Admit it. We’ve all done it. We’ve created flashy, creative and hip brand videos that garnered little views even after we posted it on YouTube and shared it on social media. We read the statistics declaring the power of video and finally decided to film that video…. but with little results. What could we have possibly done wrong? Even though the video was professionally produced and edited, without a marketing gameplan a video will not receive the attention it deserves. Below we came up with seven ways to market your video.

#1 CTAs

By far the simplest and most important way of generating clicks, leads, or conversions with videos is to include a CTA, or call-to-action. Far too often brands create and post videos without a clear purpose. Yes, videos can effectively portray a brand’s image, but behind the video should always be a call-to-action. CTAs can be an invitation to sign up or learn more. Whether it’s a spoken request or a screen at the end of the video with an embedded link, both options should capitalize on the video. This strategy is based on the “receive and give” principle- once a viewer has received valuable information they are more willing to convert (such as clicking to a landing page, subscribing, or even watching another video).

#2 Annotations

CTAs can be given using annotations placed over the video. These can provide additional information to your viewers, such as past or future videos, as well as related videos. YouTube annotations can also be used to drive channel subscriptions and suggest “liking” a video. Most users are not allowed to include links to external traffic in annotations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2P-jxDhjCo&feature=youtu.be

When the search engine sees that there is a flurry of activity around your video, the video’s rankings increase, which in turn further promotes your video. Annotations help to increase views, engagement, and subscriptions.

Here’s an interactive video that makes excellent use of annotations

#3 Tagging

YouTube claims to have 300 hours of video added every minute. And with over 10 years of existence, the number of videos currently on YouTube is probably very close to infinity. But what methods should businesses use to make their videos stand out?

Tagging videos is one method of assigning relevant keywords to a video. From using YouTube’s Auto Suggest search box or Keyword Suggestion Tool, to checking out your competitor’s tags, there are many ways to find relevant keywords. You can use Excel’s Find and Replace Feature to sort your initial keyword selections. When choosing the best keywords be sure to use the plural versions and avoid using “stop” words like “a” or “the”.

#4 Closed Captions

An oft-overlooked method of increasing video rankings is using closed captions. Besides improving SEO rankings, closed captions also increase video watch time. Studies have shown that watch time increases by as much as 40% with subtitles, or closed captions.

According to a BBC survey, 80% of viewers who watched videos with closed captions were
not hearing impaired. The main reason for viewing videos with closed captions was improved comprehension. The viewer’s environment may be too loud, or even quiet and without captions they won’t watch or understand your video. 

#5 Social Media

According to Facebook IQ, the number of videos in News Feed has increased 3.6 times, YoY. Facebook’s Q3 2015 data show that the social media platform receives over 8 billion video views per day.

Facebook data has shown that users tend to interact more with Facebook native videos, rather than shared YouTube videos. This has lead to heated debates on video copyright infringements. One way to avoid this copyright infringement is to create an image-heavy post and simply post the YouTube video link in the comments section.

Though we all like to think that we keep work separate from personal life, this does not apply to sharing company videos on your personal networks… Why not show off to your friends how awesome your job and company is? Or maybe you just rolled out a new product that your cousin’s brother’s girlfriend will absolutely adore? You’ll never know unless you try…

#6 Blog it

One way of spreading the word about your video is to write a short and sweet blogpost. Start the post with an attention-grabbing line and write a brief soundbite of what to expect in the video. 

Include key facts with only one or two examples illustrating your main point. The average website visitor spends 48 seconds on a web page, but with video the average visitor spends 5 minutes and 50 seconds. In this way, videos encourage reading and reading encourages viewing. It’s a win-win.

#7 Video Advertising

According to Business Insider, online video ad revenue will reach almost $5 billion in 2016. Video ad CTR is much higher than that of search ads, with a 1.84% click-through-rate. If your video is thoughtfully and professionally created you may want to consider video advertising. Search engines like Google and YouTube are the best performers and offer campaign management through Adwords.

YouTube ads have two options: TruView In-Display Ads and TruView In-Stream Ads. Both have their guidelines and objectives.

 Another option of increasing video visibility is through the use of Ad Overlays. Ad Overlays are free of charge with a video campaign promoted through AdWords. However, Ad Overlays are only available for TruView In-Display Ads, and not for TruView In-Stream Ads.

Key Takeaways

• Always post videos on social media. Even your personal networks.
• Closed captions are not just for the hearing impaired.
• Video ads are showing great promise, don’t be afraid to become an early adopter!
• Use annotations to make your videos interactive.
• If you videotape it, don’t forget to write about it.
• Hashtags are not just for Twitter. Tagging your video makes it easier to find.
• Whichever method you choose, always always ALWAYS use CTAs.

Happy video marketing!