The ever-changing algorithm has been frustrating marketers and SEO specialists for generations. However, the benefits of ranking number one on Google and other search engines make it more than worth it.
Despite the fluctuations in algorithms, there is one apparent signal: videos are favored and will rank higher on the search engine results page.
But why is video so important for SEO in 2021? And, more importantly, how do you optimize a video for SEO?
Let’s break down any confusion and shine a light on how the magic of video optimization can transform your small business into a globally recognized brand.
What Is Video Marketing?
Let’s start at the beginning. Video marketing is a tactic that many brands and business owners are integrating into their wider marketing strategy for the progression of their company.
Video marketing relies on videos – whether they are live or pre-recorded – to deliver a message to their demographic.
This doesn’t always need to be hard selling. In fact, implementing a long-term strategy that focuses heavily on value is far more effective. But, we’ll get to that later.
Why Is Video Marketing Important In 2021?
Nowadays, people are spending a third of their time watching video content online. Whether they’re taking to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok, or other video-supporting websites, one thing is clear: video is the most digestible (and addictive) form of content online.
Regarding marketing success, 74% of marketers claim they see a bigger and better return on investment with video marketing than with static imagery.
Ultimately, video is both the present and future of online content consumption. While other forms of content are still digested, such as blogs and articles, video is consistently in demand.
As a result, your brand needs to adhere to those demands, giving your audience what they crave.
Videos are far easier to watch than to read an entire article addressing a subject. And, as we know, the lower the amount of effort, the higher the chances are of engagement.
It’s for these reasons that video marketing needs to take a prized position in your marketing strategy.
What Are The Benefits of Video Marketing?
The benefits of video marketing cannot be argued with:
- Video marketing helps your revenue grow by up to 49% annually.
- You’ll be giving your target audience what they’re asking for. HubSpot suggests that video content is the number one content format that consumers ask for.
- There will be an increased flow of traffic to your page(s).
- You’ll gain more shares and backlinks, which is a solid building block for your SEO strategy.
- Posting videos will show your audience that your brand is the go-to brand within the industry, helping you establish your authority.
- With such a personable approach, filming and posting videos help to build and maintain trust.
- You’ll be able to expand your brand’s reputation through the added shares and backlinks previously mentioned.
- Tailored videos will communicate your brand’s empathy with your specific demographic, clearly conveying your knowledge of their pain points.
- Videos can show the unique benefits of your products or services in live format, making them feel more authentic and credible.
- Finally, videos can communicate your brand’s voice, ethos, and values in a clear, approachable way.
With these 10 benefits up for grabs, it’s challenging to ignore video marketing from your content strategy. So, let’s talk about how to implement video into your marketing strategy.
How To Use Video In Your Marketing Strategy
The key to video marketing lies in engagement. The more engagement you gain from a video, the better it performs, meaning the better (and bigger) the results.
When implementing video into your marketing strategy, use these steps:
- Revisit Your Foundations
As with any form of content, you need strong foundations to build a skyscraper.
Therefore, it’s essential to return to your foundations before you begin.
Consider the elements of your Golden Circle:
- Who are you speaking to?
- What do you do?
- Why do you do it?
Think, too, about your brand’s core messaging and beliefs. These should all be documented so you can refer to them when crafting new elements to your overall strategy.
Finally, document what your specific audience will gain from your videos. What pain points will you address, and how will your videos lessen or solve them? How do you want them to feel after watching your clips?
While these questions may feel fiddly to answer, you need a solid understanding of the basics before heading up a step.
- Determine Your Distribution Channels
This step builds upon the previous step and focuses mainly on the audience you’re pitching at.
You’ll want to choose distribution channels that your ideal buyer uses. If, for example, they spend most of their time on TikTok but you’ve chosen to post your marketing videos on LinkedIn, it’ll be unlikely to see a positive return on investment.
Find solid evidence that your audience is spending most of their time on specific platforms. Use Reddit to uncover their everyday behaviors and track them on social media.
It’s also worth conducting competitor research to see where your competitors are posting. However, don’t ignore their engagement rates. Some brands post the same thing across multiple platforms, but their results differ. This will then indicate the more active platform. Check out both direct and indirect competitors.
- Understand Your KPIs For Video Marketing
Being data-informed is fundamental for marketers and business owners. While data doesn’t need to rule your life, you need to utilize data to assess whether your strategy is working or not.
For video marketing, the metrics you want to focus on most are:
- Engagement Rate – This measures any type of interaction with your video. This metric indicates the quality of your video, alongside the impact of your message and content topic.
- View Count – This tells you how many people have watched your video. It’s measured differently across various platforms, though. YouTube, for example, won’t count a view unless they’ve watched at least 30 seconds of the clip. However, Facebook needs only 3 seconds to be determined as a ‘view.’
- Play Rate – This metric tells you how many people clicked ‘play’ to watch your video. With automatic videos being used across many platforms, this will tell you how engaging your thumbnail and surrounding written content is. If these supporting elements do not hook them, they won’t click ‘play.’
- Shares – The number of shares indicates how many people have shared your post on social media channels. Generally speaking, shares communicate resonation and relatability.
- Comments – Comments are the most flattering of all metrics, as they require the most effort. If someone has taken the time to write a comment, it’s because your video content spiked an emotional response. Generally, the more comments you receive, the more views you’ll gain.
Video Marketing Needs A Place In Your Marketing Strategy
Video is the number one form of content in 2021. So make sure your brand makes use of this and hops aboard the video-marketing train.
If you focus on the needs of your demographic and understand their online behavior, you’ve gained solid scaffolding for the rest of your video strategy.
