Top 10 Video Marketing Sins And How To Avoid Them

Generating strong video content is good for your business. It is a creative alternative to contact a variety of markets and engage your audience. As the founder of O.C. Digital Studio in Mission Viejo, I can tell you that video marketing is a very powerful tool. However, more than not, I see a lot of poor quality videos that end up doing more damage than good to a business’ website. In the eyes of the consumer, your video is a direct reflection of your company and your brand. To give you some insight on the video marketing business, here are 10 sins that I commonly see, as well as tips to avoid making them.

Sin #10: Making a Video Just for the Sake of Making One

Why are you making this video?  Is it going to help my business? Will it be well made? Take a step back and answer all of these questions before jumping in to filming a video. When you fail to make a plan, you plan to fail.

Tip: Always have a plan before making a video. Only make a video if you can achieve a clear business objective.

Sin #9: Not Branding Strategically

You want to make sure that your videos are captivating. But if the consumer cannot remember the name of your company, it is considered a fail. It is easy to get wrapped up in the production of a video but don’t forget its actual purpose: convey the benefits of and promote your business.

Tip: Include your logo, website URL, phone number, or any other piece of your identity into your videos.

Sin #8:  Making Your Video Too Long

How long was the last video that you watched? 30 seconds to 2 minutes? Research shows that 20 percent of people click away from a video within the first 10 seconds if it is not interesting enough to stay. The more time you add to your video, the less likely it is for people to watch your entire video through.

Tip: Keep it short and to the point. Usually 60 to 90 second videos are ideal.

Sin #7: Not Focusing on a Single Message

Picture this hypothetical situation: You just watched an online video for a company that talks about its new product, its heritage, a new location, stellar employees, business awards, recent philanthropic endeavor, personal message from the CEO, and new rewards program. What did you learn?

Probably nothing — In fact, it would be surprising if you even watched it all the way through.

Tip: Deliver a specific message per video so that viewers can have a definite takeaway.

Sin #6: Not Giving a Call-To-Action

“Visit our website.” “Give us a call.” “Follow us on our social media outlets.”

You need to make sure that at the end of your video, you state a clear call to action. You need to lead them to the next step or else they won’t know where to go from there.

Tip: Include a clear call to action so your viewers know what to do after they’ve watched your video.

Sin #5: Failing to Use SEO in Your Video

Getting your audience to watch your online video is critical. Just posting it on YouTube isn’t enough anymore. There are specific tactics and techniques to drive people to your video and website and rank your site to be number one on Google and other search engines.

Tip: Make sure you post your video on every social media site that you can find to get the most exposure to your work.

Sin #4: Expecting Instant Results

Remember the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day?” This mentality needs to be adapted when waiting for results from your video marketing. Very rarely do videos go viral. And when they do, most of the time it’s because of an established social media presence.

Tip: Understand that a good video marketing strategy requires consistency, dedication, and patience.

Sin#3: Improper Placement of Selling Points

Waiting until the end of your video to make your selling points is very dangerous. The longer the video is, the less likely it is that people are going to watch the video to the end. Start with the juicy bits and follow them with the supporting details after.

Tip: Put major selling points in the beginning of your video.

Sin #2: Failing to Address Your Target Audience

You have products and services that can benefit everyone. However, your video will be more valuable if you focus on appealing to a certain demographic and don’t cast too wide a net. You need to decide whom you want to address. Remember, when you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.

Tip: Focus your message on one specific message to a well-defines target audience.

Sin #1: Choosing the Wrong Partner or Producer

Your viewers and potential customers will be critical of the quality of your video and compare it to the quality of your business. Anyone can use their phone to make a video, but is that how you want your consumers to view your brand? Does the agency that wants to make your video know about your industry and the market that you want to advertise in? Ask a lot of questions to get the answers that you need to make a successful video.

Tip: Have content ready before you hire a video marketing company.

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