If you’re considering adding video content marketing to your plans, text is unlikely to be the first thing you think about.
In fact, it’s not going to be the second or third thing either. Location, sure; recording equipment, definitely; text, not so much.
But words can have a huge impact on the success of your video project, as we shall explain…
1. Brand Reinforcement
Whether you manage the marketing for a small business, a charity or a blog, you’re likely to have brand guidelines to follow.
These rules determine logo use, suitable typefaces and colour palettes. And if your organisation has a solid brand guidelines document, it’s likely to cover tone of voice too.
This defines how your organisation communicates with its audience. It’s likely to say whether the tone is formal or informal, for instance, and include a list of banned words. On screen, as in writing, it’s important to consider these rules to ensure consistency across channels.
Read more: What is tone of voice?
For example, if your brand has positioned itself as a serious thought leader, don’t fill your script with jokes and puns. If your brand is entertainment-focused, knock yourself out.
Top Tip: Give your tone of voice document to script-writers, presenters and video producers at the start of the project to keep things on track.
2. Subtitles
Thanks to mobile technology, you can watch video anywhere these days. From open-plan offices and public transport to beaches and shopping malls, you can catch up with your favourite channels on the move. But it’s not always appropriate to have the volume turned up.
That’s why it’s vital to include subtitles on your video content. If you have a script, it should be easy to transfer these into closed captions. Be sure to check for ad-libbing though, so the subtitles match the video content.
As with all content projects, it’s also important to ensure that it makes sense. Ask someone unrelated to the project to watch the video with the subtitles alone. Ask them to highlight where there may be confusion, so you can edit as appropriate.
If budget allows, hire a professional proofreader before publishing your video. Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors can distract viewers, so it’s important to get it right.
3. Search Engine Optimisation
You might not realise it, but Google-owned YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine. People use it to find information, entertainment and tutorials without a moment’s hesitation.
However, a huge 60 hours of video content is uploaded to YouTube every hour. So how do you get found?
As with Google, you need to conduct search engine optimisation activities (SEO) for YouTube. Ensure that you include key search terms and phrases in your title, descriptions and tags to increase the likelihood of being found. You can include up to 5,000 characters in your YouTube description, so be sure to mention video highlights and key messages here.
If you’re embedding the video on your website, include the transcript on the page if you can. It’s a simple way to add key search terms to your website and increase the visibility of your site.
4. Opening Frames
You only have a few seconds to grab your audience’s attention.
How? Start your videos with an eye-catching image, thought-provoking statement, surprising statistic or inspiring quote.
Find something short but sweet that will stop them scrolling through the news feed. It’ll pique their interest to keep them glued to their screen.
5. Calls To Action
If you’re producing a video for marketing purposes, it’s likely that you’ll want your audience to do something after watching. A short call-to-action (CTA) – on-screen throughout, or at the end – is an ideal way to do that.
Tell viewers exactly what you want them to do – and how to do it – to reduce resistance.
For instance: Text 1234 to donate now; Read more; Share Now; Make a booking etc.
An experienced video production company can advise on the best way to achieve result and engagement.
6. Idents & Stings
You may want to include idents and stings in your video to reinforce your brand.
While it’s important to include your logo, consider whether you want to include straplines and calls to action.
Again, professional video production companies can provide advice and tips on how to maximise the impact.
Want to add video to your content marketing plan? Drop us a line to find out more.