Whether you’re a small business or an established brand, you should use video in your marketing. With video, you reach your audience in a way that brings out personality and information in an entertaining manner. Most people would rather watch a video than read text or look at pictures, and in marketing, video performs better. But to succeed, it’s smart to understand which strategies and tactics actually work.
1. Start with a bang!
When we scroll on social media, we spend a surprisingly short time deciding whether to watch or scroll past. That’s why you should start with a hook to grab the viewer’s attention. Begin with an interesting statement, something that sparks curiosity, or a visual surprise. The goal is to capture the viewer’s attention within the first few seconds. A quick introduction showing what the video is about will help keep viewers engaged.
2. Keep it short and concise
Attention is a limited resource, and short videos are often more effective. Try to limit the video length to the essentials, especially if it’s an advertisement. Our patience is shorter when watching ads than when watching a video on, for example, a website. For ads, 10–30 seconds is ideal. If the video is longer, you can almost expect people to drop off. If you have a lot to tell, it’s recommended to split it into several parts. On websites, you can publish somewhat longer videos. We recommend a maximum of 90 seconds.
3. Give them what they want
Create content that matters to your target audience. It’s fun to talk about yourself, but think about what the audience is interested in and how your product can help them. Give them valuable content that solves a problem or provides useful information. Share your knowledge. This builds trust and loyalty among your customers. When they encounter a problem they can’t solve themselves, they’ll know who to contact. Additionally, there’s a growing culture among younger generations who are tired of being sold to, which means content that feels too sales-oriented is less appreciated.
4. Be a CTA hero
An important part of video marketing is getting viewers to take action. Figure out what the content should achieve. Should the viewer act (CTA), feel (CTF), or think (CTT)? Also determine what a conversion means for you — it could be clicking a link, subscribing to a newsletter, or purchasing your product. End the video with a clear call to action and give viewers a good reason to follow it.
5. Optimize for mobile
Mobile phones are now the primary device people use to watch videos. Make sure your videos are mobile-friendly, with the right format and text that’s easy to read on small screens. Always include subtitles! 80% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. Recently, it has become more common to use more playful subtitles inspired by TikTok. This means faster pacing, fewer words at a time, some movement, and emojis.
6. Test, test, test!
Marketing is a continuous process. Test different approaches, audiences, and types of content to see what works best for your business. What makes your audience say “wow, that was cool”? Analyze the results and adjust your strategy based on the insights you gain.
Video strategy
Video marketing can be a powerful way to reach your audience, but it requires a carefully planned strategy. Use these tactics and continuously refine your approach to achieve success with video marketing and strengthen your online presence.
Do you need an expert in video production? Let’s have a chat about how we can help you achieve your goals — we love sharing our knowledge and bringing your ideas to life on screen!
Here you can also read about how to think strategically by combining events and video.
