Why How-to Videos are Great for Your Public Relations
Today when consumers need help figuring something out they ‘Google it’ and often times a how-to video on YouTube is one or more of the search results. If you don’t have a how-to video created yet for your business, you might be missing out. How-to videos can be an invaluable resource in growing your business and offer you some public relations to position you and your firm as an expert. If you want to give it a go, here are some important things to keep in mind. First, how-to videos are focused around the need for instant information. Thanks to smartphones, that ‘I-want-to-know,’ ‘I-want-to-do’ and ‘I-want-to-buy’ need has grown exponentially in recent years. The most important thing you can do in marketing is to be the leading source when your customers and/or clients are searching for more information. Surprisingly, many businesses aren’t doing this. Instead, they’re focusing on singular messages to large audiences instead of the reverse. Searching “how to…” is a request for help and having your brand be there in that moment of need can earn a loyalty and even drive sales.
Your answer to that request for help should be a how-to video. If we look at Home Depot, as an example, they have capitalized on their customers’ do-it-yourself attitudes coupled with their need for step-by-step instruction. Home Depot’s YouTube channel is filled with how-to guides on all sorts of home improvement and homeowner basics.
Your business site should be a resource to your customers and/or clients on subject relative to your expertise. But what can you do to earn your website traffic on these I-want-to-know/do moments? Here are my best strategies for you to make the most from these moments of need.
1. Identify needs. What are the things your customers or clients will need your help with and how can your label be there to help? Determine these needs across your complete consumer base and focus your strategy around them. 2. Understand what customers WANT to know. When your consumers are looking at your products or services, what questions do they ask? What do they want to know? Create content with these concerns in mind to serve as a resource. 3. Be easy to find. Ensure your video is one of the first thing Internet searchers see when looking for how-to content by using descriptive titles, detailed descriptions and tagged keywords on each video. Optimize the title your videos with the question you believe their asking so that they are relevant in search results. 4. Use video to explain a product challenge. Sometimes people don’t understand why the widget or service they bought from you is performing in a certain way. Create a video with a “behind the scenes” flair that shows your product or service in action and put your customers at rest on things they most likely will notice that are not cause for alarm. Above all else, get into the minds of your customers and clients. Doing this could be as simple as calling them to see if they have any questions about your product or service. The info gathered can be used for a video. Better yet - mine the reviews of your competitors and see what pain points their customers have and create a video around how your brand is better using your competitors pain points to tout your best qualities. Co-Written By - Matthew Gilbert
