5 Tips to Make Online Video Work for Your Brand

Marketing managers have a seemingly infinite array of vehicles to choose from to promote their brands. Among them, online video is one of the more exciting, impactful and alluring options. In fact, so many companies are beginning to explore the potential of online video as a marketing tool that it’s no longer necessary for advocates such as myself to continue to write pieces covering “why” to use online video as it is to offer thoughts on “how.” With that in mind, here are five tips for generating greater success with online video: 1. Don’t shoot for viral. When people think about online video, they too often think of viral videos — i.e., content that, for one reason or another, has sparked something in people that’s made them want to pass it to others, helping it accumulate massive amounts of views in a short period of time. With such a massive amount of new content uploaded to the web on a daily basis, however, the chances of one video gaining viral traction are tantamount to winning the lottery. Videos that do go viral will typically enjoy that status for a relatively short period of time. That’s not the best way to build a brand. Instead, aim for producing solid, watchable videos as part of an ongoing series. Video is great way to create stronger bonds between you and your audience. Rather than going for the one viral shot, use video to build a core audience that will interact with your brand and grow over time. 2. Keep productions short, sweet and entertaining. Watching a video on a desktop computer or mobile device is different than watching television. Viewers’ patience is greatly reduced while watching online videos, so keep your content short. Try to keep your videos less than two minutes to maintain maximum audience attention. Keep in mind, a standard 30-second pre-roll before your video makes the entire experience 2:30, 30 seconds longer than most people are willing to hang around before checking out something else. To ensure people watch till the end of the video, those two minutes have to count. Keep the pace moving and don’t wait to get to your point. If you don’t grab your audience within the first 10 seconds, they’re unlikely to stick around for the rest. 3. Add your videos to multiple services, and promote them in multiple areas. YouTube may be the largest online video network, but it also has the most competition for viewers. YouTube isn’t the only video network out there. Place your videos on other online networks where they’re more likely to get noticed to maximize exposure. Promote each new video heavily through social networking sources. Be sure to use relevant hashtags on Twitter to expose each video to people following different conversations, include them in multiple LinkedIn groups and post them in numerous related pages (not just your own) on Facebook. 4. Set up sponsorships directly with producers. Producing your own videos isn’t the only way your brand can benefit from online video. Content producers of all sizes, from individual producers to large-scale studios, are actively creating new videos on every possible topic. Experienced producers often have established followings of large and/or highly targeted regular viewers. Pinpoint producers whose audience is most like your target demographic, then seek out opportunities to work with them more closely. Be creative. Sponsorship opportunities forged directly with content producers can include everything from mentioning or featuring your brand within their dialog to featuring your logo prominently within the setting. 5. Establish advertising opportunities through video networks. Other opportunities for exposing your brand to a highly targeted audience exist by going straight through the online video networks in which the content appears. Networks will very often allow brands to associate their name with specific videos to reach a particular demographic. These sponsorships can include everything from standard pre-roll impressions (which have an 88 percent completion rate) and display ads to overlays, wallpaper takeover and more. Jay Miletsky is the founder and CEO of MyPod Studios. Jay can be reached on Twitter @JayMyPod.

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5 Tips to Make Online Video Work for Your Brand

Jay Miletsky

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Jay Miletsky