Web pages with video attract two to three times more visitors2015: year of the marketing videoVideo as a marketing tool is bigger than ever. In fact, video ad revenue is expected to grow almost 20 percent through 2016. That’s more than any other medium except for mobile. With that in mind, here are three things to keep in mind as you create your next one-minute masterpiece.

Work video into your strategy
Instead of approaching video as a one-off project, make it a bigger part of your year-long plan. Just consider how effective it can be:

Although the production costs are typically higher than other online mediums such as banner ads, the return on investment is hard to ignore.

Get to the point
The average website visitor comes with an eight-second attention span. On top of that, one third of video watchers lose interest after 30 seconds. So, how can you keep them engaged?

  • Hook them early. Communicate your key message within the first 10-15 seconds.
  • Keep it short. It’s tempting to want to include as many selling points as possible in your video, but less is more. Unless it’s an instructional video, one to two minutes is ideal.
  • Cut through the clutter. Ask yourself: In one sentence, what is the message I want to deliver? If this message isn’t coming through, you’re probably trying to say too much.

While brevity alone won’t lead to a great video, keeping things concise is usually half the battle.

Apply the rules of emotional branding
According to Marc Gobé, author of “Emotional Branding,” today’s marketing messages need to connect with audiences on a more personal level. Video is no different. Three of Gobé’s lessons are especially relevant:

  • Focus less on selling and more on building relationships. Instead of pointing only to product benefits, communicate the experience your product will create. Instead of thinking of prospects as customers, think of them as partners.
  • Personality is important. Based on Gobé’s advice, including your brand’s logo in your video is not enough. Today, brands with distinctive personalities attract more customers. Just think of how Southwest Airlines separates itself from American Airlines using its personality.
  • Tell a story if you can. Remember: This isn’t a PowerPoint presentation. A loosely organized collection of copy points won’t engage your audience. If you can tell a compelling story, such as this video for the North Texas Food Bank, your message is more likely to stick.

The growing impact of video is becoming harder and harder to ignore. If you haven’t figured out how to include it in your strategy, now is the time to fix that.