What is the value of including how-to videos in blog posts?
Many people hesitate to create and use video as part of their content marketing. Their reasons are often:
- It's one more thing to learn.
- It's another social network account to manage.
- Self-conscious (don't want to be in the video).
- They think it's hard and expensive.
Honestly, I compared it to walking the plank until I was convinced to start using video in my social media strategy...
In 2009, video just started making a dent in the social space, and the word was not everyone liked video and it wasn't optimal for search engines.
In 2012, we don't even read as much -- Infographics are now mainstream in communicating history and statistics. In turn, video receives very good interaction on Facebook, and we watch from our smart phones. As a society, are busy -- We want information fast.
A Mighty Crew
While I have yet to wear the captain's hat in my videos, I have found comfortable ways to convey information to help my clients and target audience.
On my blog:
- 6 of my top 10 visited blog posts include video.
- 4 of those 6 entries include "How to" videos.
- Those 4 posts account for 1/5 of the traffic to my site.
What do other business owners and social media professionals have to say?
Knikkolette Church: "I would say my most successful 'how-to' post was a YouTube video, and not even a blog post...but I like some of my videos being exclusive to my blog."
"From my research, the two words 'How to' generate far more emotional engagement than by not including those words. My sense is the results are due to emotions being activated rather than just the quest for knowledge," says Leanne Hoagland Smith.
Video - No Dead Man's Chest
- YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine.
- A video is 53 times more likely to appear on a first page search result (Brightcove).
- 53.5% of the population & 70.8% of internet users will watch online video in 2012 (HubSpot).
So at closer look, it is to our benefit to sail past those hesitations, and inject some visual energy into our blog content!
What Is Diamond-quality Content?
Chris Horton via Social Media Today gives us a formula:
(DEFINE+LISTEN+ADDRESS) X (SIMPLE+ CONCISE+RELEVANT) = BLOGGING SUCCESS
Deciphered: We need to figure out who our target audience is, learn their pain points, answer their questions and help them find what they need. Also boil your points down to easily digestible segments that offer timely value.
Most blogging experts agree that posts should be 400-600 words.
Video is your ally in a few ways:
- Helps keep text brief.
- Quick access to information.
- Allows readers to become familiar with you.
- It's mobile friendly.
With those four parrots on your shoulder, you actually leverage video to build authority in your niche.
It's like offering your viewers a treasure map to yourself and your business services. If you do it right, they'll even run madly toward you! 😉
Social Media Marketing enthusiast, Rana Shahbaz, and Search Engine People CEO, Jeff Quip, are exploring how to build authority with social media using video right on this blog - Click the link to access their topic series.
X Marks The Spot
Facebook Timeline for brand pages has been a hot topic lately, and Facebook Page owners and admins have been clamoring to keep up on all the latest tips and tricks.
A "How To" gem for my mateys:
A quick tip offering timely, valued information!
Are you using How-to videos in your blogging strategy? What is your experience?
Did I miss any benefits of using how-to videos in blog posts?
Please share your thoughts in the comments box below...