Making Videos That Compel Your Viewers

video marketing
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Are videos a part of your online marketing strategy? If they are, it is important to create videos that compel your viewers and cause them to act in a way that gives you what you need. If you give them what they need and they give you what you need, everyone will be happy.

The leap from quiet observer to active participant

It is extremely important to convert your video viewers from people who just sit there and take in whatever you are sharing to people who will contribute a great deal to your effort and who will truly enhance the experience. The first thing that is important to understand is that a video is an important tool for communicating. Many people are more receptive to information if it is visual. There are those people, of course, who do better with the written word. However, if you can combine the two, you can really make an effective impact.

When it comes to making a video, it is very important to pay close attention to the mechanics. However, the strategy is just as important if not more important. Many people are capable of making videos that are similar to other videos. However, it is your unique strategy that makes it different and truly your video stand out from other videos on a similar topic.

The elements of a compelling video

There are several different components that are a part of a compelling video and they are all important and they all contribute to your success. They are:

  • The element that grabs the viewer’s attention
  • Introductory words
  • The body of the content
  • The final words
  • The bloopers (which lend a human element to your video)

Grabbing your viewers’ attention: When it comes to how you present your video, it is very important that your video is as clear, concise, and tight as it can possibly be. It is important to remember that because you have an extremely limited amount of time for your video, you need to make every word, every picture, and every other element count as much as possible. Otherwise, your viewers will lose interest and they will stop watching your video. You need to capture their attention and you need to keep their attention.

Promotion in your introduction: Of course, you don’t want your video to be a screaming advertisement for your business. However, there are appropriate places in your video where you can interject a subtle piece of promotion. One of those places is in the introductory words. After all, your viewers understand that you are sharing your video with them so that they can learn more about what you do and about how you can solve their problems. This is called “give and take.”

Your body of work: Your body is where you really convince your viewers that you and your business are worth pursuing and that a relationship with you will be mutually beneficial. It is an excellent idea to lay out a plan in which you inform your viewers of what you can do for them and how you can help them with whichever issues they have been struggling. It is critical that you include a call-to-action in the body of your video. Your call to action will eventually get you conversions. Without your call-to-action, how will your viewers be able to contact you and to start to cultivate a relationship?

Your concluding remarks: Your concluding remarks are similar to your introductory remarks (but you must be careful not to make them identical). The concluding remarks would be where you give attribution and credit to people who deserve it. That is always a good idea. After all, you probably had help when you made your video and those people deserve to be acknowledged.

The bloopers: If you share your bloopers, you will be showing your viewers how human you are and that is very important because that is how you will successfully build relationships with them. If they are not able to connect with you on a human level, they won’t be able to connect with you at all and your business will not become any more successful than it is at this moment.

Conclusion

Making an effective video that you can share with your viewers is an extremely smart idea. Make sure that your video is well-thought-out and well organized from the start. The video allows other people to get to know you differently than they would if they only read what you have written. Both tools, of course, are extremely important and essential to your professional success. Both should be incorporated into your online social media marketing strategy.

[signoff][/signoff]

Author

  • Michael Cohn

    Michael Cohn is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CompuKol Communications. He has decades of experience in IT and web technologies. Michael founded CompuKol Communications to help small businesses and entrepreneurs increase their visibility and reputation. CompuKol consults, creates, and implements communication strategies for small businesses to monopolize their markets with a unique business voice, vision, and visibility. Mr. Cohn earned a Master’s degree in project management from George Washington University in Washington, DC; and a Master’s degree in computer science and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ.

4 Responses

  1. Kevin Hayes says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Brand & Communications Management
    Discussion: Do You Have a Video Marketing Strategy?

    What are some cost effective ways that companies can create their own B2B videos?
    By Kevin Hayes

  2. Steve "@PodcastSteve" Lubetkin says:

    We have strong opinions about effective business video, too. We have been advocating that companies become responsible for producing their own audio and video content for nearly ten years.

  3. Jonathan Hogan says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Entrepreneurs in Social Media
    Discussion: Do You Have a Video Marketing Strategy?

    Creating a video was one of the best things my business ever did! Thanks for sharing, Jonathan! I hope others see this and take heed!
    By Jonathan Hogan

  4. Kathy Cabrera says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Small Business Web
    Discussion: Do You Have a Video Marketing Strategy?

    Enjoyed reading this blog and I am also sharing with my followers on Twitter. My favorite quote: “The leap from quiet observer to active participant…” and, “It is extremely important to convert your video viewers from people who just sit there and take in whatever you are sharing to people who will contribute a great deal to your effort and who will truly enhance the experience.” Very timely advice given so many people prefer to WATCH vs READ in today’s digitally congested world!
    By Kathy Cabrera