Best practices in making Vimeo videos

Video is slowly but surely proving itself as the future of online marketing. According to MWP Digital Media, 55% of Internet users watch online videos every day. Meanwhile, Invisia estimates that videos account for 74% of total online traffic in 2017. This is expected to grow to 79% by next year.

Video-sharing websites like Vimeo are steadily gaining ground as key players in Internet marketing. Here are some of the best practices in creating compelling video production using Vimeo.

 

Branding should be front and center

One of Vimeo’s major selling points is its superior customizability. Keep in mind that the video production itself is already an advertisement of a brand or business. Take advantage of branding opportunities that come with Vimeo Pro and Business accounts.

• Display the business logo prominently on the screen • Set a color theme and background image that represents the brand
• Choose a great thumbnail for every video
• Create a unique URL for every video
• Create custom end screens to promote the brand and include a link to the main website

Overall aesthetic appeal is all part of the game. Customize and make a good first impression.

 

Content is still king

Vimeo has a reputation for being the more high-brow version of YouTube. Videos of cats, babies, and people doing random things in front of a webcam hardly find a place in this platform.

Videos are not all about visuals. Making a good first impression is important; what comes next, even more so.

• Make the first 10 seconds count

The beginning of a video can either make it or break it. Internet users have a notoriously short attention span. According to a study by Visible Measures, 20% of viewers turn away from a video in just 10 seconds, at times, even less.

It is imperative to engage a viewer within the first few moments of the video. To do this, open with a “hook” or a short preview of what the video offers. Use this to convince the viewer that the rest of the video is worth their precious time.

• Pick a good story

Focus on storytelling, and not just that – add value to the story. Offer something to the audience: pose a question (or answer one), share new knowledge, educate, or take their ordinary experiences and present it in an extraordinary way.

• Capture human interest

What makes someone like and even share a video he or she watched online? The answer is simple: something in the video resonated with him or her.

Know your target market. Pay attention to what they want and need to watch. What are their desires? What are their inspirations? What moves them? People gravitate toward coherent, well-thought-out stories that speak to them and for them.

 

Personalization and optimization

Make it easier for a Vimeo video to be noticed and seen by existing and potential consumers. Make it stand out using search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

• Give it a power title

As with any type of content, the headline is the first thing that catches the people’s attention. Choose a title that will spark the audience’s curiosity or trigger their imaginations. Do a keyword search and include appropriate keywords and key phrases in the title to help the video rank higher in search engine results pages.

• Write an awesome description

Same goes for the video description. Be clear about what the video is about and what kind of content can be expected from watching it. Make search engines “understand” the video better by using relevant keywords and key phrases.

• Choose an eye-catching thumbnail

Every upcoming film is judged by its trailer. In video productions, the thumbnail plays such a role. Vimeo allows the option to select a custom thumbnail for each video. Choose one that has a strong visual appeal and best represents the video. The “preview” will set the audience’s expectations about what is to come.

• Include a call to action

As mentioned above, Vimeo now allows users to customize video end screens or outros. This feature includes a “Call to action” (CTA) option that adds a button with a custom link. Personalize the CTA screen and link back to the business website to increase inbound marketing links.

Making a killer Vimeo video is now easier with the help of unique tools and features that this platform offers. Business and marketers should take advantage of Vimeo’s fresh take on online video production.