Video is growing fast. Like, really fast. According to Cisco, this form of content will form 82% of all IP traffic by 2022.
With that in mind, you won’t be surprised to hear that more companies are incorporating video. As cited from Smart Insights, 59% of marketers – who aren’t already doing this – plan to this year. Some iGaming affiliates, such as CasinoGrounds, have also had success with this form of media.
But before you go and spend thousands on camera gear, hold fire. Video is worth adding to your strategy, if you have an interesting angle. Proper planning is needed and to help you, we’ve outlined some important things to think about below.
Why should I consider adding video to my content strategy?
In part, the rise of video can be attributed to declining attention spans. Between 2000 and 2018, this dropped from 12 seconds to eight – as reported by Digital Information World.
While written content still has a place – hence why we’re, well, writing this – video can grab your audience’s attention quicker. And once that has been achieved, you have the opportunity to keep them engaged. If they like what they’ve watched, they might even share with their friends.
But have you also thought about how video could help to grow your presence in new markets? Take the US as an example. According to Statista, 85% of internet users watched online content monthly – on either their smartphone or desktop device – in 2018.
Once 5G becomes more widespread on mobile, players will be more inclined to consume things that interest them on-the-go. And if you add sports fans’ desire for more interactive content, which is 56% according to Sportradar, you could well have a winning combination.
Video can also help with SEO. They increase dwell time, boost click-through rates and lower bounce rates. And think about how much content you can include in video – according to Idea Rocket, a 60-second clip can be worth 1.8 million words. And with more users favouring voice search, it’s a great way to optimise for long-tail keywords and natural language processing.
What are some things that I should know when starting with video?
Unless you’re well-established, your channel isn’t going to grow overnight. Instead, you’ll grow by sharing valuable content on a consistent basis.
Start with one per week. That gives you enough time to shoot, edit and reflect on how to improve next time. By starting slow and building up, you’ll also build a more sustainable channel in the long-term.
And unless you happen to be well-versed with videography or hire someone who is, here’s the reality – your first few videos will probably not be production quality. But instead of throwing the (very expensive) toys out of the pram, view it as an opportunity. It’s an exciting project that you can build up and eventually, will be a valuable resource for your audience.
Of course, you need a focus. Don’t do video just because it’s the cool thing to do. Because you won’t stick with it.
Look at what’s already being produced out there. How can you provide a unique angle? What are three things that you want viewers to feel afterwards? Answer ‘why’ you really want to do this and you’ll have a clear vision to move forward with.
Final thoughts
Video content is short, engaging and accessible. So, it’s unsurprising that more companies are utilising it.
But while it’s short to watch, they take a long time to plan and make. And considering the angle of your channel is also a time-consuming process.
You need to think about where you can add something new. There’s always space for new ideas, so you just need to determine where you do something better than channels that are similar to you.
By thinking about all of the above and practising patience, video can be a useful new channel for your business.
Get more insightful content about affiliate marketing delivered to your inbox each week by subscribing to our newsletter.
