The power of video marketing is undeniable. According to Forrester Research, videos are 50 times more likely to receive an organic first page ranking than traditional text pages. If you’re considering a video marketing strategy, take note of these lesser known video marketing secrets you can use to attract prospects and clients:

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Develop a cliffhanger

Cliffhanger endings will add a suspense element to your video. To do this effectively, create a series of videos that are like short episodes. The ending of each video should make the viewer want to watch the next one find out what else you have to say.

Publishing schedule

Instead of creating a video and publishing it whenever it’s ready, consider how the video slots into your overall marketing strategy. A video campaign should be part of a bigger strategy that has clear goals, such as encouraging new sign-ups for a webinar, download a free Whitepaper or book a consultation. Plan supporting content marketing and social media activities to stay top of mind with people who have viewed your video.

Micro videos

You don’t need to hire professional actors and rent video equipment to produce a three-minute video. Micro-video apps shorten videos to less than ten seconds, making it ideal for sites like Twitter and Instagram where people can re-share your content.

Make it about the story, not the sale

Your video needs to tell a compelling story, not sell a product. Videos that get people talking and laughing aren’t product demonstrations or a showpiece about your brand. Think about the desires and needs of your target audience and create an emotive video that speaks to what they think, believe and feel.

Show people, not products

Product demonstrations are often a great idea, but consider how you can tell different stories about your brand. Maybe your target audience would be interested in seeing who your product developers are, or seeing what the social media manager looks like and what they think about the brand’s online following. Use video marketing to humanize your brand a build a better report with customers.

Have follow-up content

You never want your video to simply fade to black, leaving the viewer with a blank screen. Always have a recommended video to watch next, or a link to a whitepaper that the viewer can download, or a link to a newsletter signup. If the viewer wants more information about you, then you should be armed and ready to give them the information they need.

Take risks

Marketing puff in any form doesn’t spread online. Whether you’re writing content or creating videos, be bold and daring. Video marketing campaigns pay off when you’re willing to be less conservative and more creative.

User-generated content

One of the best ways to engage with your target audience is to invite them to become a part of your campaign. Instead of spending the time and effort creating your own video content, put your customer behind the camera by inviting them to create and post a video. Offer a prize for the best video.

Another great strategy is to offer rewards for video testimonials. Today’s digital natives are always looking for social proof before they invest in a product. They do their research online and make sure they are getting real reviews from real people. While a written testimonial could easily be uploaded by a brand, a video of a person explaining how they use the product or why they’re happy with it can have a much bigger impact on potential customers.

Optimise for search

When people think about Search Engine Optimisation, they usually think of content and meta titles. There are many ways that you can use SEO to your advantage with video marketing as well.

Do keyword research before you upload your video and make sure you have the right keywords in the video title. Remember to write a compelling video description and include relevant, high-impact keywords in the description as well. To get people clicking back to your website and blog, be sure to include the URLs of your website and blog. Ask viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel at the end of the video.

Consider where you post the video

A video on your website is great, but be sure to also upload it to Facebook and YouTube. Not only will this increase the number of people you can reach, but it also ups your chances of getting picked up in search results on these popular websites.

Call to action

A compelling video will grab prospects’ attention, but make sure there’s a call to action in the video. Whether there’s a coupon code on your site or a promotion at your local store, tell people what they need to do once they’ve watched your video.