Video Marketing: Final Steps to Success
June 23, 2022
Assuming you’ve followed along with other video segments in our Listening and Learning series, you’ve got a bunch of amazing property videos. The first thing you want to do, if you have the capability, is to add or link to them from your website. Having videos on your properties is shown to increase view time, SEO, and guest property knowledge.
According to Animoto, 60% of consumers who made a purchase from a brand found out about them on social media, and using video content helps you capture that attention.
Lemonlight
Our next focus will likely be social media platforms and distribution channels. Social media platforms are a great place to post your videos; however, they are ever-changing regarding user statistics, available options, and best practices. This phase is where your online marketing team’s intricate knowledge of the social media space will be your lifeline.
If you haven’t already done so, you will also want to determine your target audiences. Spend time here determining who is looking at your properties and who are the final decision makers– think of their geographic regions, ages, gender, interests, etc. We’ve provided data below gathered during an ICND presentation at Spring VRMA in Chicago. Review these stats and add your research to determine which will best maximize your target audience’s reach. Of course, include your videos on any platforms where you already have an established presence. Also, consider how people view the platforms. Since 98% of people use mobile when viewing many of these platforms, vertical videos make an ideal format to add to your marketing lineup.
When marketing on social media platforms, keep in mind that you are building your audience and brand recognition. While it would be fabulous, you’ll not likely get a booking directly off a user’s first view of one of your videos. The more often users see your posts, the more trust they will feel in clicking through to your website to book a property or want to share with their friends and family. As mentioned above, the target audience is one main thing to consider when determining which platforms will be most worth your effort. Two other factors not likely to surprise you are advertisement cost and the effort needed to build followings and manage content.
Some Facts We Found Interesting!
- Facebook Videos account for 22.2% of content shared by Facebook users (Hootsuite).
- Instagram: Nine out of ten users watch Instagram videos weekly (Hootsuite).
- TikTok: Users in the US visit the app at least eight times a day (Business of Apps).
- Twitter: 26% of people spend more time looking at ads on Twitter vs. other leading platforms. (Hootsuite).
- Snapchat: App that is most used when on the go, commuting, socializing, and shopping. (Snapchat).
- YouTube: If relevant to their interests, users are 1.6x more likely to choose videos with better production value (InviteReferrals).
- LinkedIn: Video posts are 5X more likely to get comments and earn 3X engagement than text-only posts. (Tomislavhorvat).
- Pinterest: Over two billion travel-related searches are completed per month, and there are now eight specific Travel Personas you can specifically target (ICND).
If you are already distributing properties to OTAs, check to see if you can either include a link to your video on the associated property page or perhaps embed the video directly. Videos can be embedded, for instance, on VRBO but currently not AirBNB or Booking.com. There may also be some smaller or niche channels that allow video. Take time to research options and evaluate if it makes sense to connect your properties.
Below are some other suggested areas to consider for video placement/use.
- Google Ads
- Local Websites/ Sponsored videos
- Mobile Games/Apps
- Email/Newsletter
- Blog/Landing Pages
- Podcast/Webinars
- QR codes in print or online advertising
Track and Learn
Regardless of where you post your videos, take the time to review analytics and engagement stats such as:
- Views
- Impressions
- Unique Users
- View-Through Rate
- Watch Time
- Drop Time
- Shares
- Comments
- Clicks
- Sign-Ups
Determine which videos perform best and reach the correct audiences. Try posting your video on different days and times or making minor adjustments to focus on different audiences, seasons, features, and formats (speed, music, length).
Bonus Tips for Posting and Sharing
- Attach an attractive description to compel users to click.
- Use trending sounds and, if possible, voiceovers to maximize your potential exposure.
- In addition to your main feeds, post videos in your Facebook and Instagram stories to keep your brand front and center for users.
- Don’t Forget Keywords/Hashtags to increase viewership! Tagging short YouTube videos as #Shorts is a good way to trigger the algorithm (ICND)
- Encourage user engagement regarding property features.
- Ask users to share the post with their family, friends, and community – perhaps even include an enticing offer.
- Reshare/report your video occasionally to promote the post better.
- Create an album or playlist related to a specific feature or community.
- Post a QR code in communication with the guest so they can share their vacation property with others
- If a video seems to be getting a lot of traction, consider including it in your advertising plan.
Now that we have given you all the tools you need to succeed in Video Marketing, look out for next week’s installment of Listening & Learning when we tackle Tech Stack!
Check out TruPlace’s suite of property videos here!
