Video marketing has been in the advertising toolbox for a very long time. The world’s first video ad (also known as a commercial) was broadcast in 1941 – you can see it here. Although you probably laugh at it now, the first commercial opened up an whole new world for advertisers—television, yes, but more importantly, video. The art of creating a video to showcase your product has been used for more than half a century to entice viewers and prospective customers.

But video’s application in marketing has exploded thanks to the Internet. No longer are we constrained by 10-, 15-, or 30-second time slots. With a quick upload to YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter, businesses can now say more about a product or service than a full-page insert or 30-second commercial ever could. But how do you make sure that your next video isn’t a flop? Here are 4 things to keep in mind when creating your next advertising video.

Trends Trends Trends

One of the most beautiful—and frustrating—things about the Internet is that viewer preferences are changing constantly. One day your video could be on top of the YouTube charts. The next it could only get one or two views. This all really depends on what the viewer sees in your video. One of the most important things to do before making a video is to see what’s going on online. Even before concepting, you should try to find trends that are popular with the audience you’re targeting. Try searching on YouTube or other social media platforms to get some great ideas and starting points.

That Being Said…

Even though you’re searching for ways to inspire content creation, your content should be original. Don’t try to make an exact replica of an Old Spice ad. It’s not going to happen. You know your audience better than anyone else, and this means that you should be creating content that caters to them. By doing this, you create a brand voice online. You also build trust in that voice. This doesn’t mean that jumping on the old ‘trend-bandwagon’ isn’t a good idea. Just be sure that you’re keeping true to your established brand and that your followers will enjoy the content.

All Content Is Not Created Equal

Sharing a video on social media is vastly different than posting a video on your website. Video on social media should:

• Be Short

Video on social media should be short enough to keep individual’s attention, but long enough to get your message across. Don’t post a 10-minute long video on Twitter. No one’s going to watch it. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

• Express and Develop a Brand Voice

If you already have a voice for your brand on social media, your videos should reflect that. If you don’t, try developing one via your posts and videos. It’s important for your voice on social media to reflect your brand’s values.

• Drive Followers to Your Website

Your videos on social media should leave followers wanting more. This is how you can drive traffic to your website to show viewers more detailed video content.

Your website, on the other hand, should be the end goal for all your social media content, especially videos. The videos on your website should:

• Have a Goal

Your website content has many purposes, one of them being to get visitors to explore the other pages on your site. Video content can act as a guide through your website and engage visitors.

• Be Valuable

Videos on your website can—and should—be longer than those on social media. These longer form videos can give visitors a look at your products or services in greater detail than videos posted to other platforms.

Have a Purpose

It’s very easy to create a video. In a world where you can upload a video at the click of a button (well, a few clicks), it’s easy to lose sight of the purpose of content. Each video you create should always include some sort of call to action. If not a blatant call to action, you should at least have something that you want the viewer to do next. Whether you want them to buy a product, do further research into a specific aspect of your business, or even watch another video, it’s important to use this tool as a way of furthering your prospect down the buyer’s journey.

 

So what are you waiting for? Go out and make that video on your cupcake icing process. Tell your followers that you’ve got some new board games at your coffee shop. Share that video you and your co-worker made three weeks ago as a joke. It might end up being the next big thing.