5 No-No’s to Avoid in Video Marketing

Facebook is logging over 8 billion video views by its users per day—even more than the population of earth—and it’s one of the most effective marketing-to-sales conversion methods ever. If you have something to sell, video production should be high on your list of marketing tools. That said… I have to tell you, there are some huge no-no’s when it comes to video marketing that you absolutely must avoid:

1. Trying too hard to go “viral”

   I know. We all love those tear-jerker Olympic moms ads and share them like there’s no tomorrow. Viral videos are an ever-changing-magic-voodoo mix of emotion, timeliness, tastefulness, and humor. Videos that try too hard almost always end up horrifying. Like the Kia video with the human hamsters. Shudder.
   

2. Making videos too long

   Attention spans are getting shorter! 5 minutes is just way too long for most video projects. People get bored easily and move on to the next thing. We aim for the current sweet spot between 2-3 minutes.

3. Unclear branding

   Ever watch a video ad and come away wondering what the point was? In the quest for “viral” content, marketers sometimes lose sight of the goal: making the sale. Don’t let your central brand message get lost in a herd of Internet cats. Be sure that your audience is also aware of your company and your logo as well.

4. No call to action

   Leaving out the call to action (giving the audience clear instructions about how to contact you and buy all the things) is so sad. Even if you have the best viral video ever, if your audience has no idea what to do next, all that hard work is more or less wasted.

5. Not addressing a specific target audience

   You know the old saying about trying to please everyone and not pleasing anyone? That’s truer than ever with today’s consumer. Before you even think about viral anything, focus on your target audience’s problems, needs, and desires; your video should answer those problems for them. You should also tailor your video to the platform – videos read differently on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

One last thing: another huge mistake people make is not choosing the right video production team for their project. You need a partner who will communicate openly with you, understand your needs, and narrow-in on your marketing strategy and target audience from the get-go. That’s something we excel at here, and I’m not just tooting my own tuba. Contact Us and we’ll help you avoid these pitfalls while engaging and enchanting your target audience!