Half a billion people. That’s how many people watch videos on Facebook. Every. Single. Day. Add YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram and the numbers are enough to blow anyone’s mind. In today’s digital age, to not be utilizing a strong video strategy or any sort of video advertising is akin to watching thousands of dollars fall from the sky and Kanye-shrugging on your way back inside your home.
But seriously, if you don’t have a solid video advertising strategy, you’re missing out on the true and full value of your hard work. The good news is, if you have existing marketing and/or advertising strategy, you know what your main goals are, making your ascension to the sophisticated world of video advertising a little easier.
Paid & Unpaid Video Advertising
The mass appeal of advertising on social media is the freedom to post an unlimited amount of content for free. Coupled with Any Marvel Movie-type social media strategy, your exposure increases by simply posting your own content. On the flip side, paid advertising can propel your reach even further without you sacrificing man-hours to build a loyal following.
If the decision is to invest in paid video advertising, the content should be extremely eye-catching. On YouTube, viewers are frequently given the opportunity to skip ads; while Twitter and Instagram allows them to simply scroll past content that doesn’t catch their interest. Facebook is edging towards more traditional forms of ads, allowing advertisers to insert short videos within longer videos.
Take a good look at your budget and decide the correct dollar-to-time ratio to insert both into your plan.
Choose Your Platform
As briefly stated above, video advertising works differently from platform to platform. If you do traditional video commercials for TV, do not try to transfer that content to your online communities. Tweaks will need to be made to alter those ads for social media consumption and engagement.
What platforms are you currently using?
The time you have invested in social media platforms should inform your decision as to which ones to utilize first for your video advertising. Start on the platforms you already use so that your audience is already there. This also helps to stabilize potential customers so they are not being jostled from network to network to connect with your brand.
Audience Targeting
So you already understand your ideal customer: their likes, dislikes, shopping habits, time of day/week they browse online, etc. Now it’s time to invest in social media ad space based on this discovery. By strategically placing your ads in front of the people who are most likely to respond and engage, your marketing budget is used most effectively.
Each time you create a video, consider who your followers are and cater to them. Make videos they will enjoy, which increases your visibility and value to them and their loyalty to you.
Ready to dive into the world of video advertising? Check out our blog for more tips on enhancing your digital marketing.
