How to Win Over Customers with Video Content in 2024

Marketers are overwhelmingly seeing the benefits of video content, with 90% witnessing a positive ROI. Now that attention is currency, brands that leverage smart and innovative marketing video strategies win the lion's share of consumer focus. 

The goal of this article, then, is to illuminate how your business can tap into video content marketing to captivate audiences, build brand loyalty, and drive conversions like never before. With the insights of Scott Millard, founder of Videospark, and his proven expertise in this space, the path to video marketing's profitability and potency is clear.

Why Video Content Matters in 2024

Video content in 2024 distinguishes itself by bridging the gap between information delivery and human connection. As Scott pointed out, the main goal of videos should be to tell stories that resonate. It's storytelling, combined with clear messaging and thoughtful intention, that makes a video an invaluable marketing asset. In a sea of constant online noise, videos offer a lighthouse for brands to be seen and heard clearly.

The permanency and reach offered by a platform like YouTube also allow businesses to establish a durable online presence. According to Scott, videos on YouTube form a more personal connection with viewers than fleeting tweets. Added to this is the in-depth data that it provides — the way it allows brands to better understand their audience.

Video content's dominance is further solidified by its versatility. From punchy short-form content on platforms like Instagram that Scott recommends for rapid gains in trust, to in-depth tutorials that flesh out complex topics on YouTube, video offers a spectrum of engagement. 

Businesses can adapt the same video content on different platforms, which speaks to its ubiquity in marketing: No matter where your target audience is, video has a way of reaching them with impact.

3 Things to Consider in Video Content Marketing

Within the broader context of video content marketing are nuances and strategies that set successful campaigns apart. In our conversation with Scott, three specific considerations were brought up as essentials for brands looking to optimize their video marketing.

1. Short-form vs Long-form Marketing Video

Navigating the intricate landscape of video content marketing requires distinguishing between short-form and long-form content. 

As Scott highlights, short-form content is your go-to for prompt engagement, designed to drive the audience to act swiftly. Longer videos, on the other hand, provide depth and nurture audience relationships.

Platforms like Instagram thrive on bitesize videos that cater to the scrolling habits and shortened attention spans of today’s audience. 

Yet, the longevity and depth offered by longer videos on YouTube cannot be overlooked, with Scott's personal testimony of building a lasting subscriber base that cherishes his comprehensive video guides and tutorials.

In the end, the issue here is not which is better but which will serve your brand's goals more effectively. With short-form content like Instagram reels, you can engage viewers quickly and move them promptly to the next step. But if you want to offer immersive experiences that leave lasting impressions, long-form content like YouTube horizontal videos may be a better choice.

2. UGC vs Professional Marketing Video

Another crucial choice in video content marketing is between user-generated content (UGC) and professionally made content (PMC). Though UGC can amplify trustworthiness, authoritative, high-quality professional content strategically elevates a brand’s stature in industry-specific discussions.

UGC, with its raw authenticity, often triumphs in industries where trust is paramount. Big brands like Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Apple have all adeptly utilized UGC to build an online community that fosters active participation from influencers and its customers—be it reviews or styled photoshoots—a tactic that massively boosts their conversion rates.

PMC, on the other hand, gives brand narratives a sense of scale and validity in line with viewers’ expectations. Businesses seeking to establish authority and thought leadership can benefit from the polish of professional videos like the ones on Scott's YouTube channel. 

It is fair to say that both UGC and PMC play different but equally vital roles in forming successful video marketing strategies. Choosing which is more suitable often comes down to gauging target audience engagement needs against individual business objectives or campaign goals.

3. Trending vs Evergreen Marketing Video

Video marketers face a choice between riding the wave of viral, trending content and investing in evergreen pieces that maintain their relevance over time.  

Viral video content comes with a roller-coaster effect, an exhilarating rise in traffic and engagement followed by a precipitous drop. It feels like you're on top of the world one day and struggling to maintain relevance the next.

Viral videos tend to be remembered for a short period, making them less effective for long-term goals. However, the buzz they generate allows brands to increase their visibility rapidly, attract new audiences, and drive quick conversions.

On the other hand, evergreen video content offers consistent relevance over time, bringing steady growth rather than bursts of activity followed by lulls — it has longevity that serves its branding aims more reliably. 

Evergreen videos typically cover topics that are always relevant to a brand’s target audience’s needs and interests: tutorials, tips and tricks, or explainer videos. While these may not provoke momentous waves of immediate excitement like viral videos can incite, they accrue views steadily over time, putting together long-term returns instead.

Scott's strategy is to enrich his YouTube channel with a blend of both: the fleeting brilliance of viral content and the enduring relevance of evergreen videos. This way, he can keep his channel lively and engaging while attaining long-term growth.

How to Create a Video Content Marketing Strategy

Video content marketing success hinges on a well-crafted strategy. Integrating Scott's philosophy and experiences, we can break down the process of creating a video marketing strategy into actionable steps.

1. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals for your video campaign

Every stellar video marketing campaign begins with clear, attainable goals. By setting S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) objectives, you ensure every piece of content has a purpose supporting your broader marketing aim. As observed with Scott's ambition to grow his YouTube channel to 10,000 subscribers, your goals should inspire progress and facilitate focused efforts that steer clear of ambiguity.

2. Conduct thorough audience research

Deep understanding of your audience is at the heart of every great video marketing strategy. Take a page from Scott’s playbook: he knows his target audience and tailors content to their preferences, as evident from the varied content on his channel, from camera roll material to expert interviews. You can emulate his approach by researching and analyzing your target audience, ultimately creating videos that they find irresistible.

3. Create a video content calendar

Creating a well-planned video content calendar syncs your storyline with your marketing timeline. It offers you a view of what's on the horizon, like Scott's calendar system, which structures the weekly release of his video podcast. Implementing this strategy ensures a regular flow of fresh content that keeps your audience engaged and awaiting what video you'll share next.

4. Plan, record, and edit your marketing videos

The actual creation of your videos should be a well-thought-out process. As Scott would do, start your video production by creating a video script with a clear message directed at your audience's aspirations and pain points. Recording should follow a set plan to efficiently capture the content, while editing fine-tunes the piece into a polished, compelling story.

5. Optimize marketing videos for your chosen platforms

It's integral to remember that different platforms cater to diverse audiences and have varying algorithm aspects in place. Just as Scott customizes his content depending on whether he is sharing videos on YouTube or Instagram, so should you adapt your videos accordingly. Consider factors such as video lengths acceptable per platform rules, the types of thumbnails and video formats that work best within specific social media landscapes, and the most effective times to post. You'll notice that this video marketing strategy pays off by boosting visibility and engagement.

6. Distribute and promote your videos

Beyond simply uploading content, a sound distribution strategy involves promoting videos through various channels. These can span social media platforms, newsletters, or embedding them on your website or blogs. Additionally, investing in promotional tactics such as live videos and video ads can boost visibility and upgrade your outreach efforts.

7. Measure, iterate, and improve your video content

Just as a great craftsman tirelessly hones his tools, so too should you refine and reshape your video for marketing based on the feedback loop of data. You can look at key video metrics, such as watch times, average view duration, and social likes-shares-comments, to gain insights into what resonates with your audience. Embrace a test-and-learn mindset: Study these metrics, make necessary adjustments, and then measure again. Through this iterative process, you can achieve not just virality or evergreen status for your videos but also ensure they play their part in accelerating toward your macro goals.

8. Repurpose your video content into other formats

Repurposing your video content multiplies its impact without necessarily multiplying your effort. Just as Scott does, you can use Castmagic to morph your video for marketing into alternative formats such as blogs, social posts, or emails — widening the diversity of channels through which potential customers may encounter your message. 

The Impact of AI on Video Marketing

As we immerse ourselves in 2024, we can't ignore AI's monumental strides in reshaping video marketing. With Scott Millard's eye for strategy and innovation, it's clear that AI tools can be the ace up a marketer's sleeve. 

There are now AI tools that can streamline everything from video production and personalization to even content repurposing. We are very near to living in a world where video marketing is more efficient, more targeted, and more creative.

Video in marketing is heavily influenced by AI across the board. In video production, AI can take away heavy lifting for brands as it can assist in creating video scripts, editing, and even producing lifelike animations. 

Personalization powered by AI can dissect viewer data and enable marketers to create hyper-focused content that speaks directly to their target audience's interests and desires.

Moreover, marketers can optimize video content with AI tools for tracking engagement, viewer behavior, and performance. This means future-forward marketers can adjust content strategies almost in real time, ensuring that every video piece produced is fine-tuned for its intended audience. 

Indeed, the potential for AI in video marketing is boundless. Embracing this tech is a must to stay competitive in the 2024 online content landscape.

Upload Video Content, Upload Success

We're at the edge of possibility with video content marketing in 2024, pooling the wisdom of experts like Scott Millard and harnessing the power of AI, strategy, and data. We have journeyed through the spectrum of video content and revealed how your marketing efforts can and should evolve.

Take the knowledge from this article to carve out your own video content marketing success story. As you look ahead, envision a path paved with strategic goals, an intimate knowledge of your audience, and a fluid, adaptive content plan that grows with its viewers and the ever-shifting digital tides.

Now is the time to act. Don't just read about the revolution of video content marketing; be a part of it. Start building your video content marketing strategy today. And remember, for an extra edge, repurpose your video content with Castmagic to stretch its influence across multiple mediums.