The value of video is beyond question at this point. Video drives more views, clicks and shares than any other form of content. After trial and error and research, here are a few tips for getting your video strategy started:
Dedicate resources. Don’t try to do it yourself. Hire a videographer, part time or on a freelance basis. You are paying for their talent, which includes their equipment.
Put some thought into your content. Decide what your goal is and design your content around that. Do you want to drive membership, program participation or educate? Find ways to spread your message in an emotional story form. People always remember stories, but rarely remember statistics.
Keep your videos brief. Studies show that the most-watched YouTube videos are about 10 times longer than Facebook videos (81 seconds, versus 810 seconds), so keep in mind where you will be showing your video.
Create a consistent schedule. Don’t waver and if you are just beginning, don’t be too aggressive. Start with one video a month and graduate to one or two videos each week.
Market your video across platforms. Post your videos on Youtube (creating your own channel) and then share them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and your website.
Use your analytics. After you post your videos review your views, likes and shares. You can even dig deeper with some software platforms that check the length of views, repeat views and drop off rates.
Call to action. Always include a way for your viewer to react to your video with a website, hashtag, phone number, link, etc. Without this, you are leaving all of those potential leads floating in space with no way to connect with you.
Linda Mitchell is the director of public relations and community partners for Newtown Athletic Club. For questions on marketing she can be reached at linda@newtownathletic.com.
