According to research by Groupon Works, by 2017 video will take up 69% of all consumer traffic. This will rise to 79%, by their estimates, meaning businesses that don’t embrace video will suffer. Integrating video into your marketing plan can help with traffic and conversions, but many people are still reluctant to pursue this opportunity. It might still be possible to focus exclusively on text-based marketing, but the growth in mobile, along with changing online habits, means that you risk being left behind. The following reasons should help illustrate why a video marketing plan should be a requirement for every business.
Easy to Rank
Videos, particularly from YouTube, are ranking highly in the search engines. For keywords with low search volume, creating an optimized video can be enough to rank on the first page. Wherever possible, search engines look to include different content types, so you will often see videos, images, local results, or recent news. This variety of content is perfect for video creators. Tougher search terms will require more promotion, but videos are currently benefiting hugely from the authority of the YouTube platform.
Internal Traffic
A major upside of using popular video sites is the internal traffic that occurs naturally. When someone views a video similar to your own, most sites will offer alternatives in order to keep visitors on the site. An optimized video can appear as a recommendation alongside established content, major brands, and social media celebrities. This internal traffic can lead to recurring traffic that doesn’t require any additional work on your part.
Reach Your Audience
Video has become so popular that many people will be reluctant to read long articles. A good marketing plan will use a variety of content styles, but video should be at the heart of everything you produce. According to Merchant Marketing Group, sites with video have an additional two minutes dwell time over sites with no video. Aside from the increased engagement, this extra time can help with SEO as search engines start to place more emphasis on visit time and bounce rate.
Video Creation Made Easier
Video creation was previously very expensive, requiring expensive equipment and a team of professionals. The barriers to entry have been reduced considerably, with very few obstacles preventing video production. An extremely polished video might still be expensive and time-consuming, but flashy productions are not always the best option. Simple videos presented from home can work well, while basic slideshow presentations can even work in some niches.
Cost-Effective Strategy
While video creation has become easier, the complete marketing process has also become more manageable. As a strategy, video marketing must budget for content creation and promotion. The cost for a video can be as little or as much as you desire, while the same can be said for the promotion. You can promote your content on social media and through blogger outreach, allowing you to sacrifice time for money. Alternatively, you could invest in advertising, including retargeting and paid posts.
Video has grown consistently over the last few years, providing results for large companies through to individual vloggers. If you are aren’t already embracing video, now is the time to implement it in your content marketing campaigns. Start to engage your audience, find out what they like to see, and produce consistent content that gets a positive reaction.