Who can even remember a world without online videos?
Between sharing funny videos on social media, looking up helpful how-to’s or learning about a brand on their website, it seems like we can’t go a day without watching at least one video online.
According to numbers crunched by Impact, 75 million people in the United States watch online videos every day. Yes, you read that correctly—75 million!
So, what makes videos so appealing to so many people?
Well, sometimes videos capture our attention better than words typed out on the screen. They tell a story, teach us something new or give us a much-needed reprieve from our busy and chaotic days. These reasons are why so many of us turn to them daily.
Which obviously begs the question: Are you utilizing this new tool in your PR plan?
Think of video viewers as your new audience to connect with—your new huge, eager-to-learn audience who can’t want to hear what you have to say.
Today I’ll show you seven of my top reasons for why your PR plan needs an online video strategy. You’ll be itching to get in front of (or behind) the camera when we’re done.
#1: They Help You Establish an Emotional Connection
Videos are a form of emotional marketing, and a very effective one I might add. They help you establish an emotional connection with your audience even when you’re not physically in front of them to do so.
Videos appeal to everyone no matter their age range, economic status, or social media preferences. They’re the best form of connection because your audience can see and hear what you’re saying. This intimate, emotional bond happens when your audience listens to you as if you were their friend sitting right in front of them.
Remember, people buy from people, not from brands. The more your potential customers see the real person behind your brand, the more likely they are to understand how you’re really going to help them with your service or product.
The more an audience gets to interact with you on a personal level, the more they will learn about you and develop positive feelings for you.
Videos give your audience a sneak peek into who’s behind the brand; they’re a perfect way to showcase the more human and vulnerable side of your company, which is what will draw customers to your brand.
#2: They’ll Increase Your Engagement Rates
Another great reason to include videos in your PR plan is because you’ll see a nice boost in your engagement rates.
It’s no surprise that videos are more likely to be shared than articles these days because most of us are just too busy, overworked, or unfocused to read long articles.
Think about your personal Facebook wall for a minute.
You and your friends may share, comment on, and like videos posted between each other, which gets shared with all of your other followers. How many more videos do you share than articles? How many more ‘likes’ or shares do you receive when you post a video versus an article?
We can always manage to squeeze in a video almost anywhere we go, which leads us to our next point.
#3: Videos Are Easily Consumable (Especially On-the-go)
Because videos are so captivating, it can be easy to binge-watch several in one sitting and wonder why time seemed to have left you behind.
This happens to all of us.
Videos are so easily consumable that they’re perfect for on-the-go entertainment.
When your audience members don’t have the time, energy, or focus to read or sift through an article, they’ll check out a video while they’re on the treadmill after work instead.
However, if your brand has been ignoring the online video audience, you’re missing out on this huge segment of listeners and potential buyers.
Plus, thanks to the fact that you can see how long each video is, viewers know exactly what kind of time commitment they’re making, which can be hard to gauge with an article.
Keep your videos short and to-the-point and you’ll have no trouble keeping your viewer’s attention.
#4: They’ll Help You Spread Your Message Exponentially
Thanks to this increase in engagement, you’re also likely to see that your message will spread like wildfire whenever you use videos.
People are more likely to share messages that they believe in—ones that resonate with them on a personal, emotional, or intellectual level. And people are also more likely to share videos.
So when you combine the two—an inclination to share messages and videos—you have a recipe for spreading your message exponentially. Videos that accurately depict your brand will not only spread brand awareness, but will even increase the size of your audience. Who wouldn’t want that?
#5: They’ll Help You Rank Higher in Searches
Videos are also great for search engine optimization (SEO for short) because they’re more likely to pop up higher in search results.
When someone goes to search for a keyword linked to your brand, users are more inclined to click on the videos that show up than they are to click on your links and articles. So just by showing up at the top of the search results, you’ll tap into an even bigger set of eyes and your message will spread even further.
#6: They’ll Improve Your Email Click Through Rates
That same Impact infographic tells us that, “By merely mentioning the word ‘video’ in the subject line of an e-mail campaign blast, the click through rate increased by 13%,” which is huge!
You can test this theory out yourself without having to create a video first.
Simply find an informative video that complements your brand’s message, or one that explains specific points that you’re teaching or promoting, and share it with your email list. Of course, you’ll want to include the word “video” in your subject line just as the statistics encourage.
Once your email sends, compare the stats with your other emails to see how it performed.
I bet you’ll notice a bump in both your open and click through rates. And when you do, you should see this as a green light for you to start creating videos of your own instead of sending your readers to someone else’s creations. Your audience will appreciate your videos even more since they’re coming from, well, you!
#7: Teaching Your Audience has Never Been Easier
When you want to teach your audience something new, videos cannot be beaten.
Videos will help users understand what’s going on step-by-step, as if you’re right there teaching your tips in front of them. Given the right opportunity, users typically learn something new faster and easier thanks to using videos. We’re highly visual learners, after all.
If your business focuses on teaching or helping your audience overcome common issues (most service-based businesses should fall under this umbrella), videos are an absolute must-have.
Your audience will have a less frustrating time mastering whatever you’re teaching, which means they’ll actually see the results they’ve been working hard to achieve. And when they do, they’ll have you to thank. They’ll also think you’re one heck of a standout teacher!
As you can see, the benefits of adding videos to your PR plan are well worth the effort it takes to create them. When done correctly, you’ll see an increase in engagement, click through rates, and the size of your audience, just to name a few major perks.
Keep in mind, your videos should be authentic and true to your brand. You don’t want to create videos hastily just for the sake of doing so. Create videos that help your audience and you’ll be in stellar shape!
Susan McLennan
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