It's a moving picture world today. More and more video content is posted to multiple platforms every day, and corporations seeking to retain their existing audiences, while reaching new ones, recognize video as an essential brand communication tactic.
We've listed in this article some key questions you might be asking, and we provide point by point takeaways if you're considering using video to grow awareness of and equity in your brand.
Why is video content such a key element for businesses looking to promote their corporate story and news?
It's an essential part of any content marketing effort. And whether companies want to accept it, every business is in the content marketing business, at least partially.
People love videos and watch them on their desktop and mobile devices ... all the time.
They're entertaining, energetic and, when produce well, they are memorable, and people will be more likely to share them with other likeminded people. That acts like a reference for your business.
They are the fastest most immersive medium for your audience to learn about your brand and your corporate news.
Competitively, more and more companies of all sizes, are relying more and more on video content simply because it is immersive and attention-getting. Some stats show upwards of 90% of businesses use video, in some way, throughout the year to promote their companies. So, if you’re not creating video content, you can be at a disadvantage.
What about return on investment with videos?
First off, the cost of creating videos has made the medium attractive to every business. Using smart phones or video conference to capture footage is inexpensive and is becoming more acceptable to audiences.
If you decide to up the production values with a small video crew, that investment adds value to your message. If your video is sharp and it sounds great, viewers will tend to feel the same way about your brand.
Quality production values also add greater authority to your brand message or new updates. And there is plenty of data to indicate that companies using video to promote their brand story achieve higher share values over time.
And videos can have longer shelf lives so the content can be found over and over again on your own website or platforms where you have a presence or a channel, like YouTube or Vimeo.
How should we get our videos out there?
Like we mentioned at the top, every business is in the content marketing business, too. So, videos should be part of a coordinated effort to create content in multiple mediums including blogs, podcast ... and videos.
Certainly, think about creating your own YouTube or Vimeo channel and make sure you have a video section on your website.
Post short teasers of your videos on social platforms, along with short summary copy so viewers know what to expect.
And of course, you can consider boosting your videos on all your social platforms with advertising dollars.
And keep in mind, YouTube is more than just a wildly popular video platform. It's also a Google search engine. And Google includes YouTube videos at the top of the page for many search terms.
It's estimated that YouTube has the third highest share of the search market, after only Google.com and Google Images.
And don’t focus on short form pre-rolls. While useful, you need to balance short form with long form because your corporate story needs more time, to be told right. Best to use pre-rolls as quick hit ads for the longer form content. Along with YouTube, platforms like Vimeo, and even your web site, are ideal for the longer form content that tells your brand story with greater depth. And that creates greater authority for your message.
How Can Newsfile Help?
Here at Newsfile we make it easy and inexpensive to include your video link in your press releases. If you have a YouTube channel, just include the embed code (or address) of the video and we will ensure it goes out with your press release. That way, your video will pay right in your press release.
For more details, reach out to your Newsfile rep or contact us to set up an account.