Any good content marketer knows that people consume content in various ways. One way that is becoming increasingly popular is video. Nearly half of all consumers want to see videos from brands.

Here are six reasons to include video in your marketing strategy:

1. Creating Video is Easy!

Best of all, including this tool in your marketing strategy, is easier than ever. You no longer need a studio, a large budget, or special equipment to create videos. Platforms like YouTube allow anyone to create and upload video from anywhere using their mobile device.

All you need to do is find the right subject and location for your video. Remember that your video should be part of your overall marketing strategy rather than exist on its own. Creating a content marketing calendar can help you see where to fit the video in either as a series or alone.

2. It Engages Your Audience

No matter what stage of the buyer’s journey they’re in, video engages your audience in a way other marketing content can’t. Videos provide the opportunity to teach viewers how to use your product. They also showcase your brand’s personality in a way that doesn’t reflect as well through the written word.

Through video, you can share your expertise with a new audience. Your videos can serve as a first impression for your business. Those who view them may be more likely to research your brand further and consume more of your content. In turn, they may share this content with friends or family, creating more potential customers for your business.

3. Improve Your SEO

Along with written content and images, videos included on your website can affect your search engine optimization. People who visit your website are more likely to stay longer to watch a video. In turn, this reduces your bounce rate and increases your ranking in search results. This means that your video content is meaningful to both search engines and viewers alike.

This impact on SEO doesn’t just affect your website, however. If you use YouTube, you know that the platform’s videos tend to appear higher in search engine results pages. Also, YouTube is considered to be the second most popular search engine behind Google. That said, if you don’t already have a YouTube channel, it may be worth creating one.

4. Diversify Your Marketing

While you can include a video on your website or YouTube channel, those aren’t the only places where videos can be placed. Many social media platforms allow users to share videos. These can be short videos like Instagram stories or longer ones like Facebook Live events.

By using these different channels, you diversify your marketing and expand your reach, as these videos can be shared with a wider audience. You can also experiment with different types of video by fitting the guidelines set by these platforms.

5. Fit in With Other Marketing Content

If you have a particular promotion running, video can be included in the overall theme of your marketing. When creating your videos, consider how they relate to other content you’ve created. They can also provide a way to repurpose other content you’ve created, like a blog or checklist.

6. Analyze More Data

Like all of your marketing content, your videos are a source of data. By collecting and analyzing data from your videos, you can determine the best actions to improve them. When it comes to video, there are five metrics you should track.

These include:

• Views – How many people watched your video?
• Viewing Length – Out of those who watched your video, how long did they watch for?
• Engagement – How many people engaged with the video by liking, commenting on, or sharing it?
• Leads – How many leads came from the call-to-action in the video?
• Conversions – How many of the leads from the video became conversions?

These metrics are what you should look for in general. Individual platforms calculate and share data in their own ways. For example, a view on Instagram is only three seconds, whereas, on YouTube, it’s 30 seconds. All you need to do is collect this data.

Once collected, this data can be compared to that from other marketing channels you use. This comparison can help build buyer personas by learning what types of content your audience prefers to consume. You can respond by creating higher-performing content.

Want to Learn More About Video Marketing?

Although it may seem overwhelming, video marketing can be a vital part of your overall marketing strategy. If you’re new to video marketing or would like to learn more about improving your existing content, we can help. Contact Links Web Design for a free consultation today!

Links Web Design is a content marketing agency in Bangor, ME, and Fruitland Park, FL.