We get it—entering the world of video and podcasts can feel like A LOT. Getting started requires new equipment, lots of planning, and a steep learning curve. Why do all that work for some inbound content?
Here are seven ironclad benefits of podcasts and videos:
1. Video podcasts are versatile
Rich media content, like videos and podcasts, is dynamic and flexible. It can be used across all channels and in every stage of the buyer’s journey.
Static media, like blogs, ebooks, whitepapers, and other written content, is still useful, but not nearly as versatile as video. This type of content has limited content exposure and is not as successful at capturing your audience’s interest and engagement.
Why are podcasts so popular? Consumers love to multitask, so popping in earbuds and absorbing info while going about their daily lives is very appealing. Plus, using podcasts for learning about a brand or industry topic requires less effort than reading a lengthy blog post or ebook.
2. Video podcasts give you digestible, shareable content
One of the key benefits of podcasts is that a 30 to 60-minute recording can be broken into micro-content that you can use ANYWHERE in your marketing funnel.
For example, micro-content can be positioned at the top of the funnel by distributing it via social media channels. From there, your bite-size video segment is easily viewed and shared by your audience, growing the impact and reach of your video marketing content.
3. Video podcasts are entertaining and engaging
85% of businesses are now using video for marketing, and that number is due in large part to people’s preferences.
Video provides engaging content, and consumers are increasingly likely to turn to video to learn about a brand or a product. In fact, people watch 1 billion hours of YouTube per day. Put simply, video is what’s in demand.
4. Video podcasts give you drool-worthy analytics
In marketing, data is king, and video can provide A TON of it. One of the most important benefits of video is how easy it is to extract valuable marketing information.
Hosting platforms like Vidyard and Wistia bring the juicy video analytics, allowing you to see who has viewed your content, and how long they watched, and even offering heat maps to show you which portions of your videos were the most engaging.
You can use this data to tweak your content and to pinpoint marketing-qualified leads who are moving closer to a sale.
5. Video podcasts are SEO unicorns
According to Comscore, adding a video to your website can increase the chance of a front-page Google result by 53 times.
If you also upload your video to YouTube, your video can appear in results from their search engine as well—the second largest after Google.
You can optimize your video podcasts for search engines by transcribing them, adding notes, and inputting other text where possible.
6. Video boosts conversions
Research tells us that video is very effective for conversions and sales. 90% of consumers say a video helps them make a purchasing decision, and videos on landing pages can increase conversions by up to 80%.
Video makes it easy for your prospects to learn who you are, what challenges you solve, how your product or service works, and why they should choose you rather than a competitor.
7. Video is the future (and the future is REALLY SOON)
It is predicted that video will make up 82% of all internet traffic by 2022, and live video usage will increase by 15 times to account for 13% of all internet traffic. Why wait until then to learn how to incorporate video into your strategy, and build a strong video presence for your brand? Start now so you’ll be ahead of the curve.
At Tobe, we’ve learned a lot about videos by trial and error, so that YOU don’t have to. If you’d like to pick our brains on the benefits of podcasts and how to implement rich media into your strategy, please don’t hesitate to reach out today!