Developing an Online Video Strategy
If you produce television commercials or other videos to promote your products and services, have you developed a strategy for displaying this media online? There is no doubt that online video popularity is on the rise. Video sharing sites, such as YouTube, boast around 100 million videos viewed per day. Videos are a powerful form of advertising. Although text and photo marketing can be useful, videos are more effective at conveying emotion and generating a memorable connection. Since you have already invested in the costs of developing media, it only makes sense to consider stretching that investment with an online campaign. Below are a few options for sharing your videos:
On Your Website
The simplest methods for sharing your videos online is to provide them on your website. This can help your site stand out from your competition. Videos that highlight your products or services or provide a behind-the-scenes look at your company are the best choice since they help potential customers feel connected to your business. The one drawback to this approach is that potential clients and customers must find your website in order to view the videos.
On a Social Networking Site
Posting your video to popular social networking sites such as YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook can give you an instant audience in the millions. While this sounds like an easy way to gain viewership, it’s important to realize that on YouTube alone an average of thirteen hours of videos is uploaded each minute. It will be easy for your video to get lost in the mix even if you tag your videos correctly. Videos that are short and have a high entertainment factor are most likely to gain popularity. Since the goal is to drive traffic back to your site, ensure your videos include web links. If you choose to post your videos on YouTube you may also want to consider setting up a channel for your business so that interested viewers can subscribe and stay informed of future videos.
Paying for Advertisement Space
If you willing to make an investment in your online video strategy you may want to consider paying for video placement. The advantage is that your videos are more likely to reach your target market and avoid being lost in the shuffle. If you are interested in this approach you may want to review the Digital Video and Ad Format Guidelines and Best Practices provided by the Interactive Advertising Bureau to understand how to best prepare your video for this purpose
