1 - So what's number 1 on our list? Well, perhaps unsurprisingly being a video production agency, it's don't cut corners with production. If you want a high quality video that customers / clients are going to love, you're going to need to do it properly. It's always worth working with an expert, or using a video production agency to produce your video if you want the best possible product at the end. We've covered this in a different blog so I won't go into too much detail here, but remember you don't have to break the bank to massively up the quality of your content if you're working with an agency.
2 - Build up interest before release. Think about a Hollywood film release, how early do you find out about the film before it actually hits cinemas? You should be doing a similar thing with your video content. Even if it's only one or two weeks before the video goes live, let people know about it. This ensures that people will be ready for the release and you'll get better views and engagement early on. A few posts on social media, or a couple of emails in the weeks leading up to it can be great for building up interest in the videos before posting.
3 - Don't be afraid to ask for shares. Several times recently I've received emails from clients asking me to share a LinkedIn post, or a new blog that they've put together. Why wouldn't you do the same for your videos? If you've just released a high quality, good looking video that sells your company, then send it to people! Send it to prospects who you've been in touch with, send it to pre-existing clients, send it to friends and family. The aim of this is not only to ramp up the views, but also to directly target people who the video is aimed at, ensuring that it has the chance to start generating a good ROI. In this email, ask people to share the video on their own social media channels, or to send it on to other businesses and customers who would benefit from your services. There's no harm in asking right?
4 - Leading on from the previous point, make sure the video doesn't just get released on one platform. Even if the video is produced with the aim of sitting on the homepage of your website, this doesn't mean you should only put it there and then leave it. Most companies now use at least one form of social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram etc...) so post links to the video on these channels. This will not only increase the views on the video, but also drive traffic to your website, allowing prospects to get in touch and find out more about you.
5 - If you are going to be releasing the video on social media, look into the best way to share video on each platform. For example; Facebook doesn't like links that take you off the site, so maybe host the video directly on Facebook. But be aware that currently the quality of direct Facebook video isn't as high quality as Youtube or other platforms so take this into account. Also think about what your videos look like on each platform. Facebook and Instagram like square videos, so maybe make a cut of the video which is square to make things easier for your viewers.
6 - Perhaps the most important aspect of this cross platform release however is the length of the video. When did you last watch a full 2 minute video on Facebook or Twitter? Chances are it's pretty rare. Remember that people are busy and on the move a lot so don't have the time to watch an entire video. So, release a shorter version of the video or even a trailer. This ensures that you'll get better engagement on social media channels, and you can use this shortened version to direct people to your website where they can watch the full video. On the whole people's minds are made up in the first 10 seconds, so make sure it's effective!
7 - Once it's live, how can you try to boost the video's reach? Make sure to tag other businesses or relevant people. Tag relevant websites or blogs, tag organisations in your industry, local networking groups, tag the video production agency who helped produce it. By doing this, you not only ensure more views, but it increases the chances of shares as well which are what you're really looking for. If your business has a following of 200 on LinkedIn, but you tag the local Chamber of Commerce who have a following of 10,000 and then share it, then that could do wonders for generating leads from the video.
8 - Another important thing to remember when trying to maximise the reach of your video content, is to give the video a catchy title and a good thumbnail. Don't just title the video "Company promo" or "customer testimonial 1" because there's no incentive for people to click on these! Even if the video isn't going to be the next viral hit, at least get your company name in the title or try and entice people into clicking on the video. There are nearly 5 billion videos watched daily on Youtube, which means that there are potentially a lot of clients or customers on Youtube, looking for the services that your business offers. A well made thumbnail can also be the difference between who clicks and who doesn't, so don't just take a blurry screenshot from the video, think about what would make you want to click, maybe some text on screen, or your logo, or a smiling face. This all counts when trying to maximise views.
9 - Don't just rely on other people for engagement, like and comment on the video yourself. You can comment saying how much fun it was to work on, thanking the production company, thanking a client who was on camera, or even asking for feedback. Early engagement like this is key for social media channels to push your content, and it also makes the video look more popular to prospective clients. Get a few members of staff to like / comment on the video right at the start and this should generate more traction and a wider reach for the content.
10 - Finally, don't let the video die. All this means is once it's released, don't just leave it and hope people watch it! Keep sharing it on different pages, or in different groups online to keep momentum going. Don't be afraid to send out a follow up email a week after release saying "In case you missed it, here's our brand new video". You want to keep interest high levels high because you never know who might see it. You can even use the video as part of a paid campaign with Facebook ads or even Google ads in future to make sure those views keep rolling up.
Hopefully some of these points will help you make the most of the video content you already have, or that you're looking to produce in the future! For more info on how RAW Pictures can help you out with producing 10/10 video content then get in touch.
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