FIVE WAYS TO SKYROCKET CONVERSIONS ON YOUR VIDEO CONTENT

Are you looking for a powerful way to engage with your audience, grow your lead lists, and sell your product or service? If so, your business could benefit from a robust video marketing strategy. Research shows that 43% of consumers want more video content, and it’s believed that this number will rise over the next several years.

Video marketing is when marketers use live or pre-recorded videos to create engaging, impactful content. The goal is to get customers to spend time on your website, subscribe to various marketing channels, and eventually buy products from your online store. There are plenty of practical ways to get more people to click-through and engage with your video content. If you’re already creating videos but not getting the results you expected, keep reading.

Today, we will look at five ways to get more conversions on your videos across all marketing platforms. We will also include several helpful strategies you can apply to your small business.

Let’s get started!

Understand Your Goal and Audience Segments

The first two things you have to think about when creating conversion-focused videos are your business goals and your audience segments.

Your goals will vary based on your industry, budget, and needs. For instance, you may want to create simple tutorial videos for your YouTube channel so you can build brand awareness. Similarly, you may decide to host a giveaway with a video introduction to get participants excited for the event. The possibilities are endless. Look at your marketing projections, and identify areas that you can improve with video content.

When you decide to create a video, make sure you know how it will help you reach your goals. You wouldn’t start a massive road trip without a destination, right?

Many business owners segment their email leads. This strategy is similar, except it applies to all of your visitors and customers. For example, the marketing team at an online pet store would likely have different types of video content for cat, dog, and bird owners since all three have different needs and interests.

You can learn more about your audience segments by reviewing website analytics and customer feedback. Once you gather enough data, you’ll have everything you need to make detailed buyer persona profiles. Then, use this information to create video content for specific segments of your audience.

Optimize Videos for Search

Now that you understand your audience and goals, let’s talk about optimizing your videos for search. The two biggest websites in the world are Google and YouTube. If you want to get more conversions on your content, ranking for frequently used keywords on these platforms can dramatically impact visibility and engagement.

You can do a few things to improve your SEO rank on videos and get more conversions. The first step is to choose appropriate keywords for your videos. In other words, make sure you’re picking long-tail keywords that potential customers might type in if they have an industry-specific question.

After you’ve picked out a few keywords, use them strategically in your title and description. We also recommend including closed captions. Not only will this step help with accessibility, but it will make it easier for Google to determine the intent of your content.

You can also get more interactions by using videos strategically on your website. One clever way to put this tip into practice is to create a product demo for your sales page. Research shows that landing pages with videos get an average of 80% more conversions!

Adding videos will make your page more attractive for first-time visitors, and it will also add more context for search engines, which could improve your overall SEO ranking. Ideally, your content will outperform all of the competition, and new users will come to you when they are ready to buy.

Connect Old Content with New Videos

If you already have videos on your website or YouTube channel, you can drive traffic to your old videos from your new content. This type of content is known as a compounding post. You’re likely familiar with this trend if you have a company blog. Compounding posts are pieces of content that continue to get traffic, even after new posts get published. Video content works in a very similar way. Consumers flock to a specific group of videos long after their release date because they are exceptionally helpful or relevant.

You can review your past uploads and use them as a jumping-off point for future content. For example, if your website sells gardening supplies, and almost all of your posts on growing vegetables have 3x the views and conversions compared to other videos, you can safely assume that a significant portion of your audience likes this type of content.

Now, you can create similar videos on new vegetables or start a series where you go over more tips on growing specific fruits and vegetables. When you publish these videos, include links to your original blog posts and videos.

You want new visitors to have an easy way to access more of your best content. Connecting old posts to new content can boost your search position and give users a reason to continue engaging with your site, which may lead to more sales.

Host Live Events

If you’ve ever used social media, you’re likely familiar with the popularity of live events. Consumers are willing to attend live events about virtually any topic, as long as it’s relevant to a goal, pain point, or interest in their lives. As a result, there’s a good chance your industry is full of opportunities for social video events.

You could host an ask me anything (AMA) event where you talk to your audience and answer any direct questions they might have about your brand, product, or industry as a whole.

Many small businesses get their start hosting educational webinars. These events are designed to teach attendees a specific skill or how to use a particular tool. If you excel at teaching and have a value-packed presentation, you’ll have no problem getting more people to attend your events in the future.

We suggest creating a webinar landing page so you can promote your event at least one month in advance. You want to get as many prospects as possible to attend and become customers. When you consider that 20-40% of webinar attendees become qualified leads, it’s easy to see why this strategy is popular among marketing teams across all industries.

Make Social Sharing a Priority

While we are on the topic of social media, let’s talk about the value of sharing your videos on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Your target audience likely spends time on these platforms and many others. If you want to get more conversions on your videos, you have to make sure they can see your posts and care enough to engage with your brand.

You can exponentially grow your traffic and engagement by strategically sharing videos on social media. For example, on LinkedIn, posts with videos are 5x more likely to receive comments. This is because people feel compelled to voice their opinion when they see or hear another person sharing their thoughts on a topic.

Post new uploads on your various social media platforms and encourage users to sound off in the comments and share the video with their friends. If you consistently share your videos on social media, you will see a boost in watch time, traffic, and conversions.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to see that video content is here to stay. As a marketer or business owner, the best thing you can do is accept this trend and start using it to connect with your audience. The tips outlined today will help you get started. You’ll soon have a long list of engaging content and subscribers ready to interact with your brand.

EIGHT BEST EMAIL MARKETING PRACTICE TO CARRY OUT AFTER MAKING A SALE

It’s well known in the marketing world that keeping your current customers happy saves cost and is more profitable than constantly searching for new customers to buy from you. 

And this is why it’s important to continue building your relationship with your customers long after they make a purchase.

There are many actions you can carry out after your customer buys something from your website. With the right marketing activities, you can make their experience better and ensure that you have a repeat customer. Learn more on what you should do after a sale to grow your business and create meaningful after-sales interactions with your audience. 

Send acknowledgments immediately

In the world of eCommerce, after-sales receipts can be more than just a minor part of your sales automation. Very often, transaction receipts and invoices form one of the first experiences a new customer has with your business. 

Receipts are a great touchpoint through which you can improve customer relationships. And if you craft your email receipts the right way, they can even increase your revenue.

Make sure you send acknowledgments, invoices, receipts, etc. immediately after a purchase. When customers see an email appear right away in their inboxes, it gives them peace of mind. Such receipts also help with any exchanges or returns that might need to be made. 

Virtually every single eCommerce platform or payment gateway provides options to automatically send a receipt once a payment is completed. There’s little to no excuse not to send a receipt or invoice to your customers right away. 

However, if you have built an eCommerce store from scratch, it’s possible to treat receipts as an afterthought. Avoid this since receipts are important pieces of evidence that reduce the sense of risk a customer feels after they buy from you. 

Let customers know what happens next

In many online businesses, there’s a delay between when a purchase is made and when people receive their product or service. Although people do realize that it’ll take time for their product to arrive or for a live coaching session to start, they can still experience anxiety about what happens next. They’ll also want to know if they should take any steps beforehand.

In your follow-up email or receipt, let customers know what will happen next. Share the approximate shipping time, delivery method, tracking number, customer care information, and more. 

Such basic information can go a long way towards making customers feel more secure and relaxed. 

Send a thank-you email

This is one of the simplest yet commonly overlooked after-sales practices. If you want to keep your customers happy, make sure to send them a thank you email. This will make them feel appreciated and valued, which in turn will make them more likely to buy from you again.

To really express your appreciation, you can add exclusive discounts or other special offers in your email. It’s a powerful way to build loyalty and strengthen your relationship with your customer.

Feedback

Feedback is a critical customer experience indicator. After your product is downloaded or delivered, you can send your customers an automated email asking them to share their experience.

If a customer leaves negative feedback, you can fix any mistakes or make necessary improvements for future clients. Feedback is also important since it’s a form of documentation that’s essential for your business. 

Asking for input also acts as a litmus test for whether you should encourage your customer to leave a public review and rating for your business or not. It’s also a great opportunity to show customers they are appreciated.

Ask customers to leave a review

Reviews and ratings left by previous customers on products are critical for the success of any digital business. Reviews help other customers know if they should purchase your product or not. 

It’s a happy customer that will take the time to provide feedback and ratings on your business. So, make it as easy as possible for them to do this. 

Here’s what you can do: create a drip campaign that’s triggered a few days after your product is downloaded or delivered (or after you know your product has been consumed). Link to a feedback form into the email so that users can easily leave a rating and review easily.

Surveys are also a way to understand what your customers feel about your brand and to learn more about their experience. The information you get can form the data from which you can build case studies, reports, white papers, and more. 

In your email, you can also provide a link to a relevant platform for reviewing your business and maybe even encourage people to share pictures of their purchases. This is especially useful if you need your business to stand out in a business listing. 

And finally, you can share positive reviews on your website or social media pages or even email them to subscribers. 

Inform people about related products

When customers purchase products from you, they are often on the lookout for other things that will help them meet their goals. 

If your business offers complementary products and services, you can send emails with relevant details right to their inbox.

In this way, you can upsell related products and increase your customer lifetime value while helping people.

Send educational content

In my business, we don’t just sell digital products that meet immediate needs. We also look at overarching goals and this is why we focus on educational content in our brands. 

For example, one of our tools is an option popup form. Using it, people can easily make attractive popups to capture emails. But is that really the end goal of our customers? Not really. Their real goal is to generate sales, build a strong relationship with customers, and build a profitable business. 

And to meet these goals, we’ve created a University to help people learn how to boost conversions. We also send emails to help users learn how to use our tools well which leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Share social media and blog content

One of the best ways to increase customer loyalty is by sending them blog and social media shares after they purchase something. Sending quality content prevents your content from sounding overly promotional. But you’re still staying in touch with customers and reminding them about your brand. 

You’ll update customers on what’s new and help them learn new things. A smart idea is to personalize the blog posts and social media content you send by sending posts that are related to people’s recent purchases. Your readers will be more interested in what you have to say and will look forward to your content. 

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many powerful after-sales steps you can take after you make a sale. The important thing is not to send or add too much content to your customers. 

While you should always send receipts to customers right away, make sure that you vary the other types of content you send after a sale. 

And also use metrics like click rates, email response rate, and other KPIs to see how well your content is doing. The more you learn about your content performance, the better you’ll shape your future material. And as a result, you’ll build a positive brand image that keeps customers coming back to you. 

- Syed Balkhi is an award-winning entrepreneur and online marketing expert. He is the co-founder of OptinMonster, WPBeginner, MonsterInsights, and WPForms.

YOU SHOULD KNOW THESE SEVEN CYBERSECURITY TERMS

An employee working from home opens an attachment in an existing email thread with coworkers. Someone else quickly types in a URL to look something up while working on a project, without noticing they made a small typo. A new colleague receives an email that looks like it comes from a payroll company and responds with their Social Security number and bank account information.

Each of these scenarios could be just part of a normal day for an employee who spends most of their time working at a computer. But they’re also opportunities for a cyber attack that could wreak havoc for an entire company, its employees, and its customers. Now that more employees are working remotely for all or part of the work week, outside of the security of a company’s internal IT systems, the threat is even greater. In the first few months of the pandemic, cyber attacks on cloud infrastructure skyrocketed by 600%.

“Employees have a role to play, but more sophisticated attacks make it next-to-impossible to spot them,” says Ian Pratt, global head of security for Personal Systems at HP. “That’s why it’s key that employees feel empowered to inform IT when something looks off.”

According to a study conducted by HP and Morning Consult, roughly half of

 remote workers believe that remote and flexible work would not be possible 

without the efforts of their IT department. IT, however, can only do so much to

 protect organizations from an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape.

“It’s a shared responsibility,” says Ashley Allocca, an analyst for cyber threat 

intelligence provider Flashpoint. “There are more threats if people aren’t 

properly instructed on how to keep up with good cyber hygiene.”

While remote employees don’t need to become experts in cybersecurity, 

it’s critical that they understand how to identify potential threats. Here are 

seven terms every remote or hybrid employee should understand in this new

reality. 

1. Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents users from accessing files

on a device or network until a ransom is paid to the attacker. It’s essentially 

a way for cyber criminals to hold your digital assets hostage, and is often 

perpetrated through email attachments, ads, links, or websites that lock users 

out of their devices until payment is made, typically in cryptocurrencies.

Two-thirds of the global IT organizations surveyed by Sophos reported being 

victims of some form of ransomware attack in 2021, a 78% increase from 2020. 

Keeping your operating systems, applications, and software up to date; using 

spam filters that scan or block suspicious emails and attachments; and backing 

systems up frequently are all tactics to help prevent ransomware attacks.

2. Spear phishing

Phishing is a type of cyber attack that attempts to trick users into clicking on

a malicious link or download an infected email attachment. You can think of 

spear phishing as its more targeted cousin; attackers will actually do research

on their targets to try and craft messages that look safe to them, often by 

posing as trusted sources. Phishing and its variants were the most prolific 

cybercrime type in 2021, according to the FBI, which received more than 

324,000 reports of such attacks.

“Phishing attacks can really enable an actor to gain a foothold in the network, 

and they generally require much less technical acumen to perform, compared 

to other attack types,” says Allocca. Upon receiving a suspicious communication 

Allocca says employees should avoid responding and report it to IT right away.

3. Spoofing

Spoofing is one of the many ways in which a spear phishing attack is 

perpetrated. Once the attacker has some sense of its target’s habits, they 

disguise themselves as a trusted source, often by changing an email address,

name, phone number, or URL by just one letter, symbol, or number.  

Unless the target is paying close attention, the subtle change can easily go 

unnoticed.

Once attackers convince their targets that these “spoofed” communications  

are from a trusted source, they can use that trust to ask for sensitive 

information, money, or trick them into downloading malicious software. 

When in doubt of an email, text message, phone call, or website’s 

authenticity, be sure to take a very close look at the address, and 

if you’re unsure, reach out to the supposed sender on a different 

platform to confirm the communication is real.

4. Pretexting

Like spoofing, pretexting is a type of attack in which cyber criminals assume a 

false identity, but this type of attack goes a step further. Instead of just assuming 

the identity of a known and trusted source, the attacker assumes the identity of 

some sort of authority figure or service provider by concocting a plausible 

situation.

For example, the attack could be perpetrated by someone claiming to be a 

bank representative checking on a suspicious transaction. More sophisticated 

attackers might even have some basic information about their targets — such 

as their name, phone number, and the last four digits of their bank card — 

which they can use to establish credibility when requesting more sensitive

information, claiming they need it for verification purposes. That’s why it’s 

always important to confirm the identity of any unfamiliar caller or email asking

for personal information for any purpose.

5. Typosquatting

Typosquatting, also referred to as URL hijacking, occurs when a malicious 

actor purchases a domain name that closely resembles a trusted brand’s 

website. It’s a more passive form of spoofing, but in this case, attackers are 

depending on users to misspell a website address themselves. If a user were to

accidentally misspell the URL they are looking for, they might end up on a site 

that looks like the one they wanted to visit, but is actually set up to perpetrate 

an attack. For example, website URLs like Goggle.com and Goole.com have 

been used in the past to attack unsuspecting users intending to visit 

Google.com. Some of these sites just want to serve up popup ads to bring 

in some advertising revenue; others will seek to install malicious software 

onto visitors’ devices. It might seem like a minor mistake, but it can have significant consequences, 

so always double check any address you type in manually before clicking “enter.”

6. Shoulder surfing

During the pandemic, laptops stayed put at home. But as employees move 

their devices back and forth between the office and home, travel for business, 

and set up temporary digs in other shared workspaces, there’s a greater 

potential for risk. Stealing sensitive data in these scenarios is as easy as 

glancing for just a beat too long over a would-be-target’s shoulder to spy 

what’s on their screen, where someone can pick up login credentials or a 

PIN code. Shoulder surfing, as it’s known, is a form of social engineering 

where an attacker attempts to gain secure info to later access devices or 

services. One way to get around this is with a product like HP Sure View, 

an integrated privacy screen that blurs what can be viewed from an angle 

and can be toggled on and off in less secure situations. 

7. Zero-click attack

Zero-click attacks, also known as “zero-click exploits,” require no action on 

behalf of the victim, meaning that even the most vigilant employee can fall 

prey. To make matters worse, these types of attacks often leave little trace 

behind, which makes detection extremely difficult.

Instead of relying on social engineering, these attacks depend on exploiting 

vulnerabilities in software applications, often messaging and voice calling apps. 

Once they get access, attackers can extract information or money from their 

targets in a variety of ways, such as installing ransomware or stealing customer 

or employee data. While individual employees may not be able to spot a 

zero-click attack, they can help prevent them by keeping their operating 

systems and apps up to date, only downloading apps from official app stores, 

and deleting any apps that are no longer in use.

“Threat actors will continue to target employees because they view them as 

the weakest link,” says Pratt. “But with the right communication and training, 

employees can become an organization’s strongest line of defense.”

HOW TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY

Over the last 25 years, I have had the privilege of personally coaching hundreds of business owners. And as such, there are so many things that go into teaching and training great leaders, one of which has to do with the ability to lead with integrity. Leading with integrity is so important to help set the right tone, and to help ensure that your leadership team creates helpful, healthy, empowering, meaningful stories for your company and your customer base. Now this skill set takes deliberate work every single day, but the payoff is worth the effort ten fold. So today, I wanted to share with you some ways that you can lead with integrity for your own team. 

Be On Time

Being on time, all the time - sends a few messages to others around you. First, when someone is really punctual, it helps evoke a sense of trustworthiness about yourself. Others instinctively feel like they can rely on you to help them out and that you have their best interests at heart. Being on time also sends the other person a message that they are valued. That you value their time, and the effort that it takes for them to attend the meeting, and that you don't want to waste their time by being tardy. So make sure that you are always on time whenever possible, and encourage your own key team members to do the same with their own teams.

Always Do a Wrap-Up

For every leader that leads with integrity, there are dozens of leaders who fall short. And many of your current employees have likely experienced what it is like to work for leaders that don't really understand the implications of falling short. So if you want to lead with integrity, make it a habit to always do a wrap-up after a meeting. Clarify all action items and deliverables in writing in a post-meeting recap and send it to everyone in attendance.  Not only will this help you keep on top of your to-do list, but really shows your team that you value their time and effort. And again, encourage this to become a company wide habit whenever possible. 

Beware of Phantom Deliverables

A phantom deliverable is something that somebody else thinks you've committed to, but you actually haven't.  And if you fail to deliver on that commitment, it can really lower how others see you as a leader. Which of course, isn't really fair, since you never committed to the thing in the first place. So, in order to lead with integrity, it's important that you are mindful of what could be phantom deliverables by laying out the expectations early on. This could sound something like: "By the way, I am not going to be doing X.  We don't need that to be done.  It's not the best use of my time.  Instead, I'm going to be focusing on this other thing." It's important to communicate with everyone involved so that they understand where the deliverables really fall. And an after meeting email wrap up is a great place to again review what was promised during the call. 

Leading with integrity is a work in progress, and one that you have to commit to focusing on every single day. But with deliberate effort, you can be a leader that your team not only trusts but wants to do the best job possible for. 

BY DAVID FINKEL, AUTHOR, 'THE FREEDOM FORMULA: HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT SACRIFICING YOUR FAMILY, HEALTH, OR LIFE'@DAVIDFINKEL

HOW TO MAKE A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION: SEVEN TIPS THAT REALLY WORK

We have all heard this warning: "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression."  Also, psychologists, writers, and seminar leaders caution that we only have from seven to seventeen seconds of interacting with strangers before they form an opinion of us.

     With this widely acknowledged pressure to "make our case" instantly, here are my seven tips for making your first impression strongly positive.

 1. The greatest way to make a positive first impression is to demonstrate immediately that the other person--not you--is the center of action and conversation.  Illustrate that the spotlight is on you only, and you'll miss opportunities for friendships, jobs, love relationships, networking, and sales.  Show that you are other-centered, and first-time acquaintances will be eager to see you again.

     Recently I attended a conference.  At lunch, my wife and I sat with several people we didn't know.  While most of our tablemates made good impressions, one man emerged as the person we'd be sure to avoid all weekend.  He talked about himself, non-stop.  Only rarely did anyone else get a chance to speak.   Unfortunately, he probably thought he was captivating us with his life story.

     I applaud this definition of a bore: "Somebody who talks about himself so much that you don't get to talk about yourself."

 2. Closely related:  You'll make a superb initial impression when you demonstrate good listening skills.  Give positive verbal cues: "Hmmm. . .interesting!"  "Tell me more, please."  "What did you do next?"  Just as actors benefit from prompts, your conversational partner will welcome your assistance in keeping the exchange going.

     Nonverbally, you show you're a skilled listener by maintaining steady eye contact.  Remember how you respond to the social gadabout who appears to be looking over your shoulder for the next person he wants to corner.

 3. Use the name of a new acquaintance frequently.   "Judy, I like that suggestion."  "Your vacation must have been exciting, Fred."  You show that you have paid attention from the start, catching the name during the introduction.  Equally as important, you'll make conversations more personal by including the listener's name several times.

 4. Be careful with humor.  Although a quip or two might serve as an icebreaker, stay away from sarcastic remarks that could backfire.  Because you don't know a stranger's sensitivities, prolonged joking might establish barriers you can't overcome, either now or later.

 5. Follow Dr. Wayne Dyer's advice, offered in his wonderful book "Real Magic," by "giving up the need to be right."   Confrontations with somebody you've just met will destroy rapport before you even start building it.  Wait until you have established credibility before you challenge another's statements.

 6. Appearance counts.  Several years ago, a professional colleague offered to meet me for lunch.  I decided against wearing a suit, opting for a sport coat and tie.  When he showed up in shorts and sandals, the message he conveyed was: "Bill, meeting you is a rather ordinary experience, and doesn't call for me to present a business-like appearance."  Not surprisingly, that was the last time I met with him.

     True, standards for appropriate attire have changed drastically.   Maybe the best advice I can share came from a participant in a seminar I conducted.   She said, "I don't dress for the job I have now, I dress for the job I want to have."

 7. As a communication specialist, I have to point out that an individual's speaking style impacts the first impression, maybe more than we wish.   Listeners judge our intelligence, our cultural level, our education, even our leadership ability by the words we select--and by how we say them.

     Think of Professor Henry Higgins of "My Fair Lady," who changed a "guttersnipe" into a lady by teaching her to speak skillfully.   While none of us occupies the lowly level of Eliza Doolittle, we can keep her example in mind.  Rather than mumble, speak so you're easily heard.  Enunciate clearly.  Alter your pitch, to avoid the dullness of a monotone.  Display animation in both voice and facial expression.  Gesture naturally, without "canning" your movements.

     Keep these seven tips in mind.  They will reduce your fear of business and social encounters with unfamiliar faces.  More positively, you'll start enjoying poise and success that you thought were beyond your reach.

 

by Bill Lampton