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Video has become a very popular media asset for content marketing.  YouTube, arguably the most preeminent video site worldwide, had six billion videos watched online in 2010 alone. In addition, a considerable number of business related videos have cropped up on websites, social media sites and in advertising web banners. If you are thinking about adding video to your content marketing strategy there are a few points to take into consideration when in the planning stage.

Clarity of Purpose

Why add video to your content marketing? What will it accomplish as far as consumer response? How will video advance the brand? Video adds dimension to content in allowing for personality, emotion and both visual and auditory learning. Formulating the purpose of adding video to content marketing also plays into cost considerations including determining return on investment. Without complete clarity on how adding video will benefit your company on a number of levels, it is nothing more than an add-on as opposed to an asset.

Audience Adaptation

Adapting style and content to a target market is one of the golden rules for all forms of marketing. Different mediums require different approaches. Video is a sensory experience. It is important to design a video that offers value and appeals to what the audience would like to see, hear and emotionally feel. Considerations include colors, background, setting, spokesperson, music and context. The quality of the video should be in line with the impression the business wants to make with the consumer. A professional medical practice will want to send a very different sensory message than a more casual enterprise.

Content…Content…Content

Content can be addressed more easily after you are very clear on why adding video will be advantageous to your specific business and how it should be adapted to your audience. Video can best be developed if you consider what up close and personal message you want to deliver to your customers. Returning once again to the element of purpose, content should be developed to advance its purpose. It is meant to garner confidence in the product? Do you want to become an expert in your industry? Are you informing or educating?  Content is most effective when aligned with its purpose and audience demographics. Developing a storyboard for each video can aid in keeping content cohesive and relevant, especially if a series of videos is planned.

Overload

Business videos should be kept to conveying a single message. This is not dissimilar to limiting each slide in a PowerPoint presentation to no more than 2-3 bullet points. It is also wise to limit sensory overload to the appropriate level for its purpose and audience. Video bells and whistles may draw attention, but will ultimately fall flat if the content does not hit its mark. The length of the video will be determined by its purpose, audience, message and placement. There are times when the adage less is more applies.

Placement

Where will the video be shown? Will it be designed for one or more online sites? Can it also apply to offline sites such as an office, conference room or lecture hall? The development of a video should take into account whether it can be applied across a variety of platforms. Video site placement, as well as the type and amount of cross promotion should also be strategized in consideration of the amount of increased traffic the company is prepared to bear.

Feedback

Any plan for incorporating digital assets into a content marketing strategy should address audience feedback in order to determine effectiveness. Formulating a variety of avenues for receiving feedback, such as developing a survey, establishing a beta test group of known audience members, or paid advertising that offers tracking analytics will help to determine whether a developed video is a hit or a miss.

What has worked best for you in the past when using video marketing?