Online video is a communication tool. Certainly, one of the most effective communication tools marketers have at hand to date. Videos can raise awareness and promote conversion amongst prospective customers while keeping your existing clientele engaged. In this article will equip you with the fundamental questions to consider before you go ahead and switch on the camera. Let's start clarifying your approach...

1. Why am I communicating? What do I want to accomplish?

So, you have arrived at the conclusion that you want to incorporate video in your overall marketing strategy. More important than the question "What am I going to say?" is establishing why you are choosing to make a video in the first place.

.) Do you want to increase the visibility of your business/ organisation or event?

.) Are you announcing a new service or event to your customers?

.) Do you want to engage people in a certain issue?

.) Are you asking people to make a decision or take action?

.)Why does anyone need your communication -- why should they pay attention?

The answers to these questions should be as clear as possible. Don't just jump behind the driver's wheel without knowing where you are going - you will need to focus on your destination. For example, instead of answering something hazy, such as "I want more sales", be precise and say "I want to gain potential customers' trust by giving them more information about our organisation and the people that work here."

In order to measure the impact of the video, the goal needs to be determined upfront.

2. What do I want to communicate? Why is it important for my audience to know this?

Keep your message clear and concise. Do not confuse your viewers by trying to communicate a whole lot of different messages in the same video. Ask yourself if your message is concise enough to be condensed into a gripping, short video.

As with any other on- or offline medium, content is king. The clearer your message is, the more compelling your content - the higher your audiences' engagement levels. Additionally - the length of a video is a crucial factor. Internet users have notoriously short attention spans. Keep your message short and powerful. Remember The Golden Rule of the web: Quality over quantity.

If you find that you have a lot of different messages you want to communicate through video than the best approach is to start thinking about a video marketing strategy.

3. To whom am I communicating? Who is my target audience?

Videos can be used as tools of mass marketing just as well as niche marketing tools. The primary goal of any marketing communication is to be believed: We attempt to influence our audiences' beliefs, needs and actions. It is important to know that you will never be able to address everyone with the same message.

Before you switch on the record button on your camera you have to ask yourself:

.) Who do you see as your potential audience?

.) Do I understand what drives my target audience to make a decision?

.) Which online platforms does your target audience use mostly?

.) Will you be communicating to an existing clientele or are you trying to win a new audience?

.) What makes my target audience tick? What excites them?

Your audience can be broken down into either demographics such as age, gender, income level, ethnic background or psychographics such as lifestyle, hobbies, attitudes etc. and/ or a combination of both.

Once you have identified who you are targeting, where you can find them and what makes them tick, you have a solid base to formulate your key message and start thinking about how to best convey it.

4. Key message

The word 'message' in itself refers to a piece of communication that is received and understood. The basis of developing a winning key message is to ensure that it matches the needs of those who receive it.

Once again ask yourself:

• What makes me different from my competitors?

• What's the biggest benefit of my offering/ buying from me?

• Why should people come to me/ buy from me?

Sometimes it can help greatly to obtain fresh views from people who are not closely involved with your business - such as your customers. Speak to your existing customers to find out why they choose you over your competitors. You may be surprised about some of the answers you will hear!

Features vs. Benefits in your key message

Potential customers are mostly not interested in the exact features of a product or service. It isn't the feature they are buying, it is what the feature does for them. As marketers we have to have a clear answer to the consumer's questions: "What's in it for me?" or "Why should I buy this?"

When you describe the benefits to a prospective customer, the likelihood of them making the connection in their brain that they need/want what you have to offer increases substantially.

All sales decisions are ultimately based on our emotions. Even when we seek to be objective and rational, we only buy when we feel that something is right for us. In the best case scenario you are able to highlight that your product or service presents a solution to a problem.

Try out the following with your own product or service:

Draw up a table consisting of 3 columns and several rows.

1. In column 1 - list every possible feature of your product/service.

2. In column 2 - ask yourself the question "What's in it for me?"

3. In Column 3 - ask yourself "Which emotional benefit do the answers of column 2 create?"

Keep repeating this process until you've exerted every possibility.

Now check the emotional benefits against your target market and ascertain where they connect with what your target customer wants and/or needs. These are the stories you need to be telling.

5. How will I get people to see my video? How to get (more) traffic?

Your job will not be done by creating a video and uploading it to your website. In order to attract a number of quality viewers you will have to put effort into the promotion and distribution of your video marketing product. The following tips will give you an overview of the basics required, in fact though each and every single point will require more of your research time.

8 fundamentals of getting your video seen

• Choose a descriptive and effective title

• Upload it to your website

• Upload it to as many different platforms as you can. Ensure that you follow the best practise of optimisation on each platform (click for professional tips on YouTube optimisation)

• Choose the most relevant keywords. Be specific (don't use highly competitive keywords such as "funny" or "hilarious").

• Market your video and link to it! Post links in your email newsletters, on all your social media profiles and on bookmarking sites.

• Engage with other videos from your niche. Post comments and get involved in conversations with the aim to drive traffic to your videos

• Always encourage viewers to take some form of action if they like your video. YouTube loves engagement - it will help you rank higher on YouTube and if you're lucky even Google will show your video in its search results.

• Don't give up! In case your first attempts fail - do more research, refine your video marketing product and strategy and keep trying.

6. How will I measure success rates?

Online marketers are still faced with difficulties when it comes to measuring the exact ROI of video marketing. As a rule of thumb - it's not the number of views that counts. It is a success of course if you manage for your video to be seen by a large number of people, however what you are really after is a high level of so called 'engagement' and ultimately conversion.

Video engagement refers to the actions viewers of your videos are happy to take.

Conversion refers to website "visitors who convert casual content views or website visits into desired actions based on subtle or direct requests from marketers" (source Wikipedia).

You will find that if you manage to appeal to the prospects' emotions and/ or offer a solution to a problem, viewers will be happier to engage with you and your brand and your conversion rate will increase exponentially.

Monitor the following:

.) Numbers of likes and comments

.) Numbers of subscribers

.) Re-posting and embedding of your video content (viral spread)

.) Reactions of your customers. If you can, do ask you customers how they found out about you. In case they have been attracted by one of your videos - ask them what they found particularly useful and/ or enticing about them. You can do this on a either on a personal level or in form of customer surveys.

It is certainly worth mentioning that video should be part of an overall integrated marketing strategy. Video marketing will work if done with a considerate, well thought-out approach with the right budget, effort and time put in.

Remember: a consistent audience requires a consistent approach!