You've probably heard all the reasons why your Oregon business should be investing in video as part of your marketing strategy. That's why you're here, right?
So the last thing you were expecting is to get told why investing in video is a mistake. But I'm not like most videographers. I understand that video is a big investment, and too often I meet with business owners who have spent a lot of money on a video that's just sitting on their homepage with only a few dozen views.
As strange as it might sound (and when I tell people this, they think I'm crazy) the first thing I do with every prospective client is sit down and discuss whether video is something they really need. Yes, video marketing is a great tool, and it can definitely do wonders for your branding and sales. But if you don't have people coming to your website, the best video in the world isn't going to change that.
So let me tell you the main reasons why your business might NOT be ready for video.
You don't have much web traffic
A lot of people come to me saying they want a video in order to attract more people to their website (sometimes they haven't even built the website yet). Unfortunately, it just doesn't work that way. A video is a great way to communicate with the visitors you're already getting, but it's not going to magically boost your web traffic by itself. By the same token, video makes an excellent tool for boosting your presence on social media, but if you only have 93 followers, it's going to be a waste of time and money.
Someone might have told you that video can help with your SEO, and this is also true. As part of a larger marketing and SEO campaign, regular video content can do wonders. I would go so far as to say that SEO video can be one of the single best investments you make. But if you don't already have a marketing plan that you are executing, then a video should not be your first priority.
You don't have a clear mission statement.
A professional company video is all about sharing your story with your potential customers. If you haven't spent time deciding exactly what that story is, I'm not going to be able to communicate a clear message on your behalf. Yes, it's my job to be creative and come up with clever and entertaining ways to convey what is most essential about your brand. But if you don't already know what that is, I'm not going to be able to tease it out of you in a single interview.
I have a lot of experience from my previous career in corporate PR helping companies shape their story and branding. I'm happy to help you with that. But this process needs to happen before we start making a video.
You want a company YouTube channel, but you don't have plans beyond one or two videos
Many companies are turning to YouTube (or IG Video or some other video channel) as a way to cultivate a stronger relationship with their customers. But if you aren't ready to commit to making one to two videos per week, there's no point.
YouTube (and all social media) works best with regular updates and a constant flow of new content. That's a big investment that can pay off in the long run, but is unlikely to see immediate results. If this is the route you would like to go, I actually recommend investing in some camera gear and producing the videos yourself because the most important thing is that you are regularly posting, not that every video is perfectly executed.
Video Production From PDX Videographer
Have I scared you off yet? I don't want you to think that video is a terrible idea. It's not. But it is a big investment, and that's why you need to get the absolute most value out of any content that you create.
If you'd like to discuss video strategy, I'm happy to set up an appointment and lend you some of my expertise. Contact me today to set up a free consultation.</p>
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