2019 is the Year of the Video. It’s THE digital marketing trend that’s not going away – and the one every school and college needs to pay attention to.
Video is social media’s preferred content, hands down. Per Wyzowl:
- 97% of marketers say that video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service.
- 76% indicate that it has helped increase web traffic and sales.
- 95% of people have watched explainer videos to learn more about a product or service.
Unlike published posts or still images, video puts a face on your brand and allows you to showcase what you do best. Prospects get to know your leaders, faculty and students in a fun, authentic way and learn about your curriculum without scrolling down. With drone footage, prospects can even see a bird’s eye view of your campus.
Make the most of your school’s video footprint:
- Produce video that profiles your head of school and use it as welcome piece.
- Videotape teachers and students during the academic day.
- Offer parent and student testimonials with video.
- Showcase your campus and various departments.
- Keep it to three minutes in length. Shorter is even better.
- Use analytics to learn what videos work and don’t work to inform future videos.
- Have fun! Be creative with your productions.
For Facebook videos, always, always download the videos you want to publish on Facebook directly to the platform. DO NOT stream videos that are otherwise hosted on YouTube or Vimeo. Facebook prioritizes its own videos in users’ newsfeeds over those streamed from a third-party site.
Want more tips on using video on Facebook? Check out our recommendations.
For the biggest marketing impact, use YouTube to livestream video.
Live-streaming on YouTube will only get stronger in 2019. Last year, live video was poised to become the next internet trend to fully engulf and engage social media users. Though Facebook Live still has value for brands, it has been on the decline since 2017, as “longer, premium video content became the new priority.” According to Newcast Studios, YouTube remains the best live streaming platform.
To understand live video, you need to understand its value. “Live” is best because it can help you build a strong connection with your audience. People like to be recognized and feel important. When someone hosting a live-video segment gives a shout out to an audience member, or mentions someone’s name when responding to a question, that creates a real connection for the person(s) watching.
Imagine offering a live tour of your school or offering a live video of a special event that prospective families might not otherwise attend. No painful, time-consuming editing, and viewers get to interact in real-time. Think well beyond live video for ceremonies and performances. Consider tours, games, studio art classes, science experiments, workshops — the sky’s the limit.
YouTube vs. Facebook for live streaming.
While Facebook live streaming may be better for reach, fast and easy mobile usage and rich analytics, YouTube wins out for scheduling, requires zero modification, and reliability. Essentially, anyone can watch, including people who don’t have a Facebook account.
- Email links: YouTube Live Stream can be sent as a link via email and doesn’t require a YouTube account to view; Facebook requires an account to view.
- Embed player: YouTube video player can be embedded on any web site and shared on any platform; Facebook only allows viewers to watch on Facebook.
- Comments on or off: YouTube comments can be disabled; Facebook requires a live moderator to delete comments during the stream.
- Notify subscribers via email: You can notify your YouTube channel subscribers of the time and date of the stream; Facebook goes live to the viewers timeline.
- Thumbnails: YouTube makes it simple to upload thumbnail art; Facebook can, too, but you need to understand the Facebook API.
- Stability: YouTube’s streaming servers are more solid; Facebook tends to crash or drop out more frequently.
- Live videos on YouTube have a longer lifespan because YouTube prioritizes view time and relevance. Whereas, Facebook live video is short-lived, as Facebook will always show the latest posts at the top of viewers’ newsfeeds.
Interested in more digital marketing trends to watch for in 2019? Read our trend-watch.
Kalix can help you make the most of your digital marketing – and all your enrollment marketing needs. CONTACT US.
Gerri Baum is Digital and Social Media Lead for Kalix Marketing.
Yes, I said that YouTube is best. But you still need to know how to master video on Facebook.
