen for visually impaired viewers. For example, it might say “The presenter smiles and holds up the blue product box.” It ensures everyone gets the full context of your video.

Sorting this information out shows that you care about your entire audience, and it gives your videos a much wider reach.

Conclusion & Next Steps

I hope this comprehensive guide clarifies the best practices to succeed with video marketing. To recap, be sure to:

• Set clear goals and understand your target viewer
• Distribute videos widely, promoting with ads
• Perfect technical elements like scripting and editing
• Track analytics closely to optimise efforts
• Stay on top of video innovations aligned with your strategy

The marketing video landscape will only grow more competitive. Brands that put these video marketing tips into practice position themselves to stand out.

For additional help executing video campaigns, explore working with specialised video production partners. Their end-to-end services guarantee your videos make maximum impact. Contact a provider now to strategise!