12 COMMON VIDEO MARKETING MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Do you feel like your video marketing strategy isn't working? Do you hardly get any conversions with your video? Is the interaction rate low? Can't you see a growing interest in your brand? Or have you not even started with video in marketing - and want to do it right from the start? In both cases, this article will help you. We show you the most common mistakes in video marketing, so you can avoid them and finally achieve success with videos.

1. VIDEO MARKETING MISTAKES - NO STRATEGY

Video is cool and works - logo. No wonder we all want to implement a marketing video on our channels as soon as possible. However, video newcomers in particular quickly overshoot the mark, create a quick video with the help of software, upload it and wait for the magical success, which - big disappointment! - does not occur.

As well as? There is no plan behind this action, and success does not come by itself. You guessed it: Producing a video is not enough to be successful with it. Before you even start production, you should think of a sensible plan for the video marketing project. This includes:

• a) a goal – what do you want to achieve with your marketing video?
• b) an audience – who do you want to reach with your marketing video?
• c) individual marketing measures – how do you want to achieve your goal? With what additional marketing measures?

If you have developed a well thought-out strategy for this, some of the errors mentioned below will not even occur.

2. MISTAKE - TOO MUCH ADVERTISING TOO SOON

Many video marketers make the mistake of approaching their customers with aggressive advertising messages in their video. But this is wrong (in most cases). Most marketing videos are explainer videos. They bring potential prospects closer to a product that they previously knew nothing about. That means: your potential future buyers would first like to know what your product is all about. The same goes for services, of course. Maybe your viewers didn't even know that such an offer existed and that they could actually use it until their marketing video. In marketing jargon: Your viewers are usually only at the beginning of the funnelor sales funnel. This is definitely not the right time for sales phrases. And even if your video is also aimed at people who already know your offer, i.e. have traveled further down the sales funnel, subtle marketing is much more profitable than crude sale slogans. Why? Because video marketing is content marketing. This means that the content, i.e. high-quality content or benefits for the customer, is the focus here. It will be sold later – but then properly. Because if you rely on high-quality content and subtle marketing messages for your explainer video, your customers will get a taste for it - and thus on your website. There (and elsewhere) you then have enough space to sell briskly. And that this is easier if your visitors are already convinced of your content, goes without saying, right? So you have to be patient with your video marketing strategy. It pays off...

3. VIDEO MARKETING MISTAKES - NO CALL-TO-ACTION

So it's good to advertise cautiously. Nevertheless, one thing must not be missing in your marketing video: the call-to-action. It forms the glorious conclusion of your story in pictures - because nothing else is such a marketing video. That's why it's so important that you "pick up" your viewers with concrete instructions after you've told them your story. The call-to-action takes care of that. Your viewers are now well informed by your video what your product/service is and why you need it. They know what the benefits are and which company is behind them. At best, they also felt well entertained. And now? Do you absolutely need clear instructions for action? This shouldn't usually be "buy now..." (see above), but maybe something like "subscribe..." "Agree ...", "Book ...". The call-to-action is located at the end of each marketing video and prompts viewers to take a next step, e.g. B. by obtaining further information. Make sure you use this tool, because if you don't ask anyone to take action, your marketing video may remain completely without action - meaning: no new conversions.

4. MISTAKE - TOO MUCH INFO

Of course you want to tell as much as possible about your product/service in your video. And of course there is a lot to tell about it. After all, no one knows about it better than you. Nevertheless, when it comes to marketing video, less is definitely more. Don't stuff your video with information, but wisely select a handful of pieces of information that are truly relevant to the customer. Surely your offer has numerous advantages. Nevertheless, limit yourself to the most important USPs. Otherwise you risk drowning your audience in a flood of information that they cannot grasp. Think of your marketing video more as a hook or “bait” for potential customers to get noticed. You can always spread all other important information elsewhere.

5TH MISTAKE - TOO LONG

Explainer videos that have been clicked and viewed a lot usually last between 1 and 2 minutes. Of course, exceptions prove the rule. Even 3 or 4 minutes can work with the right product, just like a stunning picture story in under 1 minute. But the general rule is: be brief. First write your voice-over text or storyboard freehand and then shorten it as much as you can! What information do you really need at this point? Which scene might be redundant? What is basic information and what is advanced information? If you have answered these questions for yourself, the shortening will be much easier. Your viewers will thank you because their attention span is very limited due to digital consumption. 

6. VIDEO MARKETING MISTAKES - NO STORY

Nothing beats boredom in video marketing. So give your viewers a story that not only informs but also entertains. Infotainment is the magic word. But how does it work? Well, with a few simple touches:

1. Give your product/service a face. Develop one or more recognizable characters that can be associated with your brand. A fictional character helps your audience follow the story and sparks curiosity.
2. Structure your story using storytelling techniques. Already in ancient Greece people knew about the great effect of a story in three parts or acts. Nothing else is happening in marketing today. Structure your video as follows:
   • Introduction/Problem: What is the problem that your product/service addresses and makes necessary?
   • Main part/path to solution: How can your product/service solve the problem?
   • Conclusion/Improvement: What about this solution? What would be ideal for your customer?

Incidentally, the best way to check whether your storytelling works is by looking at the length of stay and the interaction rate. If your story is compelling enough, your viewers will watch the video until the end. If it's more than appealing, the video will be shared, commented, etc...

7. MISTAKES IN VIDEO MARKETING - NO STYLE OF ITS OWN

Admittedly, video marketing is not easy. First, we strongly recommend that you have a strategy, and now we're telling you: don't overdo it. Because if you do too much research and look everywhere to see what works well, your video may look like a poor copy of other videos. And of course you don't want that! Finding the balance between strategic competitor analysis and your own style is the great art of video marketing. Of course, it is not wrong to stick to storytelling rules and use well-functioning videos as models. But you should also pack your very own on top - especially if you want to produce a video that will go through the roof. Because all these high-flyer films have one thing in common: They are somehow unique. The special can show up in different areas - through a unique imagery or music, an extraordinary narrative style or setting, an unmistakable tone or unusual humor. It is important that you ask yourself: Who am I - who is my company? Who is my target group? And with what "look and feel" can I achieve this?

8. VIDEO MARKETING MISTAKES - TOO COMPLICATED

Have you developed a product that would knock even Nobel Prize winners off their feet in terms of its complexity? That's great! And now take this Great Something and please make it smaller. Take it and fold it so that it is reduced to its core. Remember: your video has about 2 minutes, 2 minutes to explain your product to every average Joe. Use them well. Completeness is not as important here as clarity and compactness. Your viewer does not have to have fully understood your product after watching the video. But: He must have understood which problem it can solve and (at least in general terms) how it does it. You don't get anything if half of the viewers click away from your video after a few seconds because they are bombarded with complicated formulas.

9. VIDEO MARKETING MISTAKES - NO CUSTOMER VIEW

Many companies make a big mistake when it comes to video marketing: they talk too much about themselves. Of course it is good and necessary to point out your company and its strengths at one point or another. But the focus is always on the customer. He's the main character - not you. Always keep this in mind as you work on your marketing video. Because only those who feel addressed will respond – for example with clicks, subscriptions or purchases.

10. VIDEO MARKETING MISTAKES - UNPROFESSIONAL

Yes, like any other marketing, video marketing costs money. You invest this money – and if you are successful, you will get it back several times through an exponentially growing clientele. Of course, there are also no- or low-budget solutions for explainer videos. These are also quite useful for private or very low range targets. For real marketing activities, you can basically tick this option off. Nobody takes seriously a company that enters the market with a badly cobbled together video. So if you really want to attract customers with your video and make a name for yourself as a well-known brand, then you should rely on high-quality and professionally produced videos.

11. ERRORS IN VIDEO MARKETING - NO FURTHER MARKETING ACTIVITIES

Creating a quality marketing video is the first step to success, but it's not the only one. You can make the best video ever produced and not get a single customer if you don't get people to watch that video. However, many new video marketers make the mistake of going into vacation mode after making that video instead of focusing on getting the video seen. You should definitely do this, and the faster the better. Upload your video not only to your website, but also everywhere else on the web where there is room for it: on social networks, in your e-mail list, on advertising platforms. Use ads on Google and Co. to place your video better in the search engine results. Work on your SEO and also hone the meta texts surrounding your marketing video. And also use offline platforms such as trade fairs and industry events if that makes sense in your case. In other words: Don't miss an opportunity to stage your video. React to interactions that your video evokes and show your potential customers that you are there for them beyond the video. Here, too, you should definitely proceed strategically and not just post your video here and there from time to time, but use your various platforms in a targeted manner that builds on one another. The funnel or sales funnel also plays a major role here. You should therefore include funnel considerations in every marketing step.

12. A SOLUTION, BUT NOT A PROBLEM

If you want to convince your potential customers of your product or service, you have to create desire. People buy for two reasons. 1. You want to solve a problem. 2. You want to achieve a desired state. The first argument is much stronger. If you can solve a problem with your offer, the probability of a purchase is significantly higher. However, it cannot be taken for granted that a potential customer even knows his problem. So you have to create awareness of the problem, address the problem. Focus on the most important problem that your product or service solves. The problem belongs at the beginning of the video.

GET STARTED NOW WITHOUT MISTAKES IN VIDEO MARKETING!

It's true: there's a lot to consider in video marketing if you really want to be successful with it. But in return you get a powerful marketing tool that you can use to increase conversions in the long term. Do you need help? Or would you like a few extra tips from our team of experts? Then contact us. We would be happy to advise you on your video marketing strategy and how you can turn it into visible success!