As the popularity of YouTube – as a marketing tool for business – continues to explode, it becomes increasingly important for business owners to pay close attention to the content they’re publishing online.
As my friend, and YouTube authority, James Wedmore, explains to business professionals and entrepreneurs, “video is not about going viral.”
It’s not about a funny video of your dog prancing around in a Santa suit. While that can be amusing & entertaining, unless you’re promoting a dog obedience program, most likely it won’t get you the qualified prospects you seek. You are seeking qualified leads, aren’t you?
While it’s fun to see a video’s popularity skyrocket and get hundreds of thousands of views, the goal for business professionals is about traffic – quality traffic. And not just traffic to your YouTube channel. You want your video to rank well, funnel YouTube viewers to your Web site, and convert them from prospects into loyal customers.
6 Ways to Maximize Your Video Content
Writing video content is a lot like copywriting. After all your video is another tool in your marketing toolbox. To maximize that content for success, here are 6 similarities between copywriting and writing video content that you should keep in mind before you write your script:
1. Have a conversation. For those of you who have read my blog, listened to one of my videos or live presentations, you’ve heard me speak about writing TO your prospects not AT them.
Pretend your viewer is sitting across the table from you and write to him/her as if you were talking with one another face-to-face.
2. KISS your viewers. That’s keep it simple sweetheart. The best length for your YouTube video should be 3 to 5 minutes (shorter is better) so be clear, succinct and to the point.
3. Engage their emotions. I call this “pushing your buttons”, others refer to it as tapping into people’s pain. Let viewers know you understand where they’re coming from and how you can help them.
4. Ask and answer questions. This helps you engage emotion and create that “AHA” moment when viewers say “wow, this person understands me, I want what they have to offer.”
5. Deliver the content you promised. Start your video with a brief summary of what you’ll be covering and then deliver. Don’t make promises you can’t keep – that’s not a way to win over your prospects (bad news travels faster than good).
6. Don’t forget your Call to Action. It’s vital and so many times it’s missing. Before your video closes, be sure to tell viewers what you want them to do. Should they click on the URL in your description, leave a comment in the comment box, subscribe, share or like your video? It may seem obvious, but give your viewers direction.
Are you using these copywriting tips when writing your videos? Before you shoot your next one, sit down and give careful thought to how you can maximize your content, deliver an engaging message and convert prospects into customers.
What’s working for you? Share your video content tips in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.
