Fritz Brumder says, “Digital marketing has become a world where data often overruns the creative process. A/B (or even A/B/C/D) testing every element in a campaign sometimes becomes the obsession, relegating the ideas to simply more variables to test. Many marketers crave creativity, big ideas and innovation. Well, jump into the live video pool, folks, because this is where the innovation is happening today. With the growth of live video, that process has been turned on its head in just the past couple of years. Brands are innovating across many elements of communications and campaigns. From... [...]

Brad O’Brien says, “Video is hands-down the hottest topic for most brands these days, and from my experience, I’d say it’s taken over “mobile” as the buzzword of the year. In particular, live video, disseminated on social channels like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, has brands and advertisers clamoring to get into the action. I could rattle off a bunch of video stats to support the statements above, but I’m trusting that the savvy marketers reading this post are already convinced. This post will walk through my top 10 personal recommendations on how to use live video,... [...]

Sam Dezeeuw says, “Getting in front of camera can be very intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Use these four actionable steps to create attractive business videos that resonate with your audience. 1. Develop a script. One way you can avoid stage fright on camera is by developing a script before you hit that record button. Developing a script for a business video sounds way more fancy than it is. Basically, the goal of writing your script is not to develop an elaborate essay. Rather, it’s to create a detailed outline about the bullet points you want to mention in your video. So... [...]

Shannon Matthews says, “For many businesses and marketers, writing and publishing content on their own website—and guest articles and posts on others—is at the top of their priority lists. A major goal of producing great content is getting on the first page of Google search results. Unfortunately, with millions of search queries per minute, it’s not that easy. And Google is constantly changing its algorithms, which means you have to work harder to get noticed by the right people at the right time. Fortunately, search engine optimization (SEO) can help. Here are a few stats to keep... [...]

Josh Brown says, “Live-stream video combines some of the most tried-and-true methods of engaging with your audience with innovative opportunities to engage a step further. But there’s more to building engagement than what happens during the broadcasting. There’s a lot you can do before, during, and after you go live to squeeze as much value as you can out of every live video. From understanding your purpose to measuring your ROI — and everything in between — you have to address many factors for live video to make sense and work for your brand. Let’s take a look at 13 areas in four... [...]

Meryl Ayres & Jordan Wellin say, “Whether you’re a B2B or B2C business, videos can help you strengthen relationships with your customers, save time, and boost conversion rates. And if you haven’t experimented with this powerful medium yet, you’re missing out — 66% of B2B marketers are already creating video content to support both their marketing department goals and larger business initiatives. When it comes to the use cases for video, the possibilities are endless across your organization: Sales teams can close deals with personalized video voicemails, support... [...]

Itai Elizur says, “Marketing is currently undergoing a significant facelift. As traditional mediums like radio and magazine ads begin to die alongside digital strategies like banner ads, tactics such as advocacy and influencer marketing are filling the void left behind by these withering relics. In addition to the soaring popularity of these newer marketing modalities comes the meteoric rise of video content and advertising. Video is the new black. People can’t get enough of it. It’s everywhere. From business websites to social platforms, in-app adverts, and every other digital location... [...]

Sophia Bernazzani says, “Before the internet was more widely available, your business may have relied on printed directories, such as the Yellow Pages, to be found and discovered by new customers. The greatest likelihood someone would call you over your competitors was if you paid for larger print ad placements, or if your brand’s name started with one of the first letters of the alphabet. Thanks to the internet, it’s easier for prospects and leads to find businesses by simply conducting a search or checking out social media. In fact, 81% of shoppers conduct online research... [...]

Ben Davis says, “Brands are playing it relatively safe when it comes to video, both in terms of commitment to a video strategy and the content itself. Luckily, Econsultancy has just released an updated version of its Online Video Best Practice Guide. When the guide was first published in 2013, the author (Steffan Aquarone) wrote that there was a huge opportunity for brands in the video landscape. Brands or businesses could ‘capture the spirit of a global meme in its nascence, retain the direct association of a rising YouTube star, go to market with their own produced content and even... [...]

Amy Gesenhues says, “YouTube says people around the world are now consuming a billion hours of video content per day on the site. According to the announcement, the milestone was reached last year, but YouTube only shared the news yesterday. “If you were to sit and watch a billion hours of YouTube, it would take you over 100,000 years,” writes YouTube’s VP of engineering, Cristos Goodrow, on the Official YouTube Blog, offering a frame of reference for the billion-hour statistic. YouTube says its focus on time spent watching a video, versus video views, helps drive the number of hours... [...]