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Businesses today cannot afford to exclude video from their communications and PR strategy as a growing number of people flock to video-sharing websites. 

According to the Pew Research Center, 26 percent of Americans, or about a quarter of the population, get their news on YouTube, a Google-owned video-sharing website where users can find video content on just about anything.  But whether your strategic communications company posts videos on YouTube or on the organization’s website, content that includes video is more memorable.

A 2021 report by Inbound Marketing found that video is the primary form of marketing media being created in 2021, followed by blogs and infographics. 

It works because people retain more when they see and hear something, instead of just reading about it.  And let’s face it: video is a much more compelling way to tell a story than just words. In fact, according to Forrester Research, a single minute of video is worth about 1.8 million words. That’s a huge return on your video investment.

Here are some interesting statistics:

“Adding video to your agency’s website makes your site six times more likely to convert a ‘browser’ into a paying customer.” In fact, users retain 58 percent more with both visual and auditory stimulation, according to Forrester Research.

“Video enjoyment increased purchase intent by 97 percent and brand association by 139.” (Source: Unruly Media) 

“The average user spends 88 percent more time on a website with video than a website without one.”  (Source: Gary Lipkowitz of Marketing Profs)

But what can a company do to help its branded video content get noticed? The answer is plenty. Especially if your organization has a story to tell.

Here are 5 tips to creating video content that will engage:

1. Tell relevant stories. Video is perfect for communications and crisis PR storytelling because it involves both sight and sound. It’s easier to capture the attention of your target audience and hold it if you can show them a compelling video, instead of simply relying on words. It can be an effective way to improve customer engagement. Find the right story to connect with viewers to create added value. Include calls to action. Videos can be a great way to stir interest in your product or services. If you want someone to buy your product or engage your services, you can tell them how to do it in a video. 
2. Optimize your video. Because so many people are searching for different topics on the internet, it is important to use key words in your video title so it will be captured in a search. The title of your video will determine how you rank on YouTube and Google, so put a little thought into it. A description of the content, also using key words, will help even more.
3. Make the introduction count. Make sure the first 10 seconds or so of your video has a hook. If you don’t capture viewers’ interest right off the bat, they will click away and find something else more interesting to watch.
4. Implement Facebook marketing with video. Did you know that Facebook has over four billion video views a day? What’s more, over 500 million people watch Facebook videos a day. This makes Facebook the perfect venue for global marketing, no matter what kind of company you represent.
5. Be concise. Get to the point quickly and directly. Shorter videos tend to have more views, so don’t get long-winded. When you are writing a video script, condense it to the main points and make them useful and interesting.

Using video as part of your marketing plan is essential these days if you want your business or organization to get noticed. Storytelling in video form is more likely to engage your target audience with sights and sounds than just using words on a page. Broaden your reach even more by taking your campaign global on Facebook.

Looking for a way to improve your digital marketing campaign but not sure how to proceed? Contact the PR professionals at Red Banyan for a professional assessment and get started on a new video marketing campaign.