Ever since the internet could support streaming videos, we’ve seen a never ending train of one video after another rising up to the ranks of viral fame. While going viral is the dream of every content creator, it’s kind of like catching lightning in a bottle. It’s a noble pursuit and should always be in the back of your mind, but there’s really just no real way to replicate it. What works in one situation may not work in another. Unfortunately, it’s unrealistic to make this the primary goal of video distribution. Sorry to burst your bubble!
37 million views! Squatty Potty made an insane video that’s viral fame boosted sales 600%
So, if we’re not aiming for viral fame, what exactly is the purpose of video marketing? Easy!
The goals of video distribution are:
- getting more customers aware of your business
- increasing traffic to your site
- converting that traffic into sales
- keeping in touch with your current customer base to keep them around longer
Videos can be used on every stage of the marketing funnel to drive your business and build your audience. You can even target specific goals by knowing what type of video works best for your distribution goal. But, where can you actually share your videos? If you said ads, you’d be right, but that is only a tiny fraction of the power of video marketing!
What is earned exposure?
Earned exposure (sometimes called earned advertising) is the additional exposure that companies receive in the media (social or otherwise) without having to pay for it. This happens when your content is so compelling, others share or talk about it for you.
When you buy an ad, you’re actually paying the audience for their time. This is what we call paid exposure. You’ve paid for the ad, which means you’re actually paying the viewer to watch! Have you ever thought about it like this?
The real value of video marketing comes in the form of earned exposure. If you make your video content user focused, meaning you make it more about them, and they will respond. There’s a saying, “If it smells like marketing, it’s shit marketing.” Videos get 12x more shares than text and images combined. People love sharing content on social media and more importantly: people love sharing videos!
So what makes a video sharable?
- Is your video informative?
- Is your video entertaining?
- Can you picture anyone sharing it?
- Is it similar to the sort of videos you would share on your own? (If you wouldn’t share it, why would they?
So you’ve got a great video, and you understand the goals of video distribution, but where do you actually share the videos? You can have the best video in the world, but it won’t do you any good if it’s just sitting around gathering dust! Where do you actually share videos? The short answer is anywhere that is of interest to your ideal buyer. Find out where they like to hang out and get your video in front of them! We’ve made this handy checklist to help you out later in case you get stuck!
Always avoid spamming
It’s important to remember to never spam by posting your videos in places that have nothing to with your video. No one likes seeing ads and content that has nothing to do with them, and why the heck would they? Think about it. Would it make sense to post a video for a meat-of-the-month club in a vegan forum or vice versa? Unless you just really like trolling people, we call this barking up the wrong tree! You’ll be wasting everyone’s time involved.
The key to getting maximum views through free or “earned exposure” and avoiding spam city are one in the same. Simply post your video where people actually want to see it! If you have a video that resonates with your audience because they find it informative and entertaining, they will gladly give you their attention.. And share the video with others in the same circles! It’s exposure that you’ve earned.. a.k.a. earned exposure.
So what’s the bottom line?
- Have a goal in mind
- Pick the ideal video format
- Make your video shareable (informative and/or entertaining)
- Post them where your ideal audience will see them
