by Jassica Mendez
Video marketing is tough. If you’re new to it, you have probably realized that it’s hard to stay on the right track with all the different platforms and formats. Of course, we want to help you achieve your goals, and as we see it, the best way to steer you away from the bad tactics is to tell you exactly what they are. So today, we’re going over six of the most common video marketing mistakes you should avoid.
But before we get into these, let’s see why video matters so much.
Why You Want to Use Video Marketing
It’s no secret — people love videos, and the data proves it. In 2018, videos made almost 60% of all internet traffic, and some estimates say we’ll hit 80% by the end of 2022. So, videos are on the rise, and it only makes sense that you want to take advantage of them.
If you know how to jump and ride the wave, your company could see plenty of benefits. With a proper video marketing strategy in place, more people will learn about your brand, and you’ll drive your sales way up.
And the best of all is that you don’t have to spend a lot to make it happen. If you’re creative and handy with a camera, you can even do it for free. Find the right voice, strike the correct emotional string in your audience, and you’ll engage more people than you thought was possible.
But we’re not here to talk about everything you should do. We’re here to point out all the bad practices. So let’s get right into it.
Learning about common video marketing mistakes will help you improve.
Getting Into It Without a Plan
The marketing world is dynamic and exciting, but you’ll have to take it a step further if you want results. Here, planning is half of success. To make it, you’ll need to lay down your long-term strategy and make detailed plans for every video shooting.
You want to have a clear picture of the purpose of every video, and you want to know how you can get it there before the filming day. If you aren’t sure about what you’re trying to do, the chances are that you won’t make any groundbreaking results.
Hence, get your objectives straight before you start the campaign. Don’t lose your focus by trying to get more leads without closing the deals with the existing ones. Know what your ultimate goal is and stick to it.
Missing a Call-To-Action
CTAs are one of the best tools marketers have at their disposal. You use them to tell your audience what you want them to do next. What more could you ask for?
Well, they’re fantastic tools if you know how to use them. But if you don’t, you’ll have difficulty reaching your destination. And unfortunately, it seems that people find them a bit tricky to work with in video since they don’t use them nearly enough.
For example, say that you’re trying to generate more leads through video marketing. A single CTA to subscribe to your newsletter at the end of a ten-minute video isn’t going to cut it. If you want to gain more prospects, you’ll have to guide the viewers through the process. So, use multiple smaller CTAs and finish with a big one. The smaller one will ensure that people stick around, and the big one will get you what you want.
If you want your audience to do something, you have to tell them to do it
Not Making It Your Own
We can’t talk about the common video marketing mistakes without touching on creativity once again.
It isn’t all about having the most outstanding shots of your products or portraying the best use case of your service in a Hollywood-like manner. Even stock footage can do wonders and go viral if you sprinkle a dash of imagination over it.
Overlaying two videos or animating parts of a picture can get people’s attention, but storytelling is how you keep them hooked. Once you have the eyes on you, all you need is a good story that will get people through the doors of your store. Make it relatable and make it feel personal, and it’ll work.
Making Your Videos Too Long
The definition of a long video is very different for each social platform. For example, a long video on Instagram is about a minute, while on YouTube, you can go for as long as 30 minutes for complex instructional videos.
Of course, there are certain time boundaries you should stick to on every platform. You’ll want to learn what these are and how to make a quality social media video edit for every network you use.
When it comes to marketing videos — keep them short and to the point. These days, our attention spans aren’t very long, so you want to get right to the point.
Making Boring Videos
We mention grabbing attention a lot today, but that’s what video marketing is all about. Of course, you want your audience to stick to their screens as soon as they see your ad. However, it’s easier said than done for many.
People won’t sit and watch a video that isn’t entertaining. It’s simple as that. Use motion graphics, animation, SFX, or a funny camera angle to make your videos fun to watch, and people will see them.
Naturally, a bit of humor always helps, so don’t hesitate to include it in your script. Tell a funny story that feels personal and gets your message across, and you’ll get people talking.
People won’t watch your videos if they find them boring.
Neglecting the SEO
A few years back, if you wanted to find videos online, you had YouTube, and that was it. Today, however, they’re everywhere. They’ve gone beyond social media and found their place on Google. But what does this mean for you?
Well, if you incorporate SEO into your videos, you might rank well on search engines, which will get you new customers and backlinks for your site. And the rules are pretty much the same as with the blog posts:
- Use the right keywords
- Create a great headline
- Sort out your metadata
- Pick a great thumbnail
If you neglect the SEO aspect of videos, you’ll be making one of the most common video marketing mistakes, and you might miss out on that big breakthrough you’re waiting for.
Knowing what not to do will help you start in the right direction.
By knowing the six common video marketing mistakes, you have a better chance of starting on the right foot and have your marketing strategy be successful without wasting time and money.
