Want to get more views on your videos? Check out these seven essential tips for SCV video marketing.
Wondering why your videos aren’t getting the kind of engagement you hoped for?
Don’t panic just yet.
There are some simple things you can do that will make a big impact.
It’s all about understanding the algorithms – and the human behaviors of your target audience.
So here are seven easy tips to get more views on your videos, no matter how much (or how little) experience you have with video marketing in Santa Clarita and beyond.
Let’s dive in.
Get More Views On Your Videos With These SCV Video Marketing Tips
1. Don’t Waste Your First 8 Seconds
Our attention spans seem to be getting shorter and shorter by the day. As platforms like TikTok and Instagram Stories take over the user experience, people are getting used to shorter and quicker videos all the time. In fact, viewers usually decide to watch or ditch your video within the first 8 seconds.
What does that mean to you? The most important information in your entire video should fall within the first 8-10 seconds.
When it comes to writing your script, lead with the single-most important point you want to get across. Once you’ve established the point of the video, then you can introduce yourself and start from the beginning.
2. Know Your Timing
After that last point, you probably assume that shorter is always better, and to be honest, that’s generally a pretty good strategy to follow.
According to Vidyard, most social media videos should stay between 15 seconds and 2 minutes. “Explainer videos” should be about 60 seconds, and product videos can run from 1 to 3 minutes on a website. There is an audience for longer videos on social media – running at about 3 to 10 minutes – but your content must be very well produced and targeted.
All that being said, that doesn’t mean you can never create a longer video. For example, if your video is for an online course, internal training purposes or is just really good content, then by all means, go long.
The bottom line is: The length of your video should support your strategy, purpose and audience behaviors – and the longer you go, the more quality matters.
3. Don’t Overwhelm Your Point
This one is difficult to resist. After all the planning and build-up, you finally get your time in front of the camera, and you feel desperate to get every ounce of wisdom into that previous 2-minute window. So you start talking like an auctioneer on an energy drink, and the focus of your video becomes more and more ambitious with every breath.
We get it. However, trying to cram too much content into your timeframe is actually a disservice to the viewer – which ends up being a disservice to your business, too.
People like clear, simple messages with powerful delivery. When you try to cover too many topics, or too big of a topic, viewers are more likely to get lost or lose interest. At that point, you’ve lost.
A confused mind, or an overwhelmed mind, says no. So when it comes to video, try to do more with less. Your viewers will thank you.
4. Don’t Forget Your Call To Action
This is an easy one to forget – with devastating effects. The whole point of a marketing video is to get your audience to take some kind of action that leads them further down the sales pipeline and closer to a sale.
But if you don’t ask them to take the next step, they’re never going to do it! That’s why this is one of the most crucial parts of your video, and it deserves some intention and strategy.
Here are a few tips:
- Choose action verbs like “click” or “subscribe.”
- Keep it short and to the point.
- Tell people why you want them to follow that action, or what they will get from it if they do.
- And most importantly, don’t rush it!
It’s common to rush through those final lines like you’re chasing down a finish line. But to command your audience’s attention, they need you to be slow, convincing and powerful in your delivery. So say it like you mean it!
5. Post & Share Your Videos
So many people don’t actually do this, and it breaks our little hearts.
We see this a lot because, let’s face it, getting the video shot and finished feels like a feat in and of itself. The hard work is over, and you get to a point where you’re just not as worried about how to actually use it.
Plus, it’s easy to watch the video and start criticizing the way we look and sound. At that point, you might start finding excuses not to post the video at all.
This is one of the worst mistakes we can make as business owners, simply because we’re putting our egos ahead of what’s best for our business and our clients.
We’ve all been here. But the important thing to remember is: This is bigger than you. It’s a crucial marketing piece, and it’s necessary for your business to succeed.
If you’re still struggling with the impulse to hoard your videos, give us a call at SchlickArt, and we’ll walk you through some ideas on how best to use them.
6. Always Add Subtitles
Next to not posting your videos at all, this is the biggest mistake we see people make when it comes to sharing their videos.
About 85% percent of Facebook videos are watched on mute. Why? Probably because they’re at work or in another public space, where they don’t want to bother others around them. That means, if you’re not using subtitles, you’re missing 85% of your potential audience.
Plus, Facebook and YouTube now offer automatic subtitle generation, so all it takes is the click of a button to have them added to your video. To learn how to auto-generate Facebook subtitles, click here. To learn how to auto-generate YouTube subtitles, click here.
7. Consider Your SEO
If you produce video, but no one can find it online, then what’s the use, right? That’s why using basic search engine optimization (SEO) is so important when creating marketing videos.
Again, don’t panic. Basic optimization is easier than you think. For example, choose a keyword you want your video to rank for – say Santa Clarita pet store – and then make sure that exact phrase is present in your video title, description and keywords. If you want to get fancy, add it to your metadata and alt attributes, as well.
About Brian Schlick
Starting as an onboard Princess Cruises videographer, Brian quickly climbed the ladder at the company’s headquarters in Santa Clarita. Over the course of 13 years, he moved from video editor for onboard content to supervise Princess’ onboard video teams, managing 17 total ships. The vast exposure to crafting all different kinds of video content allowed Brian to hone his ability to tell stories through compelling, engaging visuals. Today Brian shoots Santa Clarita video for small businesses, as well as the Signature SchlickArt Experience.
About Our Quality Video Marketing in Santa Clarita
With years of professional experience, Brian not only has an eye for crisp visuals and engaging shots — but also an ear for powerful storytelling. In his vision, marketing video should communicate the why behind your business and present it to the world in the most compelling visual format possible. With a camera in his hand, Brian can turn a vision into reality and business-as-usual marketing videos into an opportunity to connect.
About SchlickArt Photography and Video
SchlickArt, a boutique photo and video studio in Santa Clarita, started in March 2012 with the simple idea that empowerment creates a kind of beauty and authenticity that shines through every camera lens. Built on a philosophy — rather than a product, service or person — SchlickArt has rapidly evolved, meeting professional portraiture, business photo and business video needs as diverse as the community we capture. It’s the desire to take care of you, the client, that drives us at SchlickArt.