Don't Do Video Marketing!
http://www.seo-marketing-articles.com/articles/4556/1/Dont-Do-Video-Marketing/Page1.html
William Randall
William Randall of DIY Video Marketing helps you turn customers into fans using online video. He offers courses on producing your own videos and web video production for select clients. By William Randall
Published on 12/4/2009
Online marketing pundits have crowed about video marketing for the last few years
Online marketing pundits have crowed about video marketing for the last few years... with precious few examples of it done right. They talk about video marketing for search engine optimization, or the need to make "compelling content." Very few talk about real examples of good video marketing. Even fewer can tell you honestly how to make a successful series of videos!
Still, you probably feel a lot of pressure to hop on the bandwagon. You don't want your business to miss out on this great growth opportunity. Or to play a desperate game of catch-up in a couple of years.
Nonetheless, I would encourage you to step back, take a deep breath, and relax.
Video marketing is not the Apocalypse. It's not even the Rapture. Or any other event from whichever of the major religions you believe. It's just another tool in your marketing toolbox, like banner ads or blogging.
And if you don't take full advantage of its unique elements, you'll spend your time better on another kind of marketing. Like article marketing. Or link building. Or dropping the $3000 you set aside for video gear on high-converting pay-per-click ads.
The only reason you should EVER do video marketing is that you have a message uniquely suited for video.
That's the only reason. Any other reason-- like video coming up in search results-- will only get you short-term results. For the long-term results, you must have a message that your customers can connect to.
For instance, if you're the guys behind Blendtec and can show your blender grinding an iPhone into dust, put it in a video! Millions of people will watch it and your sales will skyrocket.
Another video marketing success, Gary Vaynerchuk, has a unique personality that comes through video perfectly. He doesn't have Hollywood good looks or a unique gimmick. He's just a passionate, genuine person with a lot of energy. That's something the camera loves. (It also loves exceptionally beautiful people, but not all of us fit in that category. For the rest of us, a smile and some energy will do.)
Finally, look to just about any successful series of television commercials. They change so fast I won't note any one in particular. You can turn on your television today and get a story in 30 seconds. Some end with a joke. Some end happily, with a housewife whose family finally appreciates her. Or a young man whose newly-shampooed hair finally gets him the girl. (The sad endings usually only come during election season.) The best commercials tell a story just like this. After all, human beings are storytelling (and watching) machines. Stories entertain. And people go to YouTube to be entertained, not to watch some business type ramble about profits.
Personality. Story. Something you have to see to believe. Any of these makes an excellent reason to invest in video marketing. You could go out and buy a camera and do it yourself. Or you could contact a professional video service. Either way, don't do video marketing unless you know your message matches the medium.
Still, you probably feel a lot of pressure to hop on the bandwagon. You don't want your business to miss out on this great growth opportunity. Or to play a desperate game of catch-up in a couple of years.
Nonetheless, I would encourage you to step back, take a deep breath, and relax.
Video marketing is not the Apocalypse. It's not even the Rapture. Or any other event from whichever of the major religions you believe. It's just another tool in your marketing toolbox, like banner ads or blogging.
And if you don't take full advantage of its unique elements, you'll spend your time better on another kind of marketing. Like article marketing. Or link building. Or dropping the $3000 you set aside for video gear on high-converting pay-per-click ads.
The only reason you should EVER do video marketing is that you have a message uniquely suited for video.
That's the only reason. Any other reason-- like video coming up in search results-- will only get you short-term results. For the long-term results, you must have a message that your customers can connect to.
For instance, if you're the guys behind Blendtec and can show your blender grinding an iPhone into dust, put it in a video! Millions of people will watch it and your sales will skyrocket.
Another video marketing success, Gary Vaynerchuk, has a unique personality that comes through video perfectly. He doesn't have Hollywood good looks or a unique gimmick. He's just a passionate, genuine person with a lot of energy. That's something the camera loves. (It also loves exceptionally beautiful people, but not all of us fit in that category. For the rest of us, a smile and some energy will do.)
Finally, look to just about any successful series of television commercials. They change so fast I won't note any one in particular. You can turn on your television today and get a story in 30 seconds. Some end with a joke. Some end happily, with a housewife whose family finally appreciates her. Or a young man whose newly-shampooed hair finally gets him the girl. (The sad endings usually only come during election season.) The best commercials tell a story just like this. After all, human beings are storytelling (and watching) machines. Stories entertain. And people go to YouTube to be entertained, not to watch some business type ramble about profits.
Personality. Story. Something you have to see to believe. Any of these makes an excellent reason to invest in video marketing. You could go out and buy a camera and do it yourself. Or you could contact a professional video service. Either way, don't do video marketing unless you know your message matches the medium.