Tag: Video Marketing

YouTube Answers How Its Algorithms Work

November 5, 2021 / Esther Day

To give more insights into how its algorithm works, Rachel Alves, Product Manager of YouTube Discovery, answered some of the most commonly asked questions on YouTube. Here is how YouTube answers how its algorithms work.

Question No. 1 – Is it a good idea to share videos outside of YouTube?

A video marketing agency Hong Kong highlights that brands and businesses should absolutely share videos outside of YouTube. YouTube’s recommendation system focuses on how videos perform as they are offered up to viewers on YouTube and other suggested platforms. Sharing videos on suggested platforms outside of YouTube allows them to learn how videos are doing, do viewers choose to watch them, how much and how long of the video did the viewers watch, and if they are satisfied with it.

If the videos of brands and businesses are getting more traffic from external sources like social media, it is likely to increase the potential of such videos to be discovered by more viewers. Another benefit is that those videos are now in the viewers’ watch history. As such, there is a higher likelihood that the videos may be recommended in the future.

Question No. 2 – What is up with random videos being recommended from 10 to 12 years ago? Will it have a weird audience effect on the algorithm? Or a deliberate algorithm side quirk?

Whenever people are on YouTube, old videos are being recommended. These are videos uploaded weeks, months, or years ago. The reason behind this is that YouTube’s ranking system is designed to match viewers with the videos they are most likely to enjoy. It is regardless of when the videos are published.

If viewers continue to show interest in a given video, it will likely continue to be recommended even if they are uploaded 10 to 12 years ago. YouTube will recommend them until the viewers’ interest started to decline, or viewers started to choose to watch more of other videos being offered to them.

A digital marketing speaker Hong Kong states that there is great value in all videos for YouTube creators and channels. They can drive in new viewers who are discovering you for the first time. Viewers can binge through your catalog and other stuff that you have uploaded. They may also start a habit of watching your most recent uploads. YouTube ranking work as expected and intended. If an old video gets recommended, viewers are likely to continue to enjoy it.

Question No. 3 – Does YouTube need a new creator tab highlighting new creators to get more views?

YouTube also hears from viewers that they want to discover new artists, channels, creators, and interests. They want to branch out to what they regularly watch. That is why, recently, YouTube added “New to You.”

“New to You” shows recommendations of videos that the viewers have not yet seen before. The recommendations align with their personal interests and preferences. After a viewer refreshes the homepage feed, the viewer will discover more new content and creators outside of what he or she is currently watching. A social media agency Hong Kong also notes that YouTube is currently working on special projects to help small brands and businesses to find audiences.

Question No. 4 – Does it makes a difference to add separate action and location tags?

Most brands and businesses treat tagging on YouTube as less important. Tags can help influence the viewers’ focus on decisions that they think about. When viewers are choosing what to watch, the title and thumbnail of a video are what rank on SEO. Changing and swapping tags on a YouTube video is unlikely to impact a video performance.

Brands and businesses should instead start searching for relevant successful videos and see what is working on them. As an example, listicle formats on video titles seem to be doing well. YouTube suggests using Google Searches or Google Trends to generate tags that fill in the gaps among popular video content. If your video can fill a niche, that is the time video tags can work.

Question No. 5 – Did YouTube recently change its algorithm?

First off, YouTube changes the recommendation system and makes improvements hundreds of times every year. But what the platform optimizes for does not typically change. Every time YouTube makes an update, the platform usually gets better at predicting what viewers are most likely to watch and enjoy.

Second, viewers’ schedules typically change every September. It is because of the beginning of the school cycle. September is also the month when a lot of creators experience a steady decline with viewership, spiking on the weekends. New uploads also take up a little bit than usual during these periods. But take note that YouTube do no changes in algorithm during those times.

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaYvtl6mZZ0

4 Ways to Rank on YouTube Searches

June 15, 2021 / Esther Day

YouTube ranks 5th among the top social media networks of 2021. Launched in 2005, it now has 1.86 billion monthly active users. It’s the world’s 2nd most visited website right after Google – its parent company who bought it in 2006. It’s also the 2nd most used social media network right after Facebook. A video marketing agency Hong Kong imagines how people watched YouTube videos for billions of hours daily. That’s an incredible amount of content consumed online. On average, YouTubers aged 18 years old and above spend 41.9 minutes on the platform daily. They stick around checking an average of 9 pages to look for videos.

In 2020, YouTube made a significant impact on video marketing. There were more than 9 billion video views on the platform from March to July 2020. These majorly include cooking, gardening, how-to’s, learning guides, self-care, and tutorials. But what is most popular on YouTube are gaming channels. Because of the high demand for video content, YouTube has been an important platform for video marketing. It is the perfect way to catch the attention of 4.88 billion mobile users. They are also a budget-friendly way to expand reach. Below are 4 ways to rank on YouTube searches according to a digital marketing speaker Hong Kong.

Choose Relevant Keywords to Generate Ideas for YouTube Videos

A social media agency Hong Kong notes the importance of choosing relevant keywords for YouTube videos. Start by doing a Google search of what your business does. Use questions commonly typed by people searching for your niche. The search results will show popular articles. List the headlines and titles of those articles. From these lists, you can create YouTube videos under those headlines and titles. They will have the potential to rank higher on search results.

You can also create YouTube videos based on frequently searched keywords related to your business. They can be a city, question, phrase, sentence, series of words, single words, or zip codes. Through the use of a Google tool, Keywords Everywhere, you can get additional data about potential keyword searches. The tool is available in a free or paid version. Once you install it, a list of high-ranking keywords will appear on the right side of your Google search results.

Another way to rank on YouTube searches using relevant keywords is by creating videos that answer frequently asked questions (FAQs). Generate the list from your customers, and write down the top 10 FAQs. If you are just starting your YouTube channel, frontloading 10 FAQ videos can be a great way to establish yourself. To get further mileage, embed these videos on your social media accounts or website’s FAQ page. You can also upload their links to your email campaigns.

Choose Titles That Trigger Personal Reactions from Viewers

A video title also plays a key role in ranking on YouTube searches. Because the attention span of online users is only limited to 10 seconds, YouTube creators should choose titles that trigger personal reactions from the viewers. They have to be compelling enough for viewers to click them.

First off, people love lists. This is because a list of content is easy to digest, expect, and skim. So, a good trick is to put numbers on your title to highlight a list. Some good examples are “Top 5 YouTube Videos,” “The Single Most Important Thing to Remember for a COVID Test,” or “5 Steps to Make You Rich.”

You can also create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) on the title of your YouTube video to rank on searches. Phrases like “the first,” “the last,” “the latest,” “the secret to,” “the single most important thing,” or “your key to success” are good starting points.

Similarly, titles with “how to,” “what is,” “where is,” etc. can trigger curiosity. These questions can trigger emotions if they include the “best” or “worst” within a video title.

Craft a Call to Action (CTA) on Your YouTube Videos

The top priority of brands and businesses in YouTube marketing is conversion. Conversion may either be to prompt viewers to give information like names, email, contact details, etc. They can also be an invitation for viewers to subscribe or watch more videos on a playlist. But the ultimate conversion goal is to influence the viewer to make a purchase of products and services. Like content marketing, YouTube marketing is no different. A CTA can be an extension of the solution to a viewer’s problem. Here’s a proven formula to create a CTA on your YouTube videos.

Start the video by addressing the viewer’s problem.
Evoke the viewer’s emotion by describing how it feels to experience such a problem. Is it embarrassing, frustrating, heart-breaking, etc.?
Show the viewers how the video can help them. You can identify your expertise and willingness to help or highlight the brand’s features and how they can be the best solution to the problem.
In the end, craft a CTA that the viewers can’t resist like “exclusive offer,” “grab now,” “limited time offer,” or other similar phrases.

Repurpose Your YouTube Videos

The best way to rank on YouTube searches is to continuously repurpose your YouTube videos. Some great ways to do this are by including the video link on your email campaigns, writing a blog post about the video, and sharing them on your social media pages.

The Bottom Line

YouTube is a great way to increase reach through video marketing. Creating the right video for your target audience can open up a wide range of opportunities for brands and businesses.

Reference:

https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/youtube-seo-how-to-rank-in-youtube-search/

Shoppable UGCs – The Future of Social eCommerce

May 7, 2021 / Esther Day

Remember the story of GoPro? GoPro is the world’s most versatile camera brand. Most camera brands today have been greatly affected by the rise of the smartphone. People no longer need to buy expensive cameras because smartphones already have them. But GoPro stands still as popular among outdoor travelers and sports enthusiasts. And why is this so? It’s because of UGC, the main focus of GoPro on its marketing strategy. GoPro created a platform to help their customers share unique moments they capture as an entry to the “page of fame.” This is a monthly contest among GoPro users. Roughly 6,000 GoPro videos are uploaded on their platform daily. The winning entry receives a prize and is uploaded on GoPro’s social media pages. Today, brands have mimicked GoPro’s stint. With the many trends in using user-generated content, Shoppable UGCs are now the future of social eCommerce.

WHAT ARE SHOPPABLE UGCS?

Shoppable UGCs are the blending of a brand’s product specification and user-generated content. With a product specification, shoppers can make a direct purchase within a social media platform. On the other hand, the user-generated content showcases the credibility of the brand that greatly influences the buying process. Shoppable UGC boosts a brand’s revenue by reducing cart abandonment. A social media agency Hong Kong relates how Diaspora Co. harnesses the power of UGC to becoming a popular spice brand globally. In 2017, Sana Javeri Kadri founded the company with the goal to market organic spices produced by small Indian farmers. Sara started an Instagram Shop for Diaspora with only 300 followers. They then started showcasing cooking demos of customers using their spices. By tying up the business with UGC stories, Diaspora has now gained more than 86,000 followers.

WHY SHOPPABLE UGCS ARE THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL E-COMMERCE?

According to a digital marketing speaker Hong Kong brands have shifted the spotlight away from them and turned it towards their employees, fans, and loyal customers. Through a video marketing agency Hong Kong, they use this group of people to fuel their social media content and marketing activities. This is because of the following reasons:

Shoppable UGCs Are a Cost-Effective Way to Market

Many brands spend a hefty amount to advertise their products and services. They pay search engines under a PPC scheme. They pay social media platforms to show their ads on news feeds. They also pay creators to curate eye-catching content. Shoppable UGCs don’t need creators nor paid advertising services. A brand can simply ask permission from its customer to use his or her content. They can offer a freebie or a mention in exchange. Brands only need to put a product tag or shopping link before publishing it and voila, they now have a great ad or campaign on a social media page.

Shoppable UGCs Improve the Buying Experience on Social Media

A shoppable content experience allows social media users to buy products and services directly within the platform. It eliminates the traditional buying process that involves lengthy procedures and steps. What makes shoppable UGCs the best is that buyers can complete the payment in one or two clicks. It is online shopping made easy, engaging, fast, and seamless. With 91% of buyers preferring interactive visual content, shoppable UGCs have significantly decreased cart abandonment.

UGCs Are the Most Engaging Content on Social Media

People love UGCs because they are more authentic than branded content. They can better relate to the audiences’ emotions by being within the same shoes. Statistics show that UGC highly influenced the buying experience of 79% of shoppers. As the line between eCommerce and social media content narrowed down, Shoppable UGCs are becoming a trend. Most brands highlight their stories using product tags and shoppable stickers. A majority create featured catalogs to showcase their products and services.

UGCs Provide Social Proof for Customers to Trust a Brand

Consumers today are a lot smarter. They commonly look for social proof before trusting a brand. With shoppable UGCs, brands can show that they make people happy. UGCs also show that a specific product can solve a customer’s pain point or problem. In another instance, shoppable UGCs allow consumers to experience the product via augmented reality. As such 56% of consumers look for shoppable UGCs before making a decision to buy a product or service. Today, the most influential content is not a picture-perfect image or video. Instead, they are realistic clips and images from genuine customers.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Shoppable UGCs are indeed the future of social eCommerce. They tap into the human desire to deeply connect with a brand. They are authentic and relatable. They also provide a great return of investment (ROI) without much cost or advertising budget. With 55% of the world’s population using social media, this is the best time to use Shoppable UGCs as the main strategy in social media marketing.

Reference: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/why-shoppable-ugc-is-the-future-of-ecommerce-experiences/598994/

The Story of Stories Marketing in Social Media

April 22, 2021 / Esther Day

Once upon a time, an English photographer combined 24 photos of a horse to show “The Horse in Motion.” It was the first experiment to create a video in 1878. After 10 years, a French inventor created the “Roundhay Garden Scene.” It was the oldest surviving motion picture in the Guinness Book of Records. Then, there was the Internet where videos can be uploaded. In 2005, YouTube was launched with its first video – “Me at the Zoo.” From there, the rest was history. Video technology evolved faster and soon became the king of digital media.

Video marketing is the number 1 winner in 2020. But people’s habits have changed. Because of the many social media websites, their attention span is very short. They tend to hop from one network to another daily. As such, most social media agencies Hong Kong use short-form video content to engage their audience. These short clips have strongly influenced the buying decision among consumers. Many social networks added features and tools to create short video clips. They are launched not only for marketing purposes but because they are the crowd’s favorite. At first, there were Instagram Stories which sooner was also adopted by Facebook. Then, there were Twitter Fleets.

Facebook and Instagram Stories

Launched in 2016, around 500 million Instagrammers use Instagram Stories daily. They allow users to post an image or video that disappears within 24 hours after posting. In 2017, Facebook integrated the Stories within the platform. They are initially user-generated content uploaded by Facebook users. Like Instagram Stories, they disappear within 24 hours after posting.

Facebook Stories appear on top of Facebook feeds. A story will appear in full-screen mode once a user taps a profile photo in the Stories tab. Unlike a regular Instagram post, Stories don’t have likes or public comments. To create Facebook Stories, simply tap the plus sign within your profile photo on the Stories tab. You can choose the option to add an image or video from your camera roll or capture a live photo or video that you want to share.

Instagram Stories appear on top of Instagram feeds. A story will appear in full-screen mode once a user taps a profile photo in the Stories tab. Unlike a regular Instagram post, Stories don’t have likes or public comments. To create Stories on Instagram, simply tap the plus sign on your Instagram home page and choose the story option at the bottom of the camera screen.

Facebook and Instagram Stories have different elements that brands can use for video marketing Hong Kong. These elements make it easier for users to create engaging and high-quality videos in the absence of studio filters and hi-tech cameras.

Augmented Reality or AR effects allow users to add digital objects within a real-world environment. They can be a cost-effective and creative way of enhancing the presentation of your Instagram Stories. Brands can also use them to highlight a certain product.
Product Tags on Instagram Stories are a great way to influence the buying decision of the viewers. Using the right CTAs and linking them to an eCommerce website allows people to shop without leaving Instagram.
Stickers are another way to monetize content. Product stickers help users discover more products that brands offer. Tapping on the features allows them to check out their cart directly on Instagram.
Shops and Shop Catalogs can be shared via Facebook and Instagram Stories. These serve as the digital storefronts among businesses.
Video Clip Editing tools were added by Facebook and Instagram to Stories last December 2020. They are very useful in changing the elements of Stories that brands put under an A/B experiment.

One great thing about Facebook Stories is their ability to be shared on Facebook Pages. This is some sort of targeted advertising. Sharing relevant brand Stories on Facebook Pages stir conversations and uplift traffic on a brand’s site.

Recently, Instagram is also testing auto-captions and saving drafts of Stories. Auto-caption can boost the reach of Stories for SEO purposes. While saving Stories makes it easier for marketers to fill their Instagram calendar.

Twitter Fleets

Twitter officially launched Fleets on 17 November 2020. Since Fleets disappear after 24 hours, it gives lower pressure for people to share what’s happening. Fleets are a great way for sharing momentary thoughts. It starts conversations through direct messaging on Twitter.

Twitter Fleets are visible on top of Twitter timelines. Tapping the profile picture of the account you are following on Twitter shows a full preview of the account’s latest Fleet. Users can fleet an image, text message, tweet reaction, or video. To add a Fleet, just tap your Twitter profile picture on the Fleets tab. You now have the option to upload an image or video from your camera roll or you can capture one to shoe on your Fleet story. To share a tweet on Fleets, tap the share icon and choose “share in Fleets.”

Fleets are a relatively new kind of social media story. But many brands find ways to use them in marketing.

The Twitter nation craves authentic interaction. Using Fleets, brands can share behind-the-scene experiences. They can show how a product is made or what a typical day in the company looks like.
Fleets vanish so fast freeing brands from cluttering Twitter feeds. Through Fleets, brands can share casual content like product inventories, top-selling items, and upcoming product lines.
Fleets are also the perfect place for a live broadcast. Brands can announce a big event, an upcoming sale, how-tos, unboxing, etc. Through Fleets, brands can create a sense of urgency by sharing giveaways and promotions that last for 24 hours.
Fleets are also helpful in keeping your fans updated with what’s happening in the business. Whether it’s a new sale, product launch, or shipping delays, brand followers won’t miss it because Fleets stay on top of the tweets all day long.
Besides authentic interaction, the Twitter nation also craves fun and news. Fleets are a great wait to create fun and entertainment through memes and short clips. Such content can encourage engagement and liven up your followers’ moments on Twitter. Alternatively, a Fleet is also an eye-catching way to share the latest news and trends in the world today.

2021 Trends for Stories Marketing

A marketing speaker Hong Kong, stories marketing is very popular because it is authentic, entertaining, and simpler to digest. Today, brands use story marketing in alignment with 3 trends.

UGC for authenticity. A happy customer’s story about a positive experience in a product is very authentic proof among consumers. Brands can publish user-generated videos that evoke emotions. Once they capture the viewer’s heart, these stories can most likely impact their buying decision.
Behind-the-Brand videos for entertainment. Stories marketing can help promote transparency within brands. Using them to showcase behind-the-brand videos can be very entertaining. Brands are giving the viewers a unique experience in connecting them with the people behind a brand. Pulling back the curtains for bloopers, fun moments, or milestones makes the audience laugh and feel connected.
A simpler way to educate the customers. Most people find text instructions boring. This makes them miss out on critical items on a manual. Stories marketing is also a simpler way to educate your customers. Explainer videos make it easier for them to remember step-by-step instructions on how to use a product. It is also a simple way of showing them what are their benefits.

Stories marketing doesn’t end here. It is a continuous effort that brands should do. Go ahead, tell your brand stories.

References:

https://www.nicemedia.co.uk/history-video-first-things-first/

https://buffer.com/library/instagram-stories/

https://buffer.com/library/facebook-stories/

https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2020/introducing-fleets-new-way-to-join-the-conversation.html

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/short-form-video-trends