Whether you’re an Oscar-winner or an amateur, generating leads with your video content can be tough.
Viewers aren’t expecting to do any work when watching videos, which can make it hard to entice them to take action.
But marketers are also to blame. They make loads of mistakes that don’t incentivize action. And some even drive viewers away!
The key is to stop trying to make a “great” video. Instead, make one that gets the job done (and gets you that lead).
The following tips and real-life examples will help you do that.
Nail Your CTA
Many brands are so focused on making a captivating video that they forget to include a CTA.
Yes, you heard that right.
An ad WITHOUT a CTA.
Many brands think that simply sharing their logo or brand name at the end of a 30-second clip is enough to elicit action. But it isn’t. You need to tell your viewers what to click, where to go, and why.
Good video CTAs don’t just pop up at the end of the video, either. They’re woven throughout the content and culminate with a seemingly obvious next step for the viewer to make.
One of the most successful examples of this was the Dollar Shave Club ad from a few years back.
On the other hand, if you’re new to video, you don’t have to be intimidated by beautiful CTAs. Just remember to include one!
Give Something to Get Something
Some marketers seem to think that their video is an artistic masterpiece and that in return for this gift, viewers will want to click through.
But of course, your video is just one in a sea of ads, regardless of much work it took to produce.
You have to incentivize readers to give their information just like you would on a standard landing page or email (“I’ll give you my ebook if you subscribe!”).
but in videos, this incentive can be even more powerful. You can show the benefits of this transaction in a more visceral and urgent way—that’s a lot more powerful than an ebook!
Offer something that your viewer wants and show them the benefit it will have in their lives directly. Then, give them a way to get it (“click here”).
Airbnb did it pretty well in this ad.
With video content, Airbnb boldly offers the entire world (literally) as an incentive to sign up. And it worked!
Use Video in Email Marketing
Using videos in your emails is one of the best ways to turn cold leads into warm or hot ones.
Studies have found the consumers respond very well to emailed video content, and they are much more likely to click through when sent a video (96% more likely, in fact).
Video emails allow you to capture a viewer’s full attention and control their on-screen environment—you can control your entire email to showcase your video.
As a result, viewers will dedicate more time to your emailed videos. While users spend an average of 30-60 seconds watching videos on Facebook and Instagram, they’ll spend around 60-90 seconds watching emailed video content.
That’s 30-60 extra seconds is to engage, incentivize, and sell. That’s HUGE.
This strategy is especially effective for brands trying to get cold leads to sign up for free trials and consultations.
Cut Your Videos for Social Media Platforms
We mentioned above that viewers on different platforms spend different amounts of time watching videos. To effectively generate leads, you need to cut your videos down to size to cater to audiences on different platforms.
If not, the vast majority of your viewers will not watch your ad or will not see your CTA.
According to a study by Hubspot, the average time spent watching videos on the biggest platforms differs quite a bit:
- Facebook: 1 minute
- Twitter: 43 seconds
- Instagram: 26 seconds
- YouTube: 2 minutes
If you make a 2-minute video for your YouTube channel and post it across all of your social media pages, almost no one will see your CTA. Most probably won’t even understand the idea you’re trying to communicate.
Alternatively, if you create a 30-second video for IG, nobody on YouTube will waste a click on it.
The answer is to create content that you can easily cut and edit into shorter segments. That way, your target will get a clear message and a solid CTA on any platform.
Don’t worry, it’s easier than it seems. Even if you don’t have the editing and shooting resources of big firms, you can buy stock footage or grab some royalty free video to use as a base for your videos. A lot of this footage comes in long clips, so it’s easy to cut down and use in multiple videos while maintaining consistency between your ads.
Optimize, Incentivize, and Capture Leads
Video content can generate tons of leads. And it can do so more effectively than written content if you do it well. To master video lead-gen, remember two main points:
- Optimize video length so that your audience will see your CTA
- Incentivize action by making a passive audience WANT to act
The tips on the list above will help you do this quickly and effectively. Now, all you have to do is start making videos and raking in the leads.
