Remington BeggIf you couldn’t already tell by our other content, we love video marketing. There are no ifs, ands or butts about it, we dig it. But more importantly, we see value in it! After redoing our website and relaunching with a crap ton of videos, we have seen traffic skyrocket and leads flow in fast.
But, we’re ultimately here to help you achieving the same success. I’m not suggesting you blow up your site and launch a new one like we did (but if you want to, call me) I am saying that you can make changes in your strategy to include video. The hottest place to do that right now is Facebook.
There are over 300 videos per minute uploaded to good ole Facebook, or Spacebook as my dear 90 year old grandmother called it. I am going to walk through some of the major benefits of utilizing this social media channel in your marketing efforts and slather in some examples of business who do it well.
So read on, you savvy marketing maven, and learn how to tackle this new-ish guerilla marketing strategy like a total champ!
Growing your Audience and the Algorithm
Forget seven degrees of separation, Facebook is showing a 3.5% separation. That’s insane and also makes me really excited that I am less that four people away from being friends with Oprah (So, mathematically, let’s just say that Oprah is my new bestie.) You get a follow! You get a follow! EVERYBODY GETS A FOLLOW!
But how does this affect your business? The Facebook Algorithm has made many changes over the years, but the current method is making it more difficult for businesses to gain fast organic growth than it has been in the past. Utilizing video is a great way to grow your reach and followers. But let me break it down for you more: the more people who are engaging with your post, the more your posts will show up at the top of the newsfeed.
You see the same video of a toddler doing the water bottle flip challenge at the top of your newsfeed for 3 mornings in a row. Well, it’s being shared, liked and commented on so much that it is straight up taking over! AKA going viral.
The challenge isn’t not only in getting your video up on Facebook, where you host it has some power in the algorithm as well. Videos that are hosted natively on facebook are getting a stronger engagement and reach. So even though you have a killer YouTube channel, try a natively posted video and see how the analytics differ. Doing an A/B video test like this will be the best way to see how your specific audience watches you. But just understand that if you are trying to grow your reach, having it on Facebook is the best way to get your current customers to praise you and share your message with their world!
A Smidge On Metrics
The rate at which people are watching and sharing videos is insane. You can look at your newsfeed right now and I guarantee there are at least three videos in one big scroll, if not more. Take advantage of this easy and fun way to grow your business by sharing your culture and spreading your message.
Facebook has made it super easy to decipher how your videos are doing on your website as well. You can determine views, clicks, shares and comments over a period of time to see if people are watching. If they are, you can see whether they’re sharing or rewatching.
There are a ton of ways to fully digest and review your video metrics, but a few key items I would focus on are:
The 10 Second View
This metric will measure how often your video is viewed for….10 seconds. The reason this is important is that it shows if you are posting engaging enough videos! If they are not compelled to watch at least 10 seconds, they either don’t care about your message or (and probably more of an issue) is you haven’t sold the sizzle enough to get them to care.
Audience Retention
This nifty graph will show how long your audience stays tuned in and where in the video they dropped off. Was it before your CTA? Did they drop off before you got to deliver the main point of the video? This can help you edit content for your next video to keep people more engaged.
Sharing
Sharing is the highest form of flattery in the Facebook world! It is by far the strongest engagement you will get from someone and can help expand your reach exponentially. Analyze which videos are being shared and see if there is a common theme. If so, do more of that, today!
My 9 Video Must Haves:
Finally, here are my 9 video must haves. Like I said before, we do a lot of videos here at Impulse Creative. We see the value not only for our business, but for the growth of our clients. Use one, three or all of these tips to help grow your reach, beat the algorithm and have more fun at work!
1. Be Authentic: These videos should be true to you and your brand! People can smell your fakeness from a mile away. Commit to your brand and let your freak flag fly.
2. Clear CTA’s: During, below, after, in the comments- get your cta message out there and make it clear. What is the next action they are taking? A quiz, a poll, a comment, a like, follow this link….take your viewer to the next step of the journey.
3. Quick to Catch ’Em: Within the first three seconds, you should focus on drawing in your watchers so they can’t leave! Be like Buzzfeed. They are the ultimate master’s at getting you to watch people do the strangest things, like try foods from another country or go a week without washing their hair. They are Facebook video gurus!
4. Native Uploads: As I mentioned above, a native video is going to get a stronger engagement and help keep your kick ass videos higher up in the newsfeed. If you have a strong love affair with YouTube, don’t be afraid to use that channel as well, just remember how it could affect your social traffic and what your goals are.
5. Tag Other Pages: Show the love to people who have influenced you, or directly relate to the message you are sharing. The intent here is that hopefully you get tagged back and we are just letting the engagement love flow.
6. Preferred Audience: Choose the right people to see your message and make a stronger impact! By choosing a preferred audience, you can ensure this video gets targeted to people who are interested in your product or service. For example, if you own a women’s boutique in Atlanta, you can select women between the ages of 20 - 40 within a 25 mile radius of your store, and really narrow down to create a larger impact.
7. Go “Live”: A live video is ranked more favorable than a recorded one. This video will be published on your page and can be viewed once the live shot is over. People watch live videos three times longer than traditional, pre recorded videos. Try it out by checking the metrics and seeing how this can make a positive impact.
8. Don’t Rely on Sound: 85% of Facebook videos are not viewed with sound. Using text on your video to display the script could add to a longer viewing and engagement time.
9. Have Fun: This is really the most important part. If you find videos to be a chore and don’t really want to be engaging this way, it will come across immediately. You don’t have to record a feature film, it's not that serious! So, deliver that message with a smile and let the world know what your company is all about.
