Spring Clean Your Video Content

It's time to open the windows and freshen up your videos.
Time to spring clean your content.

If you've not done this in a long time (or ever) then, just like vacuuming under the bed or mopping beneath the cooker,  you might be surprised at what you find lurking on your website, YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Review, Reposition, Refresh, Reuse, Remove

Just as you might refresh your wardrobe (does it suit me, fit me, is it in fashion, can I bin it, clean it?..) think the same with your business videos.

So, think:

- Do they use your current branding?
- Do they communicate your current message?
- Are they out of date with your product/service range?
- Do they seem visually current? (video trends change just as fashions do)
- Are they too long?
- Are references to phone numbers, email and web urls up to date?

It's possible you might have videos that are 3-10 years old. So for example you may find:

- 5 years ago those green screen videos seemed good... but how do they feel now?
- In the past many videos were long, could it now be punchier?
- Previously people produced long visual introductions for their videos using their company logos, but now it's seen as better to jump straight in with the content before you lose attention. Can you trim these off and add your logo in elsewhere?

Once you've reviewed, do one of four things:

- Reposition -
Can you use playlist/albums/categories to make sense of your content.
Is there a place on your website for it? If already on your site, is the embed working well?

- Refresh -
If it's out dated, can you re-edit?
What about the descriptions, naming and interactive features? Can they be updated?

- Reuse -
Can you republish it to other platforms? Share it on your site or to your email list?
Can you take sections of it and re-edit for shorter versions?
Can you take the content or script and remake it?

- Remove -
If needs be, take it off.
Don't totally delete it from your own systems, but for now, remove it from public access.

Would you want this seen in public?

Think of your video hub (wherever it may be) as an exhibition stand.

You wouldn't let your company be seen in front of thousands of potential customers with old posters/banners, dog eared leaflets, business cards for people who have left, a box of CD-Roms to hand out... So don't do it in this virtual space either.
 

YOUTUBE Cleanse

- YouTube lets you create playlists so it's easier for people to find specific categories of video.
- Make sure your 'feature' video is the best it can be, the most suitable - not just whatever the latest upload is.
- Are you making the most of YouTube's functionality like cards, end screens and watermarks?
- Is your channel art work (if you even have it!) looking great on all devices and do you have your url and social links on it?
- How are your title, description and tagging conventions?
- You might even find gems of content that you've neglected. Can these now be shared again on your site, in an email, on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn etc?

 

FACEBOOK FACE LIFT

The great thing about Facebook is the ability to have your video 'gallery' right there on your page so your content doesn't get lost in the feed. This is brilliant... but is everything in there relevant?

If you're regularly posting video, prune back this area so it's your key uploads that people will find. Otherwise your beautiful animated explainer video or customer testmonials from 6 months ago could get choked by the brambles of 'Dave's birthday surpise', 'ice bucket challenges' and 'ooh hot cross buns in the office' videos.

Again, just like with YouTube you can create categories and have a feature video.

Check out this example from Gary Vaynerchuk.
It splits his videos into his 'Daily Vee' show, Keynote speeches he's given, 'Rants' :)

DON'T JUST DELETE

Let me say this again. Don't just delete things.
'Unlist' them so they're not public on YouTube, or download them first...
It may be that some of this content can be used again. If you've spent time crafting a script in the past, don't let that go to waste.

EVALUATE & CELEBRATE!

In going through this process you'll get a feel of what's working for you, what isn't and feel inspired for what you can do next.

This is also a great opportunity to celebrate your progress with your videos.
Look what you've done!

Come on, spring into action and get cleaning.

Premium Products... Premium Videos

I'd never heard of Mühle before.

I was searching for a gift on Amazon.
One of their products appeared with quite a hefty price tag.

Were they really worth that? Who were they?
I hit Google.

Within seconds of landing on the Mühle site I was immersed in their video. Amazing. Seconds later I knew everything their brand stood for.

I could feel the history.
The quality.
I knew they were a premium brand...

I've not shaved since 1997.
This was definitely a gift...

This is an industry where the Dollar Shave Club video exists.
And so, the Mühle brand needs to stand apart.
Show what they are.
Who they are.
Who we are if we buy their products.

WHAT I LOVE

• the high quality of the filming reflects instantly on the brand and product
• subtitled, so the German authentic voices remain, again aligned with quality
• the passion
• the close ups of the product, it reminds of the Apple Watch videos, classy product porn
• the craftmanship, the hand-made, artisan nature
• the care
• the team of old and new
• the story, the family history
• when we buy something special, we want to feel part of something special, this delivers that
   

TUTORIALS

But that's not the only video content on their site.

View fullsize

I love the shaving tips videos.
Let's face it, classic shaving isn't something many of us were taught.
If we're going to buy this premium brand we're going to want to do it right.

These feel different to the homepage films.
They show that this brand may be old...
but it's not old fashioned.

WHAT I LOVE

• they make the brand cool
• they're genuinely useful
• they're still very premium in their production, but it's a much cooler viewing experience
• they're search friendly, hosted on YouTube, so people might find the brand looking for 'traditional shave' how-to advice
  
   

WHAT COULD THEY DO BETTER?

Hey, I love where they're going with video,  but they could make the most of what they have

• they're not using any of this video content natively on their Facebook page
• they could use nice edits of their arty videos on their Instagram account as well
• their site is in German, English and French... and yet the French site gets the same English subtitled films; can't imagine that'll go down well with the French audience, so come on... get a French subtitled video up there!
• the videos could have more prominence (though, remarkably, their site isn't mobile responsive yet, so maybe it's in the works)
• they could use video on their individual product pages (check out my post on the power of product videos)
• they could take some of their amazing footage and tell their story using full width autoplay background video, so it hits us immediately (check out my post on this technique - it works really well with such artisan companies)
   

WHAT COULD YOU DO?

The key thing to realise here is the power of video to communicate pretty much everything a brand stands for within seconds of a potential customer landing on their site.

I'm not saying you should make epic films. It might not be right for your brand.
For Mühle it's a perfect way to show why their premium product deserves a premium price.

How do you communicate your brand's values?

Product Videos - Coding For Kids

Let's return to the power of video to help sell your product online.
(see earlier post)

I was looking for coding toys for our kids...

SERIOUSLY? WHICH WOULD YOU BUY?
 

A potential customer's on your site:

• show them how your product works
• show them a story of your product in action
• show them the potential difference this product will bring to their life
• make them excited and eager to buy

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OSMO'S SITE

• the clear 'play' button in the bold header image enticing us to play
• the fact that video is the first thing they want you to see about the product
• everything 'above the fold' on that site is geared towards the video
• even if you don't watch it, as you scroll you STILL see an auto-play video of the product being used, it's subtle but so much better than a still image
• as we scroll further, yet more video, this time full width, shows us more about the product

Notice that video doesn't just have to be an embed box hidden away at the side or intruding in the body of your page... it can be totally entwined in your page message.

What's your site like?

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OSMO'S VIDEO

• we see the product from the unpacking of the box to the play
• we see the game in action
• we know we need an iPad
• we see a story of how our kids of different ages will engage with it (and with each other!)
• IT'S A STORY
• we see the link between their coding product and 'real' coding
• dare I say it, I love that they show us that coding's definitely not just a boy thing
• we don't have to understand English to get the message
• it's short and quick to dive into the product
  
   

HERE'S THE CRAZY THING

There are videos on the net for the Coding Mouse product!

They're just hard to find!

As in, I couldn't even easily find them on their YouTube channel.
I had to go searching. And 3 of these videos are made by the company!
Here's a gallery of their videos mixed with user generated content.

When we (finally) see the videos we can

• see how easy it to progam the mouse.
• see there's no need for a computer (which I thought there might be)
• see how easy it is to put together
• see the fun kids have with it
• see the age of the kids

Personally, I saw that actually this tangible product looks really good fun for kids to get their actual hands on compared to Osmo.

Yes! There's the thing...

I think actually having this real life product in your kids' hands instead of the iPad screen could be better. BUT did I get that from the company website?!
No. Based on the sites I'd have bought Osmo.
(And I probably still will).
 

RE-PROGRAM YOUR MARKETING MINDSET

If you're selling products online, video is your secret weapon.
I've said it before. Doubtless I'll say it again.

Show us the story of your product right there and then when we're tempted to buy.
Don't make us go through a maze of pages to find it.
Show us the, erm, cheese!

NOTE: This article was researched, produced and written w/c 25 July 2016.
Because, hey, I like to think the Robot Mouse dudes will, well, re-program their site.
Here are their links:
Learning Resources
Osmo

STOP Embedding YouTube Videos Badly!

Okay. I've finally cracked.
This happens so often that I have to write this.

The number one mistake businesses make when embedding YouTube videos to their website.

Take a look below.

That's what I see after watching the key explainer video on a major tech brand's website.

The problem

Instead of looking at their Call To Action.
Instead of typing my details in... or buying product... or exploring the site more...
I'm being tempted to watch another YouTube video, THAT MOST LIKELY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM AT ALL...

I'm about to be sucked into the YouTube rabbit hole.
Once I'm there I may never come up for air again.
They've lost me.
I'm going to get lost in 'The Office' clips, or watching kids react to old computer games or a cat who hiccups... whatever it is, it isn't learning more about their product.

THIS IS CRAZY and it HAS TO STOP NOW.

It looks unprofessional and crucially it takes people away from your site and your business.

I'm not over-reacting: you go to a lot of trouble to get people to buy from you; you've spent a lot of time, energy and money in making that video; even more in building your website, tweaking each bit of copy; perhaps you've even paid to get people to your site... and then you willingly let them be enticed away?!
 

The solution

Hey, don't feel bad if you're doing this. SO many companies do it. So many of my clients have done it which is why I then have to follow up with a message a bit like this one. Now I can just send them this link (Hi there if that's you! We should catch up for cake soon!)

How to embed properly from YouTube tutorial coming up. Watch this (silent) video.
Ironically for the company who committed this sin, it's all about paying attention to a box.

Yep. When you go to select the embed code click the sneaky 'show more' and you'll see the option to untick 'Show suggested videos when the video finishes'.

That's it!

I also like to untick 'Show video title' because it'll look nicer on your site.

And the great thing is, to their credit, YouTube remembers your preference so going forward it'll know how you like to embed.

Don't forget to make sure the thumbnail looks good too, you can choose thumbnails in the settings of the video and even create a custom one.

There are other ways to embed that don't involve YouTube at all, check out Vimeo (the paid version ditches the 'suggested' slides) and Wistia for example. But if you really want to use YouTube, do it properly.

Click 'show more' and start showing more of your business, not someone else's.

Budweiser's Dream Social Video

Budweiser UK have a great social media promotion that encourages user generated content, social shares, voting and competition. It alligns the brand with the UK's love of football.
 

The concept

The idea is simple: film your ground roots game of football and if they score a 'dream goal' upload it! Goals get shared in a gallery on Budweiser's site and the best get seen on TV and judged by famous pundits. Grants worth up to £50,000 can be netted too.

It's hugely effective on Facebook where the comments, shares and likes are in full flow.
You can also see above that Sky Sports have also shared it to great effect. Whether that was a paid for collaboration (I'd imagine so) or just because the content was so good it was worth sharing... it's clearly working. The key audience is being reached.

No need to wait for tomorrow’s game to see another screamer! #EVEMUN #EmiratesFACuphttps://t.co/8ahCTSYpmh

— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) April 23, 2016

What's so great?

- It appeals to their core audience
- It appeals to an anticipated audience (ie, young sports fans not old enough to drink, but who can start to love the brand - not that Bud would admit to this I'm sure, but still, it's a reality despite putting an 'age limit' entry gate on their site)
- They get audience created content which drives the clubs supporters to the brand
- It's brilliantly visual so grabs attention in social
- It's short, snappy, REAL and works well without sound on social 'autoplay'
- It's very viral; the content of great goals is very likeable and shareable
- They paid to promote on social, but the organic reach is substantial
- They posted the tweets in the lead up to and during a key FA Cup match using hash tags that meant a wider audience will have seen this tweet organically as well
- They partnered with other relevant companies to piggyback on their audience, such as this...

Here, Bud tie in nicely for a giveaway with another huge brand - EE - Genius! Cameras you can film action with and a phone network keen to promote 4G for uploading/streaming. Look at the social reaction... And this will have been seen by EE's followers as well. Relevant. Smart.

Video on their site

The Dream Goal section of their site is rich in video as well.

- You have additional content where TV pundits are shown giving their opinions on the footage, just as they might for a Premier League goal

- You have a gallery of 'dream goals' to enjoy

- They use ultra-short videos to 'teach' the process of how to get involved (see below). The first one of which is particularly interesting as it demonstrates to people that they should hold the phone landscape to film. Of course that'll make it look better when being shared and ultimately, potentially, on TV! Never take it for granted that people know what to do, especially when it comes to filming. Give them examples and they will follow...
 

Could you do this?

It's a smart, well executed social video campaign.
Of course it has a huge team behind it, but look at the ingredients that make it successful.

Could you do something like this? Sure you could!
It doesn't have to be on this scale to be effective, it depends on (forgive me) what your goals are.

Also, can you tie in with another brand as they have with Sky Sports and EE? So long as they're relevant, your message spreads further and you give extra value to your audience.

And they're key. Don't forget at the heart of this campaign is the audience.
Who are you trying to reach? What do they like doing? How can you harness that?

 

Find Your Story - IAG Cargo

The team at IAG Cargo haven't thought outside the box with video marketing.

They've thought inside it.

You see, the cargo air-freight industry in itself is dull. Even the cargo industry can see that.

BUT… the real story is in the cargo itself.

What is in that box?

With both of these videos they draw us in. We see the care taken each step of the way.

We see the precious cargo itself, we see the humans who take such care and pride in their jobs.

The underlying message is ‘the leading x company trusts IAG Cargo with x… so why wouldn’t you?’

You’re unlikely to remember a video, let alone share it unless there’s an emotional connection to it. David Beckham? Animals? We’re not jut filling boxes, but ticking all of them.

The actual branding of IAG Cargo (and their airlines) is very subtle, this still feels like we could be watching a documentary on TV.

Look at the titles and thumbnails of the videos. These are very clickable.

The stories lend their light, intrigue, inspiration and positivity onto the brand itself.

When your product's a bit dull. Let your stories shine.

Think about it for your business. What are your stories?

Samaritans - 360° Storytelling

The Samaritans have launched a new campaign called 'We Listen'.

Check out their 360° video and you'll soon discover their message.
That 'listening' is very different to 'hearing'.

360° video isn't just used as a gimmick. It serves a real storytelling purpose.

The combination of allowing the viewer to be distracted visually, moving the camera to see others in the cafe, along with the distraction of all the other conversations and sounds of the room is brilliantly done. For the best effect, I'd suggest listening with headphones.

If the video doesn't load above, try watching it on their YouTube channel
(or the YouTube app on mobile devices).

It's short. It feels authentic (far from glossy). It strikes home the point on two levels.

If we need someone to listen to us ,Samaritans are there for us... but also, it kicks us as humans to remember that when someone's talking to us we really should be 'present' for them, to actually listen.

There's only one thing I'd suggest though: the text at the end is very hard to read. It's too small with those contrasting colours. Always worth bearing those things in mind when we create videos, how big will the player be, can people clearly catch your call to action.

I love this effective use of 360° video. Not for the sake of it, but as a key part of the message.

You can find out more about this Samaritans campaign, including the poster reach in conjunction with the UK's rail network here.

Cancer Research Videos

I don't have to tell you what a horrible thing cancer is.
Just ask anyone and they'll have been affected in some way it seems. I know my family has.
It's an absolute arse.

Which is why an organisation like Cancer Research UK making the most of the power of video, makes me happy. I'm writing this on World Cancer Day, which is where we start...

Video made for Social media

Their Tweet below is a perfect example of creating a video for Social.
- it works brilliantly silent
- nice clear message
- short and shareable
- bright, colourful, bold, eye catching
- a clear call to action

Yes, you may well hear sound on this, but mute it. See how powerful a visual it is?

Today is World Cancer Day. Join us for a #ADayToUnite, donate and help beat cancer sooner: https://t.co/LDKsgGsCIUhttps://t.co/2Mu8kwpgAp

— Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK) February 3, 2016

Here's another example from Facebook.

It's said you have 8 seconds to grab someone's attention. Notice how the first 10 seconds is bold colur, text and emotive visuals? If you've grabbed my eyes by then, I'll click to unmute and hear what is said after that... This is definitely going to stand out as I absentmindedly scroll, scroll, scroll.

Give Up Clothes for Good

Give Up Clothes for Good, TK Maxx's amazing initiative to raise money for our Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens campaign, is back! Getting involved is simple – have a wardrobe clearout, bag up your unwanted clothes and drop them off at your nearest TK Maxx store. Here’s Daisy Lowe and a host of celebs talking about some of the items they’ve donated to help beat children’s cancers sooner. For more information, visit: http://po.st/2UTdR8

Posted by Cancer Research UK on Tuesday, 2 February 2016

Structured YouTube

Their YouTube channel is a hub for inspiration and information.

They've made perfect use of YouTube's playlists so they can categorise their (many) videos. Different types of cancer, fundraising ideas, research...

A charity making the most of the power of online video, far far beyond what a TV advert can do.
I love it.

You can donate to Cancer Research UK here.

5 Great Examples Of University Videos

Every businss needs an explainer video.
Universities are no different. In fact, probably more so.

Think about it. You might only have a few choices of company to pick from normally... but when choosing a uni? The whole of the country, if not the world, is on offer. The 'customers' are making insanely emotional, life changing and expensive decisions and they begin remotely, miles from what you have to offer. So for a university, the video 'first impression' is key.

Here I share five of my favourite key marketing videos for universities. What I mean by that: all universities have huge numbers of videos, but if you could pick just one video to be an overview for a whole educational establishment, this would be a great one.
 

University of Sussex

What I like:
- short: just a minute long
- cool look: this is made in a really fresh, modern 'stop-motion' style that will appeal to its audience
- cool sound: the music, again suits the target audience
- text: you can watch this with the sound off and still get the message (crucial when sharing on social media or for your audience watching on a mobile device)
 

Oddly, I can't find them using this on Facebook or Twitter and it's not the 'feature' video for their YouTube channel either. Crazy. Maybe they're holding it back to launch as part of some big marketing campaign. Hope so, as this video should not be buried.

There's another very good example in a similar style from University of Oxford. They make great use of their video. As you can see below, it has a good position on their actual website (someting universities often seem to struggle to do), pride of place as 'feature' video on the YouTube Channel and nice and clear on their Facebook page too. Full marks.

University of Leeds

What I like:
- cool - both the style of edit and music align with their target audience
- testimonials - it has voices of students talking about Leeds, but because we don't see them it doesn't slow the video down
- student life - we actually get a sense of what it might be like to be a student
- more films at end - this is part of a series of films and we're encouraged to view them at the end
 

Below, you can see how they encourage you to keep exploring. It's a fun way of keeping people watching. If all of this content was in one film it would be too long, it would deter viewers, but lots of short form pieces one after another, you probably will. Using the in-built YouTube facility to click the screen to view is smart - there's no temptation to watch anything else until you've seen all of these.

University of Bristol

What I like:
- tour - we get to see a LOT of the uni and city
- pace - whilst it's not that short (3 min), it does have great pace, keeping our interest
- authentic - this isn't a polished advert like so many others, this is very much real
- call to action - the whole video acts as a call to action, to sign up to an open day, see it for yourself
- voices - real opinions from current students and potential ones (and unfortunately, parents - I think they'd have been best sticking to students - cooler)
- passion - there's a lot of passion that comes across from those involved, it's infectious
 

The quote from a visitor, "Bristol's website is good but seeing it in real life's a lot better" sums this video up.

Cleveland Institute of art

This example is nearly 10 years old, but is exceptional and well worth a view.

What I like:
- knows its audience - they're an art institute and the whole concept embraces that
- creative - it's a totally fresh way of showing the detail (keep in mind, this was 2007)
- tone - the way this speaks to its student audience is perfect

It's remarkable that a video this long (5m 30) is so captivating. Yes, it's a bit too long, certainly by today's standards and please please please don't all copy this and start doing the modern day version of 'white board video animation'. PLEASE no. But, what can you do that perfectly encapsulates what your institute is about and talks to your audience in their voice?

Which leads on to...

Imperial College London

If you have a niche educational establishment, like CIA above, you really are in luck.
From the States, to the UK. From art... to science.

What I like:
- knows its audience - people who want to change the world through science
- inspiring - it intrigues and excites those it's targeting
- making a difference - the last quarter where it shows the actual difference their students/work make in the world is brilliantly done

I wouldn't normally suggest being so over-the-top in the 'inspirational' video style and music stakes. But you have to admit it totally suits the institution and who they're appealing to. It doesn't feel over the top. You're not going to this uni to have a laugh at the bar (though I'm sure you could), you're going to make a difference in the world; there's nothing wrong with being serious.

---

So there you have it: 5 videos that universities can be inspired by when inspiring students. 

Here, I've only covered what I consider to be the main event. Uni's have plenty more options available: testmimonials, course specifics, campus and accomodation tours, student union, the town/city/area and so on. But just as every business should have an explainer video, every university must have a key, central piece of video marketing from which these others can spin off and orbit around. They make a world of difference.

Want to make a difference with your own explainer video? Get in touch!

Live Q&A videos for your business

I'm hungry. Got a hankering for turkey. And mince pies.

I've just finished watching Jamie Oliver's first Christmas LIVE Q&A - streamed on YouTube (his FoodTube channel) and Facebook.

In it he spoke directly to his audience, interacting with their messages (as has proved so popular with Periscope streaming), answering their questions, even controlling his own camera...

Yes. He's Jamie Oliver. Yes. He has a huge media team... but the reason this works well is because actually it's done on the cheap: it's raw, live, personal, authentic and there's no reason why you couldn't do it too. Read on to find out why you should bother.

I've embedded the video below, I clearly don't expect you to watch it all, so basically it runs likethis: hello - fun - wait for enough viewers to join - start answering questions - end with a plug for his magazine, TV show and upcoming live streams like this about Christmas.

Christmas Q&A: Turkey and showstopper centrepieces

Posted by Jamie Oliver on Monday, 23 November 2015

WHAT YOU CAN DO

The recipe for Jamie's success is pretty simple. Get ready to share your knowledge, give tips, do short demos. Let's face it, this is really a cooler version of a webinar right? No powerpoint in sight.

It still helps if you have a theme or a topic (so here it was 'christmas showstoppers') to focus the video and inspire your audience.

WHY YOU SHOULD BOTHER

- You help build that connection with your audience: they're your customers/potential customers; engage with them.

- You show the human side to your business, literally, if you're friendly and knowledgable chances are we'll want to buy from you.

- In receiving questions you'll get an insight into what your audience actually wants to know; whilst you might not answer all of them live, you'll end up with a stack of content ideas for future videos or blog posts; it's like a collective brainstorm meeting.

- You will end up with answers/facts that you can use in further social activity and blog posts, either as text or shorter excerpts of the video, like this:

REMEMBER

It doesn't have to be perfect. This is Jamie Oliver, seasoned pro and it's not perfect, in fact it'd be boring if it was. So don't stress about it. Have a bit of a rehearsal so you know how the gear works and figure out how you'll filter questions, maybe have a few already lined up in case the interaction starts off slow.

If you don't try this, you'll never know.
Want help getting started? Get in touch. Especially if you've got some mince pies.

5 Ways To Get Your Videos Seen Using Twitter

Making your video is just part of the job.
Now you need to make it work for you. You need to get it seen.

Twitter's a great way of getting your video content out there in front of people.
Here are my favourite free and paid methods to do just that...

1.  Post your YouTube content

This feels like the 'old' traditional way of sharing your videos on Twitter. It still works well.
Simply post the url and Twitter embeds it to play (when clicked) within your tweet. A bit like this handsome devil did:

How the Apple Watch email/video marketing ploy sucked me in and how your business could do this too: https://t.co/DDVKEfsj7K

— Steve Folland (@SFolland) April 30, 2015

AND - it's not just about YouTube - you can post your Vimeo of course and Vines as well.

The daddy of all burgers deserves the king of beers. #CheersToThat #Stacked. https://t.co/CuBTqFiESG

— Budweiser UK (@BudweiserUK) July 2, 2015

You might think: 'why wouldn't I just post all of my videos like this and be done with it?'

Well, if you drive people to your site/YouTube channel/Facebook page instead - here they will encounter more content and maybe purchase from you, or hit 'subcribe' to your channel or e-news letter etc.

So that's why another option is to post a thumbnail of your video and a link to the page you'd rather they visit, like this:

2. Upload direct to Twitter

You can upload video 'native' to Twitter. The benefit? It will play automatically in people's feeds (just like Facebook native video does on FB). You can even capture video directly from the app.

Keep in mind that tweets soon drop down feeds so if you've created something specifically for Twitter, it's worth paying to promote your tweet.

Short form video works best and Twitter limits you to 30 seconds.*
(*although big brands partnering with Twitter can upload longer)
So, either make nice snappy content:

Nothing like a cup of joe in the morning. Try our delicious coffee made from freshly ground Arabica beans. https://t.co/yQ0v0YKsvm

— McDonald's UK (@McDonaldsUK) June 23, 2015

Or, if you have longer form content, try making a Twitter trailer.
I love this example by Wistia. When they made their longer video tutorial, they took time to create this Twitter specific promo and then paid to promote it.

Choosing the right background for your video doesn't need to be difficult, learn more at http://t.co/FkLnLRN4cb https://t.co/wpegDDa79N

— WISTIA (@wistia) June 8, 2015

Here's another example from GoPro. Notice how they've specifically made a short form video for Twitter but in the text direct us to the full video on YouTube.

Max has got skills (and is insanely cute.) Full video: https://t.co/Ogij2c7yVc #GoProUK https://t.co/wVVFTaX6eX

— #HERO4Session (@GoProUK) July 3, 2015

Plus, this from Stella Artois during The Open, is a standalone trailer... but rollover the video and you see a YouTube link that takes you through to the full length 90 second edit.

As the golfers practise their swing, the bartenders perfect their skim. #letsteeoff #herestoperfection #TheOpen https://t.co/NECDcVdcGU

— StellaArtoisUK (@StellaArtoisUK) July 16, 2015

And here's General Electric promoting their live Periscope video streaming event (on Twitter) by using a native Twitter promo. Yep, they're all over it. And not being remotely 'general' about it.

5 days. 5 facilities. 1 re-engineered drone. Don’t miss the badass machines LIVE on Periscope, 7/20-7/24! #DRONEWEEK https://t.co/XrXl8w4vq3

— General Electric (@generalelectric) July 16, 2015

Which leads us nicely into...

3. Live Stream 'Behind The Scenes'

Using Periscope or Meerkat apps you can share live video via your twitter feed.

Why not share the process of your normal video content being made? Draw in the audience, make them aware of what you make; people love 'behind the scenes' sneaky views. It doesn't just have to the 'filming', you could chat through your post-production process too.

Gary Vaynerchuk streams the filming of his YouTube/Facebook/Podcast show '#AskGaryVee' for example.

|LIVE NOW| AskgaryVee 117 #meerkat http://t.co/WdRghr6R9R

— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) July 9, 2015

Meanwhile Landrover used Periscope to show live filming of a video for their rugby social content.

AND - remember, these apps also allow the live audience to interact with you, so take time out from your shoot to chat to them, that engagement strengthens the relationship with you/your brand and ultimately will bring them back to your core content: they'll want to see how the video they watched being made actually turned out and will discover your other videos too.

4. Get other people to share your content

It may seem obvious, but it's easy to overlook: Twitter is SOCIAL - you want people to share your content right?

But as well as making something cool/emotive and hoping people will share it, you can also be deliberate about this.

Take this example of a Red Bull tweet containing video being shared by Absolute Radio.

Want to witness #OCBreakfastClub's triumphant race? http://t.co/aBYLYNfrZl @OC @RedBullUK #SoapboxRace

— Absolute Radio (@absoluteradio) July 12, 2015

Above - the original tweet from Red Bull UK

Notice how the original tweet by Red Bull includes the twitter handles of presenters @OC and @RichieFirth along with @AbsoluteRadio and also @GoProUK (it was shot on GoPro) - ALL of whom could share that video.

So if you make a video that includes someone else, include them in the tweet - get them sharing!

You might even go out of your way to include other people/businesses in your videos for this very purpose. If you've filmed someone at your business/event get their Twitter details there and then to make this easy!

 

5. Twitter Cards

'Cards' are one of the way Twitter ads put your content in front of people. The crucial difference between a Card and a promoted tweet is the Call To Action Button.

Button text can be whatever you like: 'Install Now', 'Buy Now', of course you want to say 'Watch Now' or 'View Now'.  Don't forget 'Now' - it makes a difference.

Here's what they look like in action:

Pay attention to your thumbnail image and sub-headlines as well - powerful tools you don't get in a normal Tweet.

Cards also have the advantage of taking people away from Twitter and on to your own site. So instead of watching your video on Twitter and then getting distracted by something else, the viewer stays engaged with your site/content/brand.

Yes, you have to pay... but if you have the budget to do so, cards are a great technique to try out.

Experiment

Video marketing, social marketing - it's all very much experimental right now. So try things out and see what works for your brand and your audience. Even changing the wording of your tweets, or the time you post can dramatically alter your success rate.

Don't just make a video, make it work for you.
Get on Twitter.
Get it seen.

I'd love to hear how it works for you. Get in touch!