Biggest Mistakes to look out for in Video Marketing

At first glance, video marketing can seem very easy and straightforward. You simply craft a message, play a catchy tune, and bam, instant video success! The truth is it can be a very difficult task to keep your audience engaged and focused. If you’re venturing into the jungle that is video marketing in search of new audiences, be warned there are a few unforeseen challenges to overcome.

Making a video just to make a video (without a plan or purpose)

Producing a video without having a broader marketing plan and distribution strategy is the one of the biggest mistake in video marketing. We have all heard the adage, “when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” It is especially true for video. Video should be a part of a larger marketing/branding strategy – keep in mind why you are making the video, who it is intended for, and what the desired action is after the video is complete. To avoid making this mistake in video marketing, and before creating your video, think about why are you making this video, who the intended audience is, the action you want viewers to take after watching, where you are going to post and share this video, and what tools are you going to use to measure video success.

Failing to address a target audience

Creating a video with a message that does not address a specific audience is the #2 top biggest mistake in video marketing. Although you might have services or products that everyone can benefit from, any video you create should focus on only one target market (although your business might target multiple markets). Individuals from any target market have certain pain points and needs, and they are looking for answers to their particular questions.

The goal of your video should be to address those concerns, and provide information that reaches this target audience. To avoid this mistake, research your target market, determine their demographic profile, their pain points (as they pertain to your service/industry), and what emotional pull will best draw them in. You should strive to make your video relatable to your audience on multiple levels.  This goes for the content and message of your video, but also the visuals and people you use!

Not focusing on a single message

Producing a video that does not have one clearly defined message, and that jumps between multiple topics is a small business mistake we see far too often. It mostly happens because they didn’t define a strategy for the marketing campaign, or they didn’t properly budget for a video. It is very tempting to try and force a lot of information into your video (especially if it is a video that is being prominently placed on your website). However, when you do not have a singular focus, your message can quickly become disjointed and difficult to follow. You only have a short amount of time to entice, engage, and educate your viewer.

Spending time addressing all of your benefits is going to take more time than your viewer is willing to give, so focus your video on a single selling point! To avoid this mistake, develop a focused message, keep your video on target, and provide one main call to action. If you have separate topics or messages you want to cover, I would strongly suggest separate videos.

Expecting Instant Results

Expecting a new initiative to drive instant results not only a mistake in video marketing, but in any marketing tactic. Most marketing campaigns take time to gain momentum and produce a return, so this is rarely the case, and video is no exception. “Viral video” success is rarely due to random luck. Typically, the brand or individual behind the campaign has a strategy for distributing and spreading their video (and usually a pretty large social media following). Even if you do not have a large online following, a sustained and persistent video effort can still yield great results. Results come as visitors to your website watch, share, and return to see your new, engaging videos. To avoid this mistake, realize that video marketing is an ongoing effort, that will yield results over time.

Overnight video marketing successes rarely happen, and when they do they are most likely the result of planning, strategizing, and a bit of luck, not to mention they are often very short-lived and lack sustained longevity. Instead of betting on luck, realize that creating great promotional content for your business is a marathon and not a sprint.

Choosing the wrong video partner

Yes, your neighbors’ son just bought a camera, or your niece is in her first year in undergrad film school. Heck, we even heard the excuse that they’re letting a friend who took a few hobby class at the public library work on their video. Selecting a video partner that lacks the resources, knowledge, and industry experience needed to deliver a premier quality video is the # 1 mistake that businesses make in video marketing. It’s unfortunate, but your viewers and potential customers are going to be critical and judgmental of you by the quality of your video (bad video = bad business). This can directly affect not only your brand, but also your success. Although video can be created by anyone with a smartphone, one big mistake that business owners make is putting a video online that is a poor representation of their brand and business. It is important for businesses to work with video production partners who are not just familiar with their industry, but also excel in it.

To avoid this mistake, ask yourself: Do I have the time, resources, and expertise necessary to attempt producing a video myself? If I choose to partner with a video production company, are they professionals and have produced videos that best reflects my vision? You have one chance to impress a potential patient, make it count!

Talent, drive, and creativity can only take you so far when it comes to making a good video. Eventually, though, you’re going to have to open your pocket-book. Because when it comes to art in general, and video in particular, you get what you pay for.

Can you shoot a phenomenal video with just your overhead lighting and the camera in your smartphone? It’s possible… but if you’re digging a mine, don’t use a garden trowel.

Are you guilty of any of these mistakes?

 If you have zero experience in video it can feel daunting – but I assure you creating remarkable video content isn’t as scary as it may seem. You can and will be great at it, but it’s important to make sure you don’t fall into any of these video marketing mistakes.

Your audience craves video. Your business needs video. We’re here to make that decision easier for you. Find out how, 678-744-3908