Why Long Form Video Content Should Be Included in Your Marketing Strategy

Originally published by Stacey E Burke Blog.

When it comes to video marketing, most of us think of the short video clips we’ve seen on Facebook that are anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes long. These can range from cooking tutorials and news clips to just the silly viral videos that make us smile throughout the day. This all comes from the accepted notion that because we have supposed short attention spans the videos we create and post should be kept short in order to encourage more engagement and gain views. While this might’ve been the case not so long ago, research is actually showing an increasing trend of longer form video content.

Long-form videos are video content with a longer duration than typical for a distribution channel. While some standards place the cut-off at eight minutes, there is no real universal rule for exactly how long a video has to be before it earns the designation of long-form. In fact, a recent study by video creation platform Wochit found Facebook videos longer than 90 seconds actually receive higher engagement than those of shorter durations.

We Live in a Time of Instant Media Access

It’s important to remember we live in a world of seemingly omnipresent wifi, unlimited data plans, and a premium on free time. The preferred device for watching video content is typically the closest at hand—our smartphones. Look around you on a daily-basis and you’ll be hard-pressed not to see someone watching video on the bus ride home or sitting in a waiting room for a doctor’s appointment. It is now the norm to access any type of media at any time, in any place, and with improved video processing technology and improved delivery methods, longer video content is less problematic to view on most mobile devices.

Long-Form Video is Already Out There

While many are more familiar with long-form video content being housed on platforms like YouTube, Facebook has been making the push towards longer form video content since early 2017.

Though Facebook’s main interest is the advertising revenue that can be generated from producing longer form content, due to their user universe, they shape online behavior. Long-form video is also appearing in unexpected places. Arguably, a 100+ second commercial from Toyota could be considered long-form. Longer videos are also proving more popular for businesses, with more in-depth educational content that should be central to any video content marketing plans.

Consumers Want Connection

Long form video provides more opportunities for viewers to connect with the video provider and gives them the chance to build relationships and strengthen online communities. This connection is especially important, as it can sometimes be the only differentiator between competing brands or businesses and the consumer. As consumers already have the ability to compare prices and reviews of a product or service online, connecting with them emotionally is imperative to making a sale.

Long Form Content is SEO Friendly

Longer video content holds specific advantages, especially when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). A more in-depth video is likely to cover a topic more comprehensively, meaning it’s more appropriate to include long-tail keyword phrases in the video’s metadata. You’ll also be keeping visitors viewing your content for longer periods of time, thus sending positive engagement triggers back to search engines and indicating your video content is relevant for targeted search terms.

It can be Essential in Qualifying Leads

A potential client who has seen a seven or ten-minute video of yours is less likely to be just shooting the breeze. They’re much more likely to be a qualified lead if they are that interested in what you have to say. The use of engagement analytics will tell you who the leads are, where they are located, and what portions of the video they were most engaged with. You can then use this information for follow-up emails and/or phone calls to help steer the focus of the conversation to their specific needs.

VIDEO MARKETING FOR LAW FIRMS

Video is not just important – it is an essential part of marketing in our modern, tech-savvy age. Whether you’re advertising your firm’s most recent accomplishments or educating the public on a certain practice area, it’s important to have a steady flowof video content. If your law firm is interested in learning more about video marketing, contact the professionals at Stacey E. Burke, P.C. today.

Curated by Texas Bar Today. Follow us on Twitter @texasbartoday.

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