Creating a digital video strategy should be a top priority for your brand. The Cisco VNI forecast predicts that Internet video will account for 80% of global Internet traffic by 2021, up 67% in 2016.

During the past few years, video has become a necessity rather than an option. Animoto, the online video creation application, surveyed 1,051 consumers in the U.S. and found that:

•  63% of respondents believe that companies that use video know how to reach their customers
•  84% said they have liked videos in their news feeds from companies
•  Nearly half have shared videos from companies on their own social media profiles
•  80% say videos explaining how products and services work are important when learning about companies

Whether you have the funds to hire a videographer or you plan to shoot and edit all of your own footage, the content and message are the most important video elements. With all this in mind, here are six tips for launching a successful video marketing campaign.

1) Create the Content

Before you invest the time and money into creating a video, figure out what stories you want to tell. For example, you may want to start by giving the backstory on your company, who you are and what you do.

At Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, we focused on grilling for the first video because the chain cooks over an authentic wood-fired grill. So it made sense for us to tell the backstory on the grill before introducing other aspects of the brand. We then followed up with a series of videos that showcased our brand, culture and, of course, our food.

2) Keep it on the Shorter Side

You need to keep videos short and engaging. Some argue that videos should be kept to less than three minutes, while others recommend 30 seconds.

In the end, it comes down to how much time is needed to get your point across and what your goal is for the video. Also, some viewers have shorter attention spans, so think of who your audience is and how you can capture their attention in the first 10 seconds.

3) Develop a Plan to Roll Out

With multiple videos, you want to tell the story and keep your audience interested. Be consistent with where and when you release a new video.

At Firebirds, we named our series Beyond the Grill and released one video per month over a seven-month period. This allowed us to grow our following and created anticipation among our social followers and Inner Circle loyalty program members for the release of the next video.

4) Share Your Story — Everywhere

Once you have a strategy for the videos in place, it’s time to share your story. You’ll want to share your video everywhere and anywhere that makes sense.

Other than your website, YouTube is a good starting point because it is owned by Google and performs well in Google search results. People can then subscribe to your YouTube channel and receive notifications when a new video has been added.

Facebook is another great sharing platform. Keep in mind that Facebook wants to display content uploaded to its platform, so be sure to upload your video directly to Facebook rather than sharing or embedding your YouTube link.

Facebook suggests you use a format unique to mobile, such as a vertical or square video. Captions are also recommended so that people can watch your video with the sound off. You can even select a featured video to be displayed on your business page and store other videos as well.

5) Promote to Your Biggest Fans Via Email

Sharing your video with an e-club or customer relationship management CRM database is a must. People who subscribe to your emails are most likely your biggest fans and will share your video across their own social channels.

Firebirds’ strongest open rates in 2016 came from our Beyond the Grill series. We made the decision to release our videos via email to the Firebirds Inner Circle before going live on social media. By sharing our videos with our loyal members first, we increased the excitement around each video, which showed in the results.

6) Track the Success of Your Videos

Tracking views and conversion rates of your online videos is fundamental. Google Analytics will allow you to see how much traffic your videos are bringing to your website. 

YouTube also offers its own analytics with the number of views, watch time, average view duration and more. 

Facebook shows the number of views right in the post and provides you with the click-through rates on your call to action. With the results you collect from your first video, you’ll have what you need to make the next one that much more successful.  

Christine Lorusso is the digital marketing manager at the Charlotte, NC-based chain Firebirds Wood Fired Grill.