According to Statistic Brain, people around the world collectively spend 3 billion hours a month on YouTube. That might make you wonder why everyone doesn’t run a video marketing campaign, but video marketing can be a bit tricky to master.

Past experiences clearly show there is a right and a wrong way to use video as a marketing tool. However, if you pay close attention to the videos that do seem to go viral and spread around the Internet like wildfire, you will be able to pick up on what works and gets the most views. Having a great video will not only allow you to interact with new consumers, but will drive sales and promote your company.

Know your audience

One of the most successful video campaigns in recent years has been for Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. The use of the Sasquatch and his hunger in these videos seems to make just about everyone laugh. Slapstick comedy doesn’t work for everyone or every product, but the audience that these commercials appeal to really seem to enjoy the videos. Instead of focusing too much on the product they are advertising, the videos focus on making the consumer laugh by presenting scenarios where humans taunt a monster. The product isn’t prominently featured until the end of the commercial, which is when the audience is paying the most attention. If there is one thing to learn from these videos it’s that you must know your audience. As you begin thinking of videos you could make, ask yourself who the audience is and what they’re going to like.

Engage your audience

After you figure out who comprises your audience, you should find a way to grab their attention. You may not be able to figure this one out right away, but if you use YouTube, then you can tweak your campaign as you go.

YouTube is a great social media platform because it allows you to entertain your customers (and potential customers) and interact with everyone. Blendtec, a company that makes high-end blenders, has become quite popular on YouTube, thanks to its “Will It Blend?” series. The series features a man cramming all sorts of unlikely objects into Blendtec blenders – electronics, construction material, and other items you’d never attempt to drink through a straw. The next segment’s “Will It Blend” items are based on user suggestions, creating an interactive relationship between customer and company.

The right call-to-action

What’s the point of video marketing? Well, like other marketing strategies, video marketing serves to drive people to your website or to purchase a product. When you use online marketing you insert links at the end of the video or throughout the video. The best call-to-actions on videos come at the end of the video; instead of spending the entire video talking up the company or products, save that information for the end. Illustrate a need throughout the video and use the call-to-action as a solution to the need.

Paycor, a company that makes human resources software, got it right with its series of confessional videos. The videos feature actors posing as business owners who thrive on processing payroll and working too much. Not only do the videos engage potential clients with humor, they also provide great call-to-actions at the end of the video by showing people how human resources software could simplify their business operations.

Remember when you are strategizing for a video marketing campaign to:

  • Keep the audience in mind
  • Fascinate and engage the audience
  • Provide an informative call-to-action at the end of the video

Through every step of the process, you need to consider the video not only from your point of view, but also from the point of view of the audience. You should also keep in mind that the video will be more successful when kept light and fun!