Effective Video Marketing Strategy Creation: A 5 Step Guide

Effective video marketing strategy creation involves understanding the growing role that video plays.

By the time you finish reading this 10 minute guide, at least 5000 hours of video would have been uploaded to YouTube.

Statista.com reports that a staggering 500+ hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, equating to 30,000 hours of new content uploaded hourly.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Video now dominates the content shared on most social networks.

This includes  live streams, webinars, YouTube, TikTok videos or Instagram stories.

Currently, 87% of digital marketers say that they include videos in their content strategy. 

Furthermore, 51% of marketers state video as having the highest ROI compared to other content types.

Still on the fence about whether or not video content is worth investing in? Consider the following benefits video brings, amongst others:

Increased conversion rates – Studies show that including videos to a product or service page can result in a 144% increase in purchases.

Improved search engine ranking – YouTube videos rank near the top of search engine result pages.

Adding a video to your website increases the chance of a front page Google result.

Increased email click through rates (CTR) – By simply adding ‘video’ to your subject line, you can increase your CTR by 200-300%.

High engagement – Whatever platform they are on, videos get shared resulting in increased visibility for your brand. 

Tweets with videos receive 10x more engagement. LinkedIn users share videos 20x more than they do other content. 

Now that you know why you need an effective video marketing strategy. We will walk you through 5 easy-to-follow steps to make sure that your strategy is effective.

Effective Video Marketing Strategy Creation

Step 1 Start by Defining your Video Marketing Goals

As with any marketing effort, the first step to a marketing strategy for video advertising is goal setting.

You need to have a clear understanding of the purpose your videos will serve.

This is best done by examining your sales funnel and pointing out the areas where you are falling short.

Start by creating content that addresses your least performing funnel stage. Afterward, begin to build your library to have videos for every stage.

• Awareness: These videos will be useful to new brands or if you want to target a new audience. 

Use information videos to attract and introduce your product to the audience.

The performance of videos at this stage should be measured by views and not sales.

• Consideration: Your videos will be aimed at an audience that is researching product options, looking for reviews and comparisons. 

Your videos should explain how you can solve their problem.

The goal is to build relationships and spark interest. Measure performance by video view duration.

• Decision: This is where you want to stimulate sales by communicating your USP and proof of customer satisfaction.

The goal is to let viewers know why they should choose you over the competition. Measure performance by sales and click through rates.

In Summary if your goal is to attract new customers, create awareness videos.

If you are looking for engagement, create consideration videos. 

Lastly, If your goal is to close sales, then focus on decision stage content.

Step 2 Research Your Video Target Audience 

Once you have worked out which stage of the marketing funnel you will be focusing on, it is time to match that to an audience.

Knowing your target audience allows you to craft your message according to the interests, priorities, lifestyle and tone of your viewers.

Presumably you have a buyer persona that was built when your product was in development. This persona should be the reference for your target audience.

As you analyse your audience and develop a video marketing strategy, answer the following:

• What type of topics interest them?
• Which video format are they likely to engage with?
• Which platforms do they consume their content on?

To complete your audience strategy bring together the following elements:

• Who you want to buy your product – your buyer persona.
• Which part of the marketing funnel the video will be addressing.
• Where you will distribute your videos – platforms where your video will live.

This should give you a clear idea of not only who your audience is, but also how to reach them.

Step 3 Decide Which Content you Will Be Creating

One of the main elements of a video marketing strategy is content planning.

It is time to think about the actual video you will be making. Every video type will have its pros and cons. 

Factors that will influence your choice include budget, skills, the distribution channel and your goals.

The most common video types are: 

• Commercials
• How to videos
• Product demonstration
• Explainer videos
• Company culture
• Testimonials
• Behind the scenes
• Documentary

We will dig deeper into some of these.

Explainer Videos

Use explainer videos to share useful tips, or walk viewers through an activity.

This video type is great for giving an introductory presentation to your audience. 

The structure involves creating a problem and then showing the audience how to solve it. Conclude the video with a clear call to action.

It is always a great idea to add animation to your explainer videos as a way to further simplify your solution.

Commercials

These are short, attention grabbing videos that highlight the best parts of your product. 

The main goal is to attract customers so they work well for the awareness stage. 

The best commercials communicate the most important part of your message and are memorable.

Testimonials

Testimonials are an effective way to influence your audience. We encourage including them in your social media video marketing strategy.

These videos are told from the customer’s point of view. This makes them resonate with your audience.

You can record testimonials during in store events, trade shows or after product launches.

Product Demo videos

Product demonstrations differ from explainer videos in that instead of explaining the product, you are showing it off. 

This can be done by demonstrating the product in an environment or situation where it thrives.

Make the video interesting by using a charismatic host.

Step 4 Video Production For an Effective Video Marketing Strategy

Depending on your capabilities and resources, you will either produce your videos in-house or make use of an agency.

If you will be doing in-house production, these are the steps to follow:

Pre production

1. Creative brainstorming.
2. Script writing.
3. Creating storyboards for the video.
4. Sourcing & booking of  talents, venues, equipment and props.

Production

1. Test equipment – audio, visual, lighting.
2. Style the shoot as per brief – makeup, wardrobe, decor.

Post production

1. Make use of reputable video editors to edit the recordings.
2. Add visual, sound and graphic effects.
3. Highlight your call to action.

Step 5 Optimize Your Videos with SEO content

Your video is now ready to be shared! You know where you are sharing it and who it is intended for. 

The final step involves making sure that your video gets a good search engine ranking.

Search engines already favour video content so that’s a plus.

Here are some tips to ensure that your videos get found:

• Add video transcripts in order to make it easier for Google to find your content.
• Add a title tag that matches the video content. Penalties will be applied for luring viewers using a fake description.
• Create an attention grabbing thumbnail.
• Create an engaging video title and description.
• Promote your video on different platforms to reach a wider audience.
• Increase watch time. Use an enticing opening to ensure viewers watch your video. On YouTube, make use of the playlist feature as it encourages viewers to continue viewing your content.

Outsource your Video Marketing Strategy to Growthpad Digital Consulting

Sharing poor quality video content can be detrimental to your brand image. It is worse than not sharing any content at all!

Growthpad Digital Consulting has a portfolio of successful video campaigns for all the funnel stages.

The agency understands the growing strategic importance of video content for brands. 

Video Force is the agency’s video marketing department that focuses on video marketing strategies to capture modern audiences.

Schedule a free consultation with the team and discuss your video marketing needs. 

Work with a team that understands the value of telling your story. Start creating an effective video marketing strategy today.