Video seems to be all the rage now, doesn’t it? Every time you log on to Facebook or open YouTube, there are videos and even GIFs galore of memes, comedy sketches, and vlogs that people love to share and show each other.
Video has and always will have a place in terms of content marketing. But does that mean you should ditch the rest of the content you’ve been creating and using for your business’s marketing strategy? We think not.
Before you ditch the written content for good, let’s go over video marketing’s pros and cons and then determine together if it’s the right kind of content marketing strategy for you or if you should keep trying something else.
Pros of Video Marketing
Video may not be for everyone but it is useful to create some of the following kinds of content on websites:
- Interviews
- Event coverage
- Testimonials
- Frequently asked questions about your industry
- Your own about page!
- Social media (naturally)
By having a YouTube account, you’re also adding a new means of leads to your website that you may not have even considered!
Cons of Video Marketing
While we do love videos when they work, here are some of the downsides you should consider before attempting to put together a strategy for video marketing:
It may not always work – technical difficulties are more likely to arise if your website video player is incompatible with someone else’s computer. There are many different types of cameras for recording your videos and some of the best ones may not even be compatible with your computer’s technology or software. Regular updates and maintenance to all equipment will be required, which if not implemented correctly can lead to costs you may not be able to afford in the long run.
You may not be right for video – this sounds mean, and we’re sorry if it does! We’re referring to whether or not you are comfortable with talking in front of a camera or can look directly at the lens. Not everyone is comfortable with that. You may not like hearing your voice on camera either; everyone’s voice sounds different when it’s recorded and played back as opposed to real life.
You’re technically inept – before you say anything, let us say first that installing and using a webcam on Skype yourself is very, very different from recording an actual video for your website or for content marketing purposes. If you don’t know much about the different types of cameras we just mentioned, you could potentially end up making your videos look cheap instead of professional without intending to. You will also need to brush up your knowledge on lighting a room for videos, which in some locations can make or break the quality of a video’s final result.
Always seriously consider these downsides before deciding on video marketing. That same rule of thumb applies to all forms of content marketing. If you find that a content strategy doesn’t work for your business’s website, try something else.
Why You Should Consider Video Marketing at All
You may be wondering, “What’s the point of telling me this?” It’s because video still has its place in content marketing. Video is a way to make the testimonials and results of your product or service’s use more real and less of a concept. A picture can say a thousand words, but a video can double that quantity of words. That being said, video is not the perfect solution for promoting your business, especially if you fall into one of the downsides we just described. But it is a good solution if you do it right.
Ready to tackle video marketing? Need some help with the technicalities of adding videos to your website? Need someone to produce high-end corporate videos for you? Or do you need help with your overall content marketing? Contact us at V3 Media and we can consult you on what would work best for your business.