Why Video is Essential for Content Marketing Strategy

Intro

When it comes to content, there is no doubt that video is becoming an increasingly important part of the mix. In recent years, the demand for video content has increased significantly, in fact, Cisco projects that by 2022, video will account for 82% of all consumer internet traffic. This is due in part to the growing use of video streaming services, such as YouTube and Netflix.

However, the rise in video popularity is largely due to the fact that video is an extremely effective way to communicate a message. Not only is it more engaging than text or images, but it is also easier to digest and share. As a result, video has become an essential tool for marketing and SEO, this is why more businesses are investing in video content to reach a wider audience. A recent study by Wyzowlstates that 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. Hence, the demand for video content is only going to continue to grow in the coming years.

The importance of video in content marketing strategy

Increases engagement

There are a number of reasons why video is such an important part of your content marketing strategy. For starters, it’s a great way to increase engagement with your audience. According to Hubspot, including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 86%.

When it comes to social media, research has shown that video content is 60% more likely to be shared on social media than any other type of content and there are good reasons for this. Videos are highly engaging, and they can convey a lot of information in a short amount of time. They are also easy to share, making them ideal for social media. In addition, videos are interactive, which makes them more engaging than other types of content such as text or images. As a result, videos can be an effective way to increase audience engagement.

(Image Source: freepik.com)

Rank higher in search engines

But beyond engagement, video is also becoming increasingly important for SEO purposes. Google has stated that they are now ranking websites with videos higher in their search results. In general, videos rank higher in search engine results than other types of content. This is because videos are more engaging and visually appealing than text-based content. As a result, viewers are more likely to click on and watch a video than they are to read an article or blog post.

Furthermore, video is also more likely to be shared on social media, which can help to increase its reach and visibility. Ultimately, by including video in their marketing strategy, businesses can give themselves a better chance of achieving a high ranking in search engine results.

And it makes sense – after all, if you have a video on your website, someone is more likely to stay on your site for longer if it's interesting and engaging. Content that is creative and moving is more likely to keep someone's attention than boring, still graphics.

Influences buying decisions and build brand trust

When it comes to product demonstration, video is an incredibly powerful tool. A study by Invodo found that 74% of consumers say that watching a product video makes them more confident in their purchase decision. And when it comes to complex products, this number jumps up to 85%. If you’re selling something that requires explanation or demonstration, then a video is absolutely essential.

Not only that, but video can also be a great way to show off your brand’s personality and build trust with your audience. When people see your products in action and hear from your team members, they are more likely to develop a positive association with your company. So if you want to build a strong relationship with your customers, video is the way to go. When used wisely, they can help to build a connection with viewers and create a loyal following.

Still not convinced? Just take a look at the numbers. According to Wyzowl, 63% of businesses say that video has helped them generate leads, and 81% of businesses say that video has helped them close deals. If you’re not using video as part of your content marketing strategy, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.

Best practices for an effective and engaging video

Keep it short and sweet

Although optimal video length varies depending on where you share or embed it, research suggests that shorter videos are typically more successful. For example, videos that are less than two minutes tend to perform better on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

However, videos meant to be featured on a website or blog can go a little bit over 2 minutes, but it can get a bit challenging to hold a viewer's attention around the 5-minute mark. Data from Wistia shows that the video engagement rate stays high between 40 and 53% for videos up to 5 minutes. For videos between 30 and 60 minutes, it drops to 26% then to 13% for videos over an hour. By breaking your video content into small, digestible pieces you will find that it is easier for people to understand and retain what they have seen.

Make sure they are targeted

If you're looking to get the most out of your video content, it's important to make sure that your videos are relevant to your target audience and offer some value in terms of information or entertainment.

(Image Source: freepik.com)

Fortunately, there are a few ways to ensure that your videos are well-received by your audience. First, your language, tone, and topics should resonate with what suits your brand and what your business has to offer. Additionally, be sure to promote your video content on social media and other channels where your target audience is likely to see it. And finally, don't forget to measure your video engagement metrics so that you can continue to improve the quality of your videos and your reach.

Optimize them for SEO

Just like with any other type of content, you want to make sure your videos are properly optimized for SEO purposes. This includes adding keywords to the title and description, as well as transcripts of the video itself. By including keywords in these places, you're more likely to show up in search results and get more views.

Additionally, you should ensure that your video is easy to find and share by including links to it on your website and social media pages. Lastly, you should enforce strong CTAs, this is a major mistake that marketers often make when they have videos for their business. Having strong CTAs is important as it helps viewers know what to do after watching your video.

Tools that help you get the most out of your video content

VEED.IO

VEED is a free video editing app that works right in your browser. Whether you’re adding subtitles to a YouTube video, a progress bar to an Instagram Story, or cropping some footage to fit a Twitter post, you can do it all, with VEED.

Veed also offers a video converter that converts videos into different file formats, making your videos playable on any platform, you can even turn a 10-minute video into GIFs that you can add to your articles and even newsletters. VEED also offers free stock video footage and clips from talented creators all over the world, so you can get the quality you need without breaking the bank.

Ranktracker's Backlink Checker

Ranktracker’s Backlink Checker helps you gain insights into your competitor's backlinks and adapt their content strategies to improve your own. You'll be able to quickly and easily see which contents are giving your competitors an edge in the search engines. With this information, you can create videos and articles based on your competitor’s backlink data which will give your business a competitive edge.

Wrapping up

Video is growing in popularity across platforms. More and more people are consuming video content on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. And businesses are taking notice. Video is a great way to increase your SEO ranking and get in front of your target audience. In fact, videos are now appearing in 70% of the top 100 search results on Google. And they're not just appearing on big-name sites like YouTube and Vimeo.

Video is also being used by small businesses, bloggers, and even solopreneurs to reach a wider audience and grow their brands. If you're not using video, you're missing out on a powerful tool that can help you increase your SEO ranking, reach a larger audience, and grow your business. With all the technology, resources, and tools making it easier than ever to create and distribute videos, there’s no excuse not to get started.