With the various video-sharing platforms on the rise today and about 100 million Internet users watching an online video daily, video marketing seems like an easy and accessible way for businesses to connect with their audiences. Video content is incredibly effective. In fact, it’s already proven itself to be an engaging and essential tool to drive brand awareness and engage audiences. However, navigating this world means overcoming the challenges of video marketing. As a business owner, you need to be prepared.
Here are some of the top video marketing challenges businesses face:
#1 High Production Costs
Creating high-quality videos can be expensive. Costs include not only the physical equipment like cameras, lighting, and microphones but also software for different kinds of editing and special effects. Additionally, hiring professionals such as scriptwriters, copywriters, directors, editors, or on-screen talent can significantly add to the budget. For small businesses, solo entrepreneurs, or start-up businesses with limited resources, these costs can be limiting.
Solution: To mitigate these expenses, video marketing with careful budgeting and planning is essential. Using cost-effective tools and software can help, as can leveraging DIY approaches where feasible. Outsourcing to freelancers or agencies that offer competitive pricing might be another viable option to maintain quality while managing costs.
#2 Time-consuming Process or Lack of Time
The video content creation process can be incredibly time-consuming. It involves several stages and elements. This includes planning and conceptualization, scriptwriting, shooting, editing, and finally, distribution. Each stage requires attention to detail and can be prone to delays and conflicts. Of course, just finding the time to do all of this is going to be a major problem. Even companies and video marketers (39%) agree that lack of time is the biggest challenge when it comes to video marketing. For small business owners or entrepreneurs who shoulder a lot of responsibilities, this will even be more challenging.
Solution: To streamline this process, you can create reusable templates that can be used for every video. Repurposing existing content can also save time for a lot of businesses and entrepreneurs. Additionally, batching production tasks, such as filming multiple videos in one session, can maximize efficiency. With a good workflow and project management tools, you can also keep track of the whole process and avoid one of these video marketing challenges.
#3 Technical Expertise Required
Producing professional-grade videos often necessitates a high level of technical expertise. While short-form video content usually doesn’t need high production, long-form video content might need a lot more technical skills. Skills in filming, lighting, sound engineering, and video editing are crucial to creating a polished final product. Many small businesses or individuals may not have these skills in-house. This leads to a steep learning curve or the need to hire external professionals.
Solution: Investing in training and learning resources can help develop these necessary skills internally. Alternatively, businesses can utilize user-friendly video editing software that provides tutorials and support. For more complex tasks, hiring professionals remains a sensible approach to ensuring high-quality results. Moreover, it’s also important to analyze and remember your video marketing strategy. Focusing on short-form content might require minimal expertise and will not require you to heavily invest in excessive learning resources or equipment.
#4 Platform-specific Restrictions
Each social media and video-sharing platform has its own rules, algorithms, and best practices that can impact the reach and effectiveness of video content. What works well on YouTube might not perform as effectively on Facebook or Instagram due to differences in audience behavior and platform features.
Solution: Tailoring videos to meet the specifications and audience expectations of each platform is recommended. Cross-posting videos across multiple platforms can help maximize reach. It’s also best to stay updated with the latest changes and trends on each platform to ensure that you create relevant and effective video content.
#5 Short Attention Spans of Audience
In the digital age, viewers often have short attention spans. This makes it one of the most common video marketing challenges for a lot of marketers. According to studies, videos need to get the attention of viewers within 2.7 seconds. Some may not watch videos all the way through, especially if the content is not immediately engaging. This means capturing attention within the first few seconds of a video is challenging but a must.
Solution: Creating concise and to-the-point content helps keep viewers engaged throughout. It also helps to have a hook in the first few seconds to ensure that you have the audience’s attention. Incorporating interactive elements like polls, quizzes, and clear calls to action can also maintain viewer interest and encourage deeper engagement. This will help your audience interact more with your content. The more they click on elements of your video, the better it is.
#6 Accessibility Issues
Not all viewers can access video content due to disabilities such as hearing or visual impairments. Ensuring that video content is accessible to everyone is going to be a challenging necessity. They are not only a legal requirement in many regions but also a video marketing best practice that expands the potential audience.
Solution: Providing subtitles to videos as well as transcripts allows those with hearing impairments to understand the video content. Designing accessible video players and websites also ensures that people with disabilities can navigate and consume the content easily. Audio descriptions also help visually impaired viewers understand the visual elements of the video. Some streaming platforms have already been using this kind of solution to make their content much more accessible. And according to HubsSpot, 65% of companies leverage video captioning for accessibility.
#7 Changing Industry Trends
The world of video marketing is dynamic, with trends and best practices evolving rapidly. Keeping up with these changes can be challenging. It requires continuous learning and adaptation, which can consume a lot of time and resources. Staying informed about the latest trends and best practices can be tricky yet essential.
Solution: Subscribe to the mailing lists of industry professionals and websites to ensure that you get regular updates. Join webinars and panels if you can. You can also experiment with new formats and trends on your own. This can help determine what video content and trends will resonate with your audience. Gathering feedback from viewers and adapting these strategies will ensure that the content remains relevant and effective.
#8 Negative Feedback and Public Scrutiny
Videos are highly visible and can attract negative comments or backlash, which can impact a brand’s reputation. Actively monitoring comments and feedback is crucial to addressing any negative responses promptly.
Solution: Responding to criticism constructively and addressing concerns openly can help mitigate the impact of negative feedback. Having a crisis management plan in place also ensures that negative publicity is handled effectively and does not escalate further. Engaging with the audience positively and transparently builds trust and can turn potential negatives into opportunities for improvement. And of course, improving quality checks before posting any video content also helps.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that while this approach is effective, without understanding and addressing video marketing challenges, marketers and business owners might fail. Keep these solutions in mind the next time you run into challenges with your video marketing strategy.
If you want to further enhance your video marketing efforts, Twin Rams Media Group is here to help you achieve better results! Contact us today, and let’s overcome your video marketing challenges!
References:
https://www.webfx.com/blog/marketing/video-marketing-statistics/
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing-challenges
https://storykit.io/blog/video-marketing-challenges