This week’s roundup includes video content marketing trends, protecting your credibility, creating landing pages that convert, and more.
Video Marketing Trends in 2017
Social Hire
Image: Social Hire
If you think video is just about viral ridiculousness on Facebook and kids using SnapChat, you are wrong. Video is taking over so what does that mean for your business? The good news is, you don’t have to run out with a camera and find something silly and stupid. You can use video in extremely handy and creative ways to communicate and connect with your audience while pulling in new leads at the same time.
“This mix of different mediums is extremely popular, as users now expect to view product descriptions rather than read it. Video testimonials, how-to videos, sales letters, or case study videos are inevitable for brand building and every business that wants to be at the top of its game has to take full advantage of video content marketing.”
This article highlights the major trends in video that you should be aware of as you venture into this must-use medium. For example, did you know that 85% of videos are played without sound? [Read more here.]
Fact-Checking for Content Marketers: How to Protect Credibility in the Era of Fake News [Checklist]
Content Marketing Institute
Image: Content Marketing Institute
All it takes is one. One skewed statement. One wrong statistic. One overlooked detail. One person to call you out.
It may seems that the odds of someone consuming your content and turning around to dispute your statements are low, but remember that is probably what the guy thought who you recently saw being slammed throughout your Twitter feed for having made a false claim.
Fake news has always existed. (Remember tabloids??), but with the pressure to produce content and stories we hear more and more cases of it. In the last six months, finding and calling out fake news has become more popular than ever. Some sources do not care to use fake news tactics to get attention, but now even reputable sources are falling victim to fake news simply by not doing their homework.
“Humans tend to focus on the bad rather than the good, so don’t be surprised if an overlooked typo or error goes viral and then makes it into the hall of fame of most embarrassing content marketing mistakes. (Don’t believe the saying: There is such a thing as bad publicity.)”
Use this check list to help guarantee that your articles and content are safe and clean. [Read more here.]
5 ways to create landing pages that convert
HitSearch
Image: Hit Search
First off, we are hoping you are currently creating and using landing pages and not just using your home page as your default click-through point for online marketing and ad campaigns.
“[A]ccording to MarketingSherpa’s research, landing pages are effective for 94% of B2B and B2C companies. Landing pages are great for helping direct your users to specific offers seamlessly, without any additional distractions, helping increase the chances of a conversion.”
Secondly, there is still a lot that can go wrong on any landing page that leaves you with no payout from the click that drove someone to said landing page. The key is just as the quote above states: making your landing page distraction-free while delivering a very clear and simple call to action. Use the tips in this article to step up your landing pages. [Read more here.]
30-day trial? 14-day? Freemium? Here’s why it probably doesn’t matter
Mad Kudu
Graph: MadKudu
Anyone well-versed in SaaS businesses knows that pricing can sometimes be an experimental guessing game. You have to come up with just the right value for your product (which does not have a lot of hard costs) and figure out what your target market is willing to pay. The thing that goes along with choosing the pricing plan is choosing your hook. Will you let people try for a price or try for free? Will you offer a free version? No free options? How do you decide?? This article analyzes real data in an attempt to help you out.
“We selected 9 companies with different models and relatively clean data. We then identified every trial user who converted to a paying customer and grouped them by of days it takes to convert.” [Read more here.]
7 Simple Video Content Marketing Secrets for Beginners
Habit
Image: Habit
It is more than likely that video will rule the future of online content marketing, but have you stopped to consider that it is already the frontrunner? Maybe only certain business are taking advantage so far, but it does not mean they are not having the most content marketing success.
“Advances in video technology have created not only a meteoric increase in the quantity of video content, but also an increase in quality and production value. Video is one of the sharpest swords in your content marketing armory [sic], and it’s only going to get sharper. By understanding how to create and effectively implement video, you can make your message more powerful than ever.”
Video is easy for businesses to create and easy for audiences to consume. It flows seamlessly with social media–which is where you can readily find your audience, no matter who they are. This article shares even more reasons why video is not just on the rise, but in the spotlight. [Read more here.]
Video of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
#WednesdayWisdom: Impressions are made in just a of seconds… Make yours count! #PersonalBranding pic.twitter.com/QVduQFCtgd
— Christina Austin (@ExecBrands_NYC) April 12, 2017