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Video has changed everything about marketing and that is Not An exaggeration.

From advertising to content marketing to how-tos and FAQs, video has quickly become an essential part of any agency or company's marketing plan. And that's because they've proven effective – they're eye-catching, engaging, memorable, and, when used correctly, can be extremely informative.

Most people in business and marketing know the potential and power of video. They know that learning how to make the best videos becomes important. But there are still a handful of people who say, "Is video really that important?"

The answer is Yes– and polls, polls, and traffic metrics have proven it's over 1000x.

The only statistic you really need is that 80% of video marketers said video was a direct driver of increasing sales, but we're going to give you more … 87% of video marketers said video was driving traffic on their website has increased, and 99% of the people who have done so, video marketing announced in 2019 that it would continue in 2020. Videos help drive traffic, capture leads, build brands, and (most importantly) make sales.

Are you already convinced?

When companies, agencies, and business owners hesitate to use video as part of their marketing strategy, they usually say it's either too expensive, complicated, or time-consuming. Maybe it's a mix of all three. Those are valid concerns, but it doesn't change the fact that videos are definitely worth your time.

If you don't have a big budget to buy a nice camera and microphone, this isn't the end of the world. Even without top notch equipment, you can still make the best videos. You can use your phone to get started, and there is plenty of free or inexpensive video editing software to get you started. But maybe there is one other big question you are asking yourself …

How do I make the best videos?

The advantages of creating videos are obvious, and it is relatively easy to get the equipment to create videos. However, is it actually easy to make a video? Depending on who you ask, the answer varies dramatically.

To keep it simple, making great videos can be easy – you just have to be prepared. Going blind and hoping for the best is a strategy many people use, and it's almost always a bad one. Preparation is important, and a video production best practice will help you create amazing videos that will increase traffic and generate more leads.

Where should I post my videos?

It's really important to choose what medium you want your videos to live on before diving into production – that's part of the prep. The top three social media websites that videos are posted on are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. These are the places where you will have the most traffic. But each of them have a slightly different strategy for publishing. Here are some things to keep in mind about each one.

Youtube

YouTube is by far the most popular video platform in the world. It's a great place to post virtually any video your business makes, but it's definitely a great place to have lots of how-to videos and other informational videos about your business and products.

The ideal length for your YouTube videos is usually somewhere in between 6 to 10 minutes. This may seem like a long time, but compared to the other platforms, there is one thing to keep in mind about YouTube:

When people are on YouTube, they are there to watch videos.

Even though people watch videos on Facebook, they are usually not the reason someone visits the platform. It's much easier to get someone to watch a slightly longer video on YouTube since they'll expect it when they log on to YouTube.

That doesn't mean each video has to be 6-10 minutes long. If you want to post an advertisement on your YouTube account, it is probably better to keep it shorter as nobody wants to see a 6 minute advertisement. But it's definitely the place for your most tactical, voluminous content.

Facebook

Facebook and YouTube are decently interchangeable in their content. Whenever you post a video on Facebook, be sure to post it on YouTube too. But the thing about Facebook is that it's great for too everything… From advertising and promotions to fun and engaging content.

The ideal length of your video content on Facebook is between 2 and 3 minutes. This is mainly because it is difficult to keep people around. Also, people usually only see Facebook videos and Facebook ads for about 30 seconds. So you need to make sure that you are getting the most out of the beginning of your video.

One more note about Facebook videos … you Really must use subtitles! According to the American Press Institute, 85% of Facebook videos are viewed with no sound. That makes it clear – subtitles and subtitles are an absolute must.

Instagram

Instagram is probably the least important platform to use as a video medium for your business. Your Instagram videos should really only be around 30 seconds long and will likely be used to get people to your website. The videos on Instagram should be used as an eye-catching preview of your full video on Facebook, YouTube or your website. Make the most of the time that you have your viewer's attention – your video (preview) should be really engaging and get people to click through to check out the expanded version.

Now that you know a little more about the platforms you'll be posting to, it's time to dig into the formula for making great videos.

Here are the 7 steps to format your videos and create great content.

1. Tell them what's in it for them

Like I said, you only have a limited amount of time to get your audience's attention. You want to let them know right away what's in for them and why they should take the time to watch your video. If you keep making them guess what the video is about, they will likely turn off in less than 30 seconds. Here is an example of a great way to do this …

This is a content video that we posted on Facebook last year. When people scroll over the video, this is the very first thing they see. If you start the video this way, with the actual video framed and the text at the top of the screen, you can create it extremely It's obvious what people are going to get out of this video: common marketing mistakes they may make.

This way there is absolutely no waiting and no guessing game. When someone sees the video, they immediately know what's in it for them. By doing this, you make the likelihood of some interested parties sticking around and watching the whole thing. If they just keep scrolling, you know that you probably wouldn't get them to subscribe or buy anything anyway.

You don't have to use text to tell people what's in it for them – you can start the video with that. Even if they can't hear the video, your captions should still be able to tell them what's in it for them! The most important thing is that you tell them the reason why they should watch, which leads to the next step …

2. Intro and branding

Now you need to let the viewer know who you are and what you are doing. That's the whole point of creating the video, isn't it? Video creation is about providing tactical or entertaining content so viewers can get to know your brand better and review your products. Step 1 (Aware) of the customer value journey is thus carried out. If you just provide content but never tell them who you are, there is absolutely nothing for you.

It doesn't have to be a big bold logo (although it can be) – it can be really simple. Let's use the same video from earlier as an example.

In this video, we let our audience know who we are with a simple title signature in the bottom third. It identifies the speaker and gives our company name so that users can see it in case they miss the profile that shares it. This is a subtle way of adding branding to your intro. Buy it, you can get a lot bigger too.

You can also set up a large intro and branding screen before getting into the actual content of your video, as we did in this YouTube video. This of course ensures that Nobody can miss it.

Now you might be thinking, "Shouldn't I do the intro and branding before anything else?" While this seems logical, you want to make sure that people are actually seeing your video. If the first thing they see is your branding and no reason why they should actually watch the video, the more likely they will just keep scrolling or clicking another link. Reel them in, then tell them who you are (or just do both at the same time).

3. Give them the value

This is the part where you keep your promise. This will be the longest section of your video – giving them the information they came for. Again, keep in mind the platform you're posting on, but try to provide as much detailed information as possible. If you promise too much and underperform in a video, it is not good for your future viewership.

With video, just like blog posts, infographics, or any other piece of content that you might use for content marketing, you need to make sure that you provide some of it actual value. People don't like engaging in or telling the obvious things. If you promise six amazing tips to increase traffic, you need to make sure you actually deliver them. If you say you and your co-workers will be facing a fun challenge, make sure the video is interesting and engaging from start to finish.

This part is going to take by far the most planning since it was your inspiration for posting. The rest of this video process cannot achieve its full potential unless you pinpoint the reason people actually want to see it. If you can figure this part out, what you are offering to the audience and how to get it across in an effective way, then all of these other parts will fit right together.

4th Summarize with a conclusion

A summary is important because it reinforces everything you've just taught. It makes your information and your brand much more memorable. The summary doesn't have to be complicated – it is actually better if you keep it really simple. Here is an example from one of our YouTube videos about the best types of lead magnets that businesses can use.

This iteration strategy keeps it really short – it just goes through and re-lists the five types of lead magnets so everyone can remember the most important elements. The list doesn't go into depth or quickly dismantle it … because it really shouldn't be necessary. You have already spent a lot of time offering all of this information. If you want to hear them again, you can rewind the video.

Think about your ideal video lengths. If you add too much information to your summary, you will likely end up working much longer than necessary. Give your audience the quick hits, then move on to the next part.

5. Advise them

After giving them the information they came for and then reinforcing them, you need to give them the next steps. It could be advice, recommendation, encouragement, or even a warning. But whatever it is, it should be helpful and relate to the information you just provided.

In the case of the lead magnets above, this may be an indication of the type of situations you should (or should not provide) a particular type of lead magnet. For marketing mistakes, this might be a warning about what can happen if you keep making the same mistakes. There are so many ways that you can advise the viewer, but it adds value to an extremely tactical video.

6th Call to action

Now for the part that is most importantly Aspect of video for your business. At the end of each video, there should be a CTA that tries to turn viewers into subscribers, regular visitors, and customers. It can be as simple as asking people to visit your website simply by clicking a link, or it can be a link to a lead magnet. The end goal is to get people to land on your website. However, it would be ideal if you could collect some of their information so you can email and reach someone you know is interested in your industry.

Here is an example from the video with lead magnets from before:

For the CTA in this video, we're asking people to read our blog and see our lead magnet checklist. This blog post acts as a CTA as it relates to the information in the video. If the viewer is interested in the different types of lead magnets, you can probably assume they will be interested in more information on how to create great lead magnets. It then partners with this lead magnet worksheet, which provides legitimate and tangible value to the viewer.

Here's the best though: we can then use this lead magnet checklist how a lead magnet. 🤯 When people go to download, they need to enter their email address so that we can provide them with relevant offers and keep them updated on the business. Then they are exponentially more likely that they will make a purchase in the future, which was the ultimate goal of making the video in the first place.

7th Pull at the end

Once you've delivered the CTA, you've reached the end of the video. So the CTA should be the final step, right? Not correct. You should actually pull the end of your video – that is, you let it continue for 10-15 seconds after the last word in your video has been spoken. This may seem like a waste, but there is a legitimate reason for it …

Towards the end of the videos, most of the platforms suggest other videos for you to watch. These suggestions will block the entire screen, meaning your CTA graphic will become unusable. In the example above, we want people to keep looking at the arrow and thinking, "I should really click this link." If your screen is blocked by other recommended videos, our graphic will only be displayed for a few seconds before further videos are shown and the CTA is completely forgotten. By waiting 10 to 15 seconds before the video ends, you're actually making people think about whether to follow your CTA, making them more likely to do what you want. Let the video breathe before it goes black. Your funnel can literally depend on it.

If you follow this video formatting strategy, you will create great videos that are really effective. This enables your business to convert your video marketing efforts into subscribers and customers. Now that you have the stats and the formula, all it takes is a phone and some creativity to create the best videos and grow your business!