Exactly how in-demand is video content? A HubSpot study says that 54 percent of consumers want to see more video content from brands or businesses they engage with. That means you! Without a video marketing strategy, you are falling behind the times.
So how to add video? The good news is you have options. Live stream off of your phone, create professionally shot scripted videos, use drone photography, animation, interviews, how-to videos, and more.
For 2020, it’s not enough to just make some videos. While you want engaging video content, it's time to be more thoughtful about the kind of video you are creating. You’ve got competition. To win you need an on-point video marketing strategy.
#1 Define video marketing goals
Everything in digital marketing needs to have a purpose. Videos are no exception.
Perhaps you want videos for demonstrating your product or for self-troubleshooting. In this case, your video marketing would lead to an increase in leads and a decrease in customer service calls. Write goals to reflect the intent.
Or, perhaps your video marketing is about showcasing your co-working space, in which case your purpose is to attract new client members.
Write specific goals about what you expect to gain from your video marketing.
#2 Research your target audience
Who exactly should be watching your videos? Is it fellow commercial real estate agents, or could it be property managers? What kind of video content is going to speak to them best?
Depending on your particular niche of the commercial real estate market, you might need to segment your audience and create different kinds of videos specific to them. Two segments could be prospects and new clients. The video content addressing their needs is very different.
#3 Decide your video style
There's no right or wrong way to incorporate video marketing into your digital strategy. I can think of one commercial real estate agent who used videos shot on a phone in his car to build a successful brand. Video doesn’t always need to be fancy or expensive to gain traction.
You will want consistency with your branding in your video style. For strategies using scripted videos, think about creating an introduction, using similar music, or shooting against the same background all the time. For animated videos, you want a very similar graphic look across all of your animated videos to stay in line with your brand imaging.
#4 Got budget?
While video marketing does not have to be expensive, if you plan on investing in scripted videos or more professional production, you will need a production budget. Even if you choose to go the less expensive route with personally shot videos, you still need a budget for their paid promotion through social media and other owned channels.
#5 Have a creation plan
Real estate and marketing teams need to decide who will create the videos and who is responsible for what work. The bigger the work, the more people you may need involved with your video strategy.
#6 Give videos a home
Your videos need to live somewhere, whether it's on Facebook, YouTube, or your website. Think about where your audience is watching them or is most likely to discover the content.
#7 Track who’s watching
Your video marketing strategy won't pay off if you're not tracking what happens. Which videos are getting the most engagement and views? Is it the content that is resonating with the audience, or is it the video style?
Experiment with different styles. Compare the visitor views of live streaming, scripted, and animated content.
Find ways to replicate successful videos in future productions. Tracking what works and what doesn’t is how your video strategy gets better and better.
Why video marketing now
Stats says 85% of all internet users in the United States watched online video content monthly on any of their devices. Need the demand with video marketing as part of your digital marketing strategy.