5 Video Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

The track to producing a successful video can be loaded with hurdles, but take heart! They can be avoided if you know what to steer away from. Here are five roadblocks to avoid on the way to creating effective videos.

1. Boredom

We've all done it. Someone shares a video with us that they think is the BEE'S KNEES and we watch 13.8 seconds of it and click away. Why? Because it didn't capture your attention fast enough! We snooze, they lose. If you create a video, it doesn't mean viewers HAVE to watch it—unless of course, it is appealing enough. Hook them early and keep them hanging on!

• Action Step: Be interesting. Be original. Be funny. If you can, talk to a creative production company and listen to their ideas. After all, they make their living doing just that.

2. "YouTube ONLY" strategy

In a world where SEO is so widely discussed, why would you ONLY post your video to YouTube? It has its benefits, but why not diversify your video embedding/posting strategy? Video only helps SEO when it is site-mapped and indexed properly.

Otherwise, you are helping YouTube's SEO (which needs no help at all). Do you really want your viewer going to ONLY a third party site to see your awesome video—which, by the way, shares the same screen with your competitors' videos? How about spending the time and driving that traffic (or potential lead) to your website to keep them in an environment that is ONLY your content? Otherwise, if they have a brain like mine, they will get lost in viral videos and competitor ads. It's too risky to ONLY rely on YouTube.

• Action Step: Consider other avenues: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (15 seconds only and place link in profile), or embed on the most visited page of your site.

3. Poor Production

This point could really go in our top spot. In the real estate space, we see some poor quality all the time. Most of the time it is easily avoidable just by taking the time to plan. Shooting a video for the world to see is not the easiest, and more often than not, it is a good idea to look into hiring a production company.

But if that's just not in the budget, make sure that you at least have the right equipment. A good place to look online for that is BHPhotoVideo.com as they are well priced and deliver right to your doorstep.

• Action Step: Plan it correctly, but also have the right equipment if not using a company to assist you. A tripod, umbrella light, lav mic or boom mic, and a DSLR camera can help improve the quality of the video substantially.

4. Poor Video Concept

Often, I will be out at a show or a convention demoing our products and our abilities. Someone will walk up and say they use video and that they want to show me their video and ask my opinion. Nine times out of 10, it is of them talking for too long about something they find interesting...but no one else does.

Now, let's not confuse poor production quality with poor content. They are independent of each other, but very often they overlap. A video with no direction, or about a topic no one cares about, is disregarded.

• Action Step: Work with a creative team to help solidify your concept. Be open to criticism, let them help. They can help think of how to deliver your message in a way that your viewer will value.

5. Poor Site Placement

We often get on the phone to discuss KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and often the issue relates to this. Placing a video where a viewer can't find it is like hiding money in your backyard with a blindfold. If the video is worth watching, put it where it will be seen. That doesn't necessarily mean right on your homepage either.

• Action Step: Check your own analytics. Which pages are getting the most traction? Place the video there. Simple fix.

In summary, catch your viewer's attention very quickly. Don't rely exclusively on YouTube, plan your production and the necessary equipment carefully, and make sure you are producing something that people will find real value in watching. Remember—it's all about content.

To view the original article, visit the VScreen blog.