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Whether you're new to using video to support your marketing program or you've been doing it for years, you won't find the success you seek unless you set a strategy to guide your activity.

You don't need an incredibly detailed plan, but you'll want to make sure you know how you'll align video content with the goals of your company.

Otherwise...

  • You won't know whether you're being successful.
  • You won't know how to adjust your tactics as you go.
  • You won't be able to justify the use of resources to company leaders.

A good plan is the difference between knowing that your content is delivering ROI and throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks.

1. Determine what your video content should accomplish

Often the mark of good content marketing is that it isn't directly related to your product, so it's important that your business understands why you're creating video stories. Start with a straightforward mission statement to sum up the most important pieces:

  • What type of content you'll make. Will they be educational videos? Entertainment? Practical? A mix? Your brand's reputation, image, and audience will determine your approach here.
  • Who your audience is. Outline your target audience with as much detail as possible.
  • What your audience should take away from your videos. What value do your videos add? What do they help your audience do?

2. Outline the types of videos and topics you'll create

It's important to outline the scope of your work when you're starting to implement videos across your business. Start by looking at which functions of the business will use video and whether the assets will be used internally or externally, or both.

For example, an enterprise software company may want to categorize video content based on how it supports different business functions, such as products, human resources, corporate events, internal communications, sales, support, etc. From there, determine what types of stories you want to tell to support each of those functions.

Under products, you may want to tell stories about specific product lines or themes such as analytics or optimization. Those stories will serve as your official content pillars on which you'll build video concepts and campaigns—usually broad and typically not too product-heavy at the top of the funnel.

After determining the stories you need to tell within each function across your organization, you'll be able to brainstorm the types of videos that will best tell them. They may be recorded webinars, how-to videos, thought-leadership interviews, product demos, customer testimonials, or case studies.

A good way to start is to discover the questions your target audience is asking, and then answer them with detailed content. By creating videos about these topics you will not only benefit from the enhanced SEO but also build a reputation as an expert and earn the respect of your audience.

A side note: While in-depth detailed content is important, you'll also feature some compelling, high-level brand stories to attract your target customers at the top of the funnel. Then map your video content to all parts of the funnel and drive viewers through the buying cycle.

3. Establish who is responsible for creating content

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of Michael Litt

Michael Litt is the CEO and a co-founder of Vidyard, a video marketing platform that helps marketers manage and measure the impact of their video content. Reach him via michael@vidyard.com.

Twitter @MichaelLitt

LinkedIn: Michael Litt