The need for video
Everybody wants video. Unfortunately, many people get fixated on the idea that video alone will fix all their marketing problems. If it were that easy, then most brands wouldn’t be struggling to gain a following on social media despite having many videos on their channels. Video isn’t the golden goose that will kick-start you to success. But then what will? Let’s clear this up for you.
Then what? This is not a red herring. Video is a critical component of your brand’s marketing, and the importance of video is growing year by year. But what’s important to understand is that the average user must interact with your brand for at least 7 hours through multiple avenues before they make an essential purchase with a brand. These avenues include videos, blogs, reviews and online searches. Now, this may vary depending on the industry, but look at this as a rule of thumb when reaching customers.
Now, that is a lot of content to consider! But the great thing about video is that you can use it as a catalyst for these other avenues. If you have a video piece that showcases a special sale you want to promote, then why stop at a single video? You could write an article for your website about the sale, but not directly. Have the article speak about the reason why you are having the sale. If there is a genuine story behind the sale, whether the story is moral or financial, let your customers know. Authenticity and stories will engage and draw audiences to your brand.
1. Transform Video Into Blog Posts
As stated before, you can repurpose a video by turning it into a blog post. Whether it’s an educational tutorial, product demo, or interview, most videos have rich content that can be expanded upon in written form.
Steps:
- Create a Detailed Summary: Break down the key points of the video into a well-structured blog post. You can use the video transcript as a starting point, then flesh out the text with additional details, data, or relevant insights.
- Embed the Video: Include the original video within the blog post to boost engagement and provide multiple ways for visitors to consume the content.
- SEO Optimization: Optimize the blog post for SEO by adding keywords, internal links, and metadata. This way, you capture both video viewers and search engine traffic.
2. Turn Video Content Into Social Media Posts
Videos provide a wealth of content that can be broken down into smaller, bite-sized social media posts. These short-form snippets can be used across various platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn to capture attention and drive traffic back to your full-length video.
Ideas:
- Short Clips: Extract highlights or key moments from the video to create engaging clips. Use these for Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, or Facebook posts.
- Quotes and Soundbites: Pull out impactful quotes or key takeaways and turn them into text posts or visually appealing graphics for Twitter or Instagram.
- Behind-the-Scenes Content: If your video production included interesting behind-the-scenes footage or bloopers, share those moments to provide a more casual and authentic look at your brand.
By tailoring video snippets to each platform’s unique format, you can keep your content fresh and relevant while extending the life of your original video.
3. Paid Advertising Content
Repurposing videos into short ads for platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram can be highly effective for driving conversions. Video ads are known to outperform static ads due to their engaging nature.
Ideas:
- Shorten the Video: Extract the most compelling parts of your video, such as product demonstrations or testimonials, to create an engaging 15-30 second ad.
- Add a Strong CTA: Make sure your ad includes a clear call-to-action, whether it’s driving traffic to a landing page, encouraging sign-ups, or promoting a product.
- Test Ad Variations: Create multiple versions of the ad to see which one performs best, optimizing your campaign for maximum effectiveness.
This approach leverages your original video content to drive direct business outcomes.
Conclusion
The goal is to add value and purpose to the content you’ve already created. Picture your content as a spiderweb, with your main video as the core and supporting content—like blogs, social posts, articles, and ads—branching out from it. For example, if you have a cooking series showcasing unique dishes, why not create quick 10-second montage clips for social media? You could also write a blog post that includes step-by-step instructions and a full list of ingredients. The key is to ensure each piece of content can stand on its own, offering users additional value and enticing them to explore your other content.