Kickstart Your Video Strategy in 2018

Guest Post by Rachel Woloshin

Is adding more video to your marketing strategy on your list of New Year’s Resolutions?

It definitely should be. 

Today’s consumers crave engaging, interactive content. A recent content marketing study says 55% of people consume video more thoroughly than any other kind. Leaving video marketing out of your toolbox could potentially cost you money.

Well-executed video content can give a human element to your brand. It can explain a complicated product, position your brand as an expert in the industry, or showcase company culture better than other forms of content.

With more access to tools and fewer creative constraints, it’s easier than ever to make video content that converts.

Making your first video is daunting, but when you follow these steps, it’s simple and achievable:

1. Determine the goal you want your videos to achieve.

As with any new marketing strategy, start with your goal. Do you want to drive traffic to your website? Increase brand awareness? Educate users about your company?

Your goal is the driving purpose for creating video content and every video should support it. Otherwise, your video marketing efforts won’t reach their full potential.

Consider making multiple videos to tackle different goals separately, since rarely does one video can capture it all.

2. Map out your short-term and long-term strategy.

For your video to be successful, it needs to be part of a long-term strategy. What kind of videos do you want to create? How many videos are going to be part of your campaign? Where will you publish your videos? Who is responsible for the content? How will you drive awareness of these videos?

Have all of your ducks in a row before you even put pen to paper.

Once you’ve documented your game plan, it’s time for kick-off.

3. Now it’s time to get creative.

Plan out each video you want to make and the resources you need. Determine if you can make the video content in-house or if you need to outsource anything.

If you’re planning a larger production, it’s best to let experienced professionals take on the shoot. If you’re not sure where to find a production company or crew to help you out, services like ProductionHUB have thousands of options to choose from in your area and budget.

It’s okay if you’re not the next Scorsese, but you’ll be able to find someone who can get the job done.

4. Lights, camera, action.

With all the revisions made to your script and your crew, it’s time to start recording. If you choose to shoot in your office, make sure you’re filming in a quiet area or when everyone is out to lunch.

You can even build a DIY office video studio in a conference room so you’ll always have a place to shoot.

Don’t have access to a high-end camera? No worries. With a few tricks, you can even shoot quality video on your smartphone.

5. Publish and optimize.

Once you have the final cut, it’s time to release your video out to the internet. Is your video meeting the goal you set out in the beginning?

If so, yay! Make more videos like it!

If not, how can you improve the next video in your series to better reach your target audience? The most important thing you can do when trying a new marketing tactic is to experiment with different social channels, delivery and content to understand what gets your audience’s attention and engagement.

There is no secret sauce to striking video gold. Creating an effective video strategy takes a lot of research, planning and iteration. With the proper preparation, you’ll be on your way to a fruitful 2018.

Image: Sam McGhee via Unsplash, Creative Commons CC0

Rachel Woloshin is the Digital Marketing Coordinator at ProductionHUB in sunny Orlando, Florida. Throughout her marketing career she has worked with companies in a wide variety of industries ranging from tech and venture capital to healthcare and higher education. Outside of the office, she’s a huge movie buff ready to talk shop. Connect with her on Twitter @woloshinr.