Video and Email Marketing: The Dynamic Duo

 

The ease of shopping and buying online provides today’s consumers with convenience, the ability to quickly and easily price compare, and a less threatening shopping experience. Web pages are much more than a source of good information, they are a storefront in and of themselves. Still, there are ways to influence the internet buying experience, and ultimately boost the conversion rate.

 

Many consumers prefer to consume information visually, and the world of utilizing online video presents untapped opportunity. According the Marketing Analytics site Kissmetrics, half the marketers who use video in their email campaigns see increased click-through rates, more time reading email, increased sharing and forwarding, and higher conversion rates.

 

Email campaigns are a great way to share video content, but people are still undecided about the best way to use video effectively. Images and video strengthen SEO, and provide sought-after visual references for buyers. But what is the most effective way to incorporate video into your sales strategy, remembering that people will view video on a variety of devices? Here are some guidelines.

 

Within your email, include a single image from your video. Put a “play” button over the top of it to mimic the look of a typical video player. Here, you are adding a visual indication that a video is embedded within the email. When recipients click the play button, they will be directed to a targeting landing page with the video embedded. Using a compelling image to link readers to video content within your email will greatly increase your click through rates.

 

Embed video on your landing page, and set it to auto-play. Because you’re redirecting buyers to a landing page with your video embedded, catch their attention right away – and auto-play is surefire way to do this. It also requires less clicks, which statistics show is a more effective sales strategy.

 

Video should be 30-90 seconds for top-of-funnel campaign (a more fast-paced, general exposure) and 10-30 minutes as you move down the funnel (the deeper a consumer gets in the buying cycle, the stronger the calls to action should be.) As the prospect procedures further into the sales cycle, you have the benefit of a longer attention span to emails, longer videos, and a highly targeted message. You are engaging them longer and they are expecting more detailed and educational content.

 

Place a call to action during or at the end of each video, and suggest a clear next step for the consumer. If your readers have become viewers, you most definitely want to direct them to weightier content, longer videos, and encourage them to share the video with social buttons. You have their attention at this point, so go for conversion!

 

A note about calls to action – catchy or funny phrases on your button garners a higher conversion rate than terms like “click here” or “submit.” Consider something like “Drive Now!” for your conversion button.

 

Tracking Responses

 

The best email campaign in the world is only as good as the data it gleans. All email marketing systems give you all kinds of valuable data so you do appropriate follow up, and craft stellar campaigns going forward. It shows how long the client was engaged, and if they clicked on links within the email. It even shows where they dropped off, data you can use to determine the pacing and timing of your video.

 

Link Video To Social Media

 

Remember to distribute your video in a variety of ways – YouTube, tweet out the link, post on Linked In, Facebook, and any other means you have at work in your marketing strategy. All these shares will tie to your SEO metrics and help your Google rankings.

 

Video presents the best opportunity to grow your marketing footprint. Linking strong video of various lengths, and serving it up in various formats, can be the edge that sets you apart from the competition. As you develop your email marketing campaigns, landing pages and calls to action, be sure to work video into the mix.

 

 A Bit About Advantage Dealer Services

 

Advantage Dealer Services helps clients generate sales by delivering a consistent message across multiple marketing channels. That means effectively reaching potential buyers along their purchase paths. Whether it’s email, a display ad, video, or a live call, Advantage helps you be there when buyers are looking.