Online video has surged in popularity in the last year. With YouTube and other video sharing sites and individual websites, there were over 33 billion views in 2009. If you run a business, own or are a partner in a law, accounting, CPA, financial planning, investment, real estate or other professional services firm, or you have a medical practice, video promotion must be part of your marketing plan. This marketing tool is both inexpensive and effective. It is a powerful marketing tool to build your visibility, draw people to your website, and bring them to your office.
Video promotion for businesses and practices might be the most important thing that has been introduced into the marketing toolbox since the Internet itself. Google conducted a study ("The Brand Value of Rich Media and Video Ads") which demonstrated that video promotion is the most effective advertising method for building brand recognition and brand loyalty. It is also the most effective method of creating the intention to purchase. This tool alone can significantly increase the number of people who become your customers and clients.
Another report last year from Will Richmond of VideoNuze reported clear numbers that document the growth of online video. According to Richmond, in 2009 there were 33.2 billion views of videos made for the Internet. In 2007 views of online videos increased by 39%; in 2008 views increased by 46%; in 2009 views increased by nearly 124%. Growth this significant cannot be ignored. Video promotion should be part of your marketing strategy.
Everybody who works in Internet marketing has an opinion about why this huge growth occurred. I am not qualified to offer a definitive opinion as to why this happened or why it happened in 2009. I can, however, offer an opinion as a marketer as to why every business, health services provider or professional services firm should be planning at least one video promotion for online marketing purposes.
-- First, we live in a society that is accustomed to receiving information through multi-media. We grew up with television and movies. This is how we receive the news, education, information, and now, everyday communication. Thousands of studies on the effectiveness of television advertising demonstrated the effectiveness of multi-media advertising. The parallel with online video promotion should be obvious.
-- One of the first rules marketing students learn is that people prefer doctors, professionals and businesses who are or who are run by people they know and like. In most cases, trust is also a factor in the choice of business or service providers. We draw clients when they know and trust us. So, the second reason is that online video promotion is a great way to help people get to know you.
-- Third, if you have any kind of camera or cell phone that will record video or a video camera in/on your computer, you have all the equipment you need to make a video promotion. All you need to do is sit down and start talking.
-- Fourth, as the popularity of current television offerings amply demonstrates, our society is hooked on reality. We want to look into the eyes of people who are trying to sell us something and decide whether we should trust them. The only way you can accomplish this without talking to everyone in your community face-to-face, is with a video clip.
-- Last, but not least, video promotion is unbelievably versatile. You can do anything you want in a video recording. You can upload it to YouTube, link to it from your FaceBook page, put it on your website or anything else you want. Introduce yourself, talk about why you do what you do, what services you offer, what people need to know before they come in, what they might want to know later. You can even use a different video for each possible group of people or for each page on your website.
The bottom line is clear to me - if you want people to visit your website and then gather enough information to follow up by making an appointment or visiting your store, you need to be using video promotion to grow your business. Whether your business depends on your personality or not video promotion is the direction of future advertising or informing. If you have not yet used video to market your practice or business, today is the time to start.
More Information:
If you own a small business and want more information about
video promotion, view five short videos at
http://videos.internetleadgenerationacademy.com. Learn tactics such as how to get on Google's first page and making a video without a camera.
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