Bright idea: Partner with your advertisers to produce promotional, informative videos…that lead to conversions.
Yeah, you know all about that. It’s not always the easiest alternative for a small-to-medium publisher with a tight budget. But have you tried it yet?
Of course you want an amazing video. Video advertising can be highly effective, even going viral. Or it can become an expensive disaster. Even worse, your video can so boring it hurts your brand(s) instead of helping it.
But it can make sense to partner with your advertisers to create truly innovative videos without breaking the bank. It can be a win-win if you do it right. How to do it, you ask?
We read up (and high and low) to learn what works best. There are some common, and not unsurprising, guidelines to get you going, whether you’re a beginner or just want to do it better:
1. The tone of the video should be fun, quirky, unique, informative, how-to, compelling, interesting…or counter intuitive. Or any combination thereof. And even for B2B.
2. It’s also very effective to tug at the heartstrings through nostalgia, inspiration and/or um–cuddly baby animals licking ice cream off of the cheek of a human baby. You get the picture.
3. There MUST be a call-to-action that’s easy for the viewer to see and act upon.
4. Video advertising is not just about brand perception. It can be a powerful conversion tool if done right.
5. Decide on length: There are good, solid arguments for both out there– “short and sweet” (30 seconds or less) or “riveting” (2-3 minute or longer.) Or if you are unsure, do a series!
6. Quick practical tips from Fast company: For any video moment, you should have the right lights, watch your angle, look presentable and look behind you to see what your viewers are seeing.
Here’s more in-depth info on video ads from the experts:
Social Media Examiner: 4 tips to improve your youtube marketing
From Inc.: 16 eye-popping statistics you need to know about visual content marketing
From the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau): Guidelines for digital video
Wordstream: Most memorable video ads
From the source: Google/You Tube support
Contently infographic: Beginners’ guide to youtube advertising
From Niche Media HQ: Video Ads: The New Native in Magazine Publishing!
So no excuses–There’s plenty of information available to get it right. So get out there and……lights, camera, action! Then measure those video ad conversions and keep going.
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About this blogger: Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Niche Media. A former sales director and corporate marketing hack, she has now found nirvana in writing and wrangling quality content. Diana is a food, wine, art and SF Giants enthusiast…who sometimes gets carried away.
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