3 Free Tools to Level Up Your Video Marketing Game
Why Video Marketing?
Since developing your marketing plan for 2019, you are probably well into executing it. I know you have incorporated video into your marketing mix because you are a marketer who stays informed with consumer trends and research. Therefore, you know that 72% of people prefer to view video content when trying to learn something new. You also know that 95% of video content messaging is retained by consumers you are invested in executing your video marketing strategy.
A Unique Opportunity for Video
Video marketing may not be new, but with the adoption of mobile on a steady rise, it has become more decentralized. No longer is video production accessible by a selected few. Our mobile devices are allowing us to create content with our cameras at an unbelievable rate. Per minute according to a recent study, there are 46,740 Instagram posts, 52,760 Snapchaters sharing photos, and 4,146,600 YouTube videos being watched.
Social media platforms, for the most part, are mobile first and so it is no wonder that there are high rates of video content being produced. Portrait and square videos are all part of the mobile-first phenomenon, and social platform like Instagram are creating products specifically targeted to the discovery of mobile first videos. IGTV is an example of how Instagram is putting mobile first content at our fingertips. Moreover, platforms like Instagram are allowing brands to use video as a vehicle to increase sales of product and services.
According to Mary Meeker 2018 Internet Trends, social media is driving product discovery and purchases. The unique opportunity then lies in unifying your video and social media marketing strategies with the focus on driving the bottom of your funnel to make a purchase.
Mary Meeker Internet Trends 2018 | Mobile Adoption on a Steady Rise
Mary Meeker Internet Trends 2018 | Social Media Platforms Driving Online Sales
Building A Video Library
Do not think of video marketing as a detached arm of your marketing plan. The most sure-fire way of succeeding with video marketing is to align it with your content goals. Because your content strategy has already been methodically planned and researched the purpose and value propositions of your videos should be clear.
Three Free Tools to Use For Video Marketing
Lumen5
I want to say this is my best-kept secret. What better way to increase readership and spread your message than a video. Lumen5 makes it so incredibly easy to turn a blog post, landing page or any URL into a video.
Using artificial intelligence, it preselects text it believes to be the core message of your post and picks media from the provided URL or preselects stock images based on keywords. In this example, I made no changes to what it identified as the best text and pictures. It was 90% accurate.
Once finished making edits and changing images, you can save the video to your desktop or share it directly to social platforms.
Here is my finished video. Notice that there is an ad at the end of the video - this is the catch for a free account. A paid account allows the user to customize branding and remove any watermarks/ads.
Gif Brewery 3
Want to create stellar micro-content? Gif Brewery 3 is for you. This tool gives you so much control and features to create amazing GIFs. This version is for Mac users. If you are not a Mac user, there is an online version, similar to Gifphy, where you can create GIFs as well. Android and Apple apps are available as well. I am featuring the Mac version below.
After downloading the application to your desktop, you will be prompted to select the media type you’d like to use to create your GIF. I am obsessed with this app. It allows you to make fun GIFs as well as awesome educative GIFs from virtually any type of source.
For my example, I opened a video from my desktop. There is a straightforward interface that allows you to select the start & end of your GIF. Add text and stickers and overlays if you want. In my case, I didn’t need to add anything further. Select the ‘create’ button to get the final product.
Download it to your desktop, and voila, done. GIFs allow you to animate and curate your content, images or long videos in a way that is much more digestible and shareable. Additionally, using Facebook Ads with GIFs is proven to increase engagement. Learn how to run FB Ads with GIFs here.
Final GIF by GIF Brewery 3
Want to use your GIFs for Instagram? Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t have a seamless way to upload GIFs, but there is a workaround. Read about it here.
Magisto
This tool isn’t 100% free. There is a trail you can take advantage of for a week. Their pricing starts at 4.99 per month. I think this is a true video marketing platform with really cool features like adding your business details at the end of all your videos to the analytics available to understand performance. I use the app version of this tool which allows me to build videos on the go. Although this tool has a monthly subscription, I think it’s worth your time.
There are so many tools for editing videos and making them, if Lumen5, Gif Brewery 3, and Magisto did not satisfy your needs here are some other tools to check out: Adobe Premiere Pro, CutStory for Instagram Stories, Video Rotate and Flip, Filmmaker Pro and Cameo all available in the app store.
Purposeful video marketing is delivered by having clear goals and aligning it to your overall marketing plan. Thanks to the access to editing tools, there is no limit to how creative you can be with your content coupled with automation, reaching multiple channels has never been easier. Just remember purpose, it creates an audience.
Have a favorite tool you want to share? Drop a comment. We love testing new tools!