5 Ways to Improve Your Video Marketing Strategy

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in September 2019 and was updated with additional information in August 2023.

For a few years now, video content has been dominating the digital marketing space, and it’s not going to slow down any time soon. Forbes is projecting it to take up more than 80% of internet traffic. To thrive in this landscape, content marketers must move beyond using video merely as a promotional tool. Instead, they should focus content marketing on leveraging unique video features to captivate and resonate with audiences.

In the past, we’ve discussed ways to use video to ignite your marketing campaigns. If you’ve already explored different types of videos to build your brand, business, and bottom line, it’s time to brainstorm other unique video efforts to stay ahead of the competition. To stand out, optimize your video content. Tailor videos to your target audience, employing keywords and aligning them with your overall marketing strategy. Metrics are crucial for assessing success—track metrics like conversion rates and ROI to continually refine your approach.

Producing high-quality videos is vital, but distribution is equally important. Tailor content for various social media platforms to maximize visibility and engagement. With the potential to drive conversions, enhance visibility through SEO optimization, and encourage audience interaction on social channels. In essence, by embracing innovation, strategic optimization, and audience understanding, you can elevate your video marketing efforts and achieve heightened brand visibility and engagement.

Here are 5 ways to spice up your video marketing year:

Use Structured Data for Livestream Content

Google recently introduced a new way for online users and businesses to markup their livestreams with indexing API and structured data. These new tools help more people discover your livestream videos in Search and Assistant. A distinctive feature of this new tool is it allows your videos to show up on Google Search with a red “live” badge.

Structured data for livestreams can be used for sporting events, awards shows, video game streams, and more.

Add Closed Captions to Videos to Improve SEO

As digital platforms become more saturated with video content, you need to be on your toes and make sure you stand out from the rest of the crowd. This means taking the extra step to understand how your target audience absorbs content. Understanding viewership is important, especially now that 85% of video is watched without sound.

Adding closed captions to your videos can help enhance the viewer’s experience. This feature helps make your video content more easily digestible for your audience. Closed captions are no longer only reserved for the hard of hearing. In the midst of today’s hustle and bustle world, closed captions also accommodate for those who are always on the go. Plus, did you know that adding closed captions to your video content also helps improve SEO? Captioning can help search engines find your content since it adds more text metadata which allows your videos to rank higher in search queries. If you’re looking to bolster your SEO efforts, then this is the way to go.

Closed captions are a gateway to improving engagement and creating a more inclusive viewing experience. Adding closed captions also affects SEO. This presents a compelling case for integrating closed captions into your video content strategy as a means to bolster your effective video marketing endeavors while also reaping SEO rewards.

With video marketing campaigns and the dynamic landscape dominating the world of social media, your success hinges on crafting engaging video series and producing impactful video content. Skillfully including these elements into a well-defined content strategy and leveraging effective video hosting across diverse marketing channels is key to amplifying your message. Embrace the transformative potential of closed captions not only to enrich the viewer experience but also to elevate your content's visibility and reach in a competitive digital landscape.

Integrate Website Annotations to Drive Traffic

Savvy marketers are moving away from heavy-handed calls to action in their video marketing strategies. YouTube’s annotations are a unique feature that marketers can integrate into their video content without taking away from the viewer’s experience. By associating annotations to your videos, you’re able to layer text and links that help drive additional traffic to your website.

The essence of this innovation lies in its power to maximize your video influence without disrupting the natural flow. Instead of forceful prompts, these annotations enable you to subtly layer text and links, serving as a conduit to channel additional traffic to your website. As businesses navigate the intricacies of effective video marketing strategies, this approach presents a strategic leap toward fostering engagement and expanding reach.

In an era where content creation is king and sharing videos is paramount, integrating annotations becomes a potent tool to navigate the digital landscape. From amplifying marketing goals and engaging audiences to facilitating viewer interactions, this strategy synergizes seamlessly with your efforts to excel in the realm of digital storytelling. 

Design Custom Thumbnails to Attract Viewers

Creating custom thumbnails for your video content plays a part in helping viewers decide whether or not they want to watch your videos. It acts as a billboard, and thumbnails that are well-designed can attract and entice more viewers to click the play button and watch your content. You should always aim to design high-resolution thumbnails and incorporate a catchy headline or title, ensuring that it’s an accurate representation of your content. Video thumbnails and titles can help boost discovery, but one thing to keep in mind is to avoid misleading titles or clickbait. Be cognizant and make sure your thumbnails are reflective of the content itself, and you’ll be well on your way to stepping up your video marketing game.

When creating video content, recognize the significance of these miniature canvases. Elevate your approach by designing high-resolution thumbnails that encapsulate the essence of your content. A catchy headline or title aligned with the content's core essence is indispensable. Precision in representation is key—these thumbnails should mirror the narrative, steering clear of misleading titles or clickbait tactics. Remember, authenticity breeds lasting impact.

The union of thoughtful design and content accuracy, encapsulated within these thumbnails, becomes your springboard to stepping up your video marketing game. As viewers' curiosity piques and engagement escalates, your strategy moves beyond mere visuals—it's a seamless bridge connecting captivating content with an intrigued audience.

Create End Screens to Promote Additional Video Content

If you are uploading a series of videos to YouTube as a part of your video marketing strategy, creating end cards can help promote videos and playlists and drive additional traffic to your website. This unique feature appears in the last 5 to 20 seconds of a video. End screens increase the odds of viewers watching more of your videos since you can use the end screen to link to other related content.

This feature is also super customizable, so you can strategically choose which elements you want to include. I would suggest choosing elements that are relevant to the video and using different calls to action for each element. You can also time when you want certain elements to appear in your end screen card. Experiment with the timing of the different elements you want to include and see what performs best.

Now that 87% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, savvy businesses that take their video marketing above and beyond will be the ones that maintain a competitive edge. The importance of successful video marketing has become undeniable. The noise and competition surrounding video marketing have definitely increased in the past year, and it’s time for businesses to invest in the right areas to stay ahead. As social media channels, particularly platforms like LinkedIn, become key arenas for reaching audiences, mastering the art of impactful video content is paramount. Videos are playing a dynamic role in brand communication; staying up to date with the latest trends is no longer an option but a requirement. Regularly revisiting and refining your video marketing strategy ensures successful video marketing.

Make sure to get your video out there and launch compelling video campaigns that effectively engage with your audience. Taking your video marketing to the next level requires creating diverse types of content that resonate with your viewers. These efforts will help you improve your video production and ensure your video content remains top-notch. Keep these tips in mind to polish your videos and help businesses establish a strong connection with their audience. By providing valuable content for your audience, you can help increase engagement and find ways to maximize your video marketing impact.

Do your best to stay up to date with the latest trends, and keep coming back to your video marketing strategy to see how you can enhance your content and take it to the next level.

Need help getting started? Then make sure to connect with your friendly local WSI Consultant for help!