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You have been doing the content marketing thing for a while now. More specifically, you have been writing articles or blogging.

How is that working for you?

Possibly, you have hired a staff to handle it for your site. Or, maybe you have been able to get a break and sub-contract the task of writing. That is great! This will hopefully help you to avoid what so many content marketing strategies fall into, with a burnout phase.

If you are running a company, or you are part of a company, it is likely that you have a team who handles the content for your site. Possibly, your site is all about a particular service, product, or combination of the two.

Regardless of what it is that you and your company do, there is that thing called “content.” We come full circle, back to that whole writing aspect/component.

Or, do we?

Internet History Lesson 1: Pre-Blogging Era

Prior to blogging coming on the scene (yes, that was a long time ago!) it seemed to be all about getting a site up and functional.

If you were a large company, you likely hired web design professionals who were able to make your site look good and hopefully appeal to visitors. Back in those days, it was sometimes confusing to figure out the difference between a web designer (visual appeal) and a web developer (the applications on your site). The focus seemed to be to have a presence and have some sort of information available on the web.

Back then (before Google) the two most confusing elements was “HOW” to find the sites (enter the browser bookmarks) and this HTML stuff that was called a language but not understood by the masses.

We have come a long way since then. Thanks to an increase in the volumes of resources, as well as the people resources. Now, the sky is the limit, but it has also become attainable to the solopreneur and to the average person, even in a hobby capacity.

Even the invention of “blogging” and the software like “Wordpress” has taken us leaps and bounds beyond where we were at the beginning of the Internet. And, thankfully so, as websites look much better than they did back when people were forced to figure out HTML for themselves.

Internet History Lesson 2: Post-Blogging Era

While we have a lot to be thankful for, with all of these cool tools, resources, software, people, etc., there is also a lot more on our plates.

Our world seems to go faster and there are more requirements, if we want to keep up with that world.

Now that content is easier than ever to publish.

That means it is easy for our competitors to publish, as well.

So, if we want to stay in the game, we need to keep up on all that is new and improved, ensure that we do it better than the next guy, and by all means, NOT BURN OUT on all these tasks.

Is it possible? It seems that we just need to make it happen. What do you think?

Video Marketing or Marketing with Video > Which Is It?

When you hear (or read) the phrase “video marketing” what comes to mind?

Is it marketing campaigns that involve or include video content?

Is it video content that is being marketed to the audience just as you would market blog content or any other content?

In other words, are we using video to market or are we marketing the video?

Removing the Confusion of the Terminology

It is usually easier if we use some sort of example when defining things that are confusing. So, in this case, we are going to use cute puppies (literally!). Ready?

Example: Chihuahuas and Videos

Let’s say that you have a Chihuahua and you love this particular dog breed so much that you have now entered into the business of breeding Chihuahuas. We are also going to assume that everything is on the up-and-up and that you treat your dogs well, feed them well, find good homes, etc.

Now, these Chihuahua puppies are so cute that you make a video of their wriggling cuteness. You hire a videographer to package the video with all of the finesse that helps to give it that professional edge.

You could use the video as a way of helping to advertise that you breed Chihuahuas, bringing in new clients who will potentially pay you money for one of the pups in the next litter. In that case, you have used the video as a way to market the services of dog breeding, specifically in that of breeding well-bred Chihuahua puppies.

You could also use a snippet of the video and advertise that you have a longer video (say 60 min) that is filled with cute entertainment of these precious pups. In that case, you are using video content to market something, but you are marketing the potential sale of a full-length video. You are using a shorter video as a part of marketing that full-length video.

And, it could be that in the process of marketing and selling the full-length video, that you also include an advertisement for your Chihuahua breeding services, as well.

So, you see, there is the video content (most notably defined by the full-length video) and the video advertising (i.e. video advertising the full-length video and/or the video advertising the Chihuahua breeding services).

Do you see how one can intersect the other and possibly the lines are blurred? I mean, even video ads can become entertainment in and of themselves and versions can show up on Instagram, derivative versions on YouTube, embedded on your WordPress site, Tumblr, and all sorts of ideas to gain traffic. That traffic may be interested in yet another service that you offer and the cycle of opportunities continues.

In a nutshell, you have video advertisement and video content. So, on that note, let’s discuss content a bit…

Content Types

Content marketing includes video marketing, but video marketing is not the only component of content marketing.

A full-fledged content marketing strategy should include video content, as well as the marketing of that video content. It is best if it also includes other types of content as well.

Not all content types will work for all companies or niches, but it is helpful to be aware of the types and to even think outside the box and implement a content type that may not be expected, to push those limits and outdo your competitors’ strategy. The idea is to rise to the top of your niche and beyond.

Here are some example content types:

1. Written articles (i.e. blogging, news articles, interviews);
2. Videos (also animations, etc.);
3. Presentations (i.e. PowerPoint, SlideShares);
4. eBooks (downloadable PDFs, lead magnets, etc.);
5. Infographics;
6. Podcasts (audio files; streaming or downloadable);
7. Live Video; Google Hangouts; Facebook Live; etc.;
8. And many more….

 

Content marketing is more important than ever before in getting the word out about your business. A lot of business owners today fall short when it comes to video marketing. In the world of content marketing, you need more than just words to drive traffic to your site. That is where video can help!

Over the past few years, customers have increased their expectations for video marketing from companies. If you are struggling in this area, now is the time to invest time and money to drive results.

The following are some helpful tips for video marketing and why it is essential in your content marketing strategy.

Tip #1: Understanding Video Marketing’s Place in Business

Over the past few years, video marketing has become more important than ever. When it comes to social media sites, video marketing is the best way to attract customers.

People are tired of reading boring blog posts that contain no videos or images. Also, in this day and age, it is expected that there is something that breaks up the written content, especially on mobile.

Also, times have changed in the industry of online marketing. You have to have some sort of video marketing to attract new customers. Many years ago, content marketing was all about the amount of keywords that you could stuff into a post. Those days are long gone, and search engines do not reward the quantity of words anymore. Instead, they reward quality content that attracts visitors and keeps them on your site. And, that is a great way to be rewarded, eh?

The longer your visitors stay on your website, the better your search rank will be and the better your results. This is why it is so important to have video marketing to attract and keep visitors on your site. Over time, the investments that you make in this area will lead to higher sales and profits.

Remember >> Your search ranking is the biggest key to attracting unique visitors to your site.

Tip #2: Understanding the Technology of Video Marketing

Using technology to drive results is one of the best ways to improve your content marketing strategy. There are quite a few programs that you can use today to edit videos and make them more exciting for users. (I have a special link for you, as a bonus, at the end of this article.)

In the years ahead, the importance of content marketing will only increase.

As a result, you need to make sure your company has an action plan in this area of your business. If you sit and wait around, your competitors will continue to gain customers while you stagnate. Using technology in your overall content marketing strategy is essential to having success over a long period of time.

 

Your Call-To-Action (CTA) Plan

It is great that you understand different facets of video marketing, but being able to define the phrase, “video marketing” is not necessarily what is going to add the bucks to your bank account.

And, besides, even if a particular video could be used as the final product or the method of marketing, whether in its original form or repurposing, the idea is to get it done and not to become the World dictionary on the phrase “video marketing” (unless somehow that makes you a millionaire).

So, keep your eyes open to the possibilities that exist, even in repurposing the video content and looking for ways to maximize your return on investment (ROI).

As with anything in business, you are looking for ways to work more efficiently (i.e. work less) and get more in return for that work (working effectively).

That doesn’t mean that you are looking to cheat the system or get something that isn’t yours. Instead, you are looking to get a fair exchange (or better!) for all of that hard work.

You need to ensure that…

1. You understand what you need (resources and knowledge);
2. Wherever you are lacking, you make a plan on how to attain it and when you will attain it (i.e. purchasing software or obtaining instruction in areas where you need skill set improvement);
3. Track your efforts (basic project management processing that will help to keep you on track, getting the job done without giving up on the task).

Do you think you can do that? I hardly know you and I believe you can do it!

Bonus: You already know what you need to do, but you need some resources to help get it done. Check out the 150+ Video Marketing Resources (Ultimate List) to start that process of getting what you need and getting it done!

Featured image: 123RF