Written by The playing field is continually changing. Are you making mistakes in your video? If you think that you can establish dominance in the market just by consistently posting video content—think again. The solution? First, figure out what your niche is—then create video content that sets you apart from the rest.
As more content continues to swamp the market, unique content directed for your demo is the only way to separate your brand from the pack. Companies that elevate their content and provide expert information will be the one’s converting a skeptical audience.
Table of Contents
Here is our list of four common mistakes companies make when developing their video content.
ONE: Obsessing Over SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to the process of increasing your websites’ ranking and visibility for search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. 10–15 years ago, SEO was one of the best ways to ensure your content was highly-ranked and therefore attracting more and more viewers. Back then, just by posting regularly, any brand could develop a following, more views, and more engagement. Not to mention websites use to hide or stuff keywords at the bottom of the page or buried deep in their meta tags.
Suddenly, SEO became a household term. So much so that now there are over two million blog posts published every single day. This means you can’t just rely on achieving SEO results with video. Imagine just eating pizza all day, every day. It might sound exciting at first, but it will get very boring after a while.
A strong SEO strategy also includes consistent blogging that includes key search words and phrases, the proper use of title tags, alt tags for describing images, and other companies that are linking to your site (also known as backlinks).
TWO: Overextending Yourself
Developing an SEO strategy with too a narrow approach by only doing blogs or social media—overextending yourself in too many directions can be just as dangerous.
It’s tempting to explore every video content option available.
- How many types of hosting platforms are at our disposal?
YouTube, Venmo, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn … TikTok! - How many different types of content video content are available?
Vlog, culture, interview, testimonial, webinar, event, presentation, tutorial, product review…and more!
There are simply too many to ever tackle each variation with absolute efficiency. So, when companies, especially those with limited resources, attempt to be all things to all people on all platforms; it almost always fails. The correct strategy is to create one great version of a video with a specific goal for a defined audience on a specific channel. Then test.
This might sound like you’re limiting yourself—because you are. Limitations can be quite healthy for growing companies. Once you earn that first solid audience base, then you can use them as a springboard for new video content strategies.
THREE: Don’t be too Impatient
It’s a fact; audiences in the U.S and around the world have significantly shorter attention spans today than they did in the past. Less than a goldfish we have heard.
This is at least in part due to the amount of information we’re flooded with every waking moment. What’s this mean? Your content needs to hit hard, fast and make an impression. Consumers may have the right to be less patient, but you do not, which leads us to the next point.
Content marketing takes time to impact audiences.
Even if you create an incredibly emotional video that’s beautifully crafted, there is no guarantee your brand will experience a sudden jump in viewership, engagement, or conversion. Patience young padawan. According to an MIT study, the average 12-month content marketing projects more than doubled site traffic and increased inbound leads by five to seven times.
Think about your content marketing plan in terms of months and years—not days, if you want to experience serious growth.
FOUR: Don’t forget your Call-to-Action
The call-to-action (CTA) is arguably the most important part of any piece of video content. It’s the moment when you urge your audience to do something; click a link, buy a ticket, reserve a spot, share on social media, etc.
Many high-quality, engaging videos lack a clear call-to-action, which begs the question, why? Maybe the company didn’t want to come off as being too pushy, maybe they thought the content speaks for itself. The fact is audiences need your encouragement to take action so don’t let them down. Whether it’s a lead form your want filled out, or a voice-over asking them to like and subscribe, make sure to include a clear, easy to follow CTA in every video you release.
Summary: Creating Video for Content Marketing Without Mistakes
Any one of these mistakes can happen to any brand at any stage, from humble startups to corporate giants. They’re not necessarily a sign of poor management or creative weakness. They’re more of a result of the ultra-competitiveness in the market and the rapid changes.
If you can keep a mindful eye open for possible mistakes, you’re avoiding them in advance and opening up the possibility of true video content success.
Let CutBoard help you navigate these marketing pitfalls. Give us a call or schedule a time for our famously free (yes free) consultation.