Selling Your Courses Online With Course Marketing Videos
When you set out to sell courses online, why is video important in getting your courses found on the web? Take a minute to reflect on the fact that YouTube is owned by Google. We see videos appearing in search results alongside text from websites, indexed based on the videos’ keywords and descriptions. Videos are a searchable resource that Google indexes and ranks, just like web pages. That means that if you don’t use video you’re missing an opportunity to get noticed in Google search. When you make course marketing videos a part of your marketing efforts, you will find that it can improve your page rankings substantially.
Think about how people tend to respond to videos. They get more attention when they are placed on websites and in social media than other types of content. By capturing the attention of someone right away, it gives you more time to get your ideas across. They are far more likely to stay through your video than they are to read a long post that says virtually the same thing.
Working with video can increase engagement on social media sites and your blog as well. When you put up a video, more people are willing to make comments and ask questions. In addition, they are likely to share the piece of content with others who are in their friend list. In fact, they share these types of posts far more than they will a regular blog post or content on social media.
Video also happens to be a good way to connect with viewers on an emotional level. Whatever your course might offer, you are able to use the videos to talk directly to the viewer. You can let them know about the course, and more importantly, how it can help them to better their life in some way.
Using video can also help to increase the number of customer conversions, and that is one of the most important reasons for you to use it. Many marketers find that their video conversion rates are much higher than any of the other methods they are using. There is also the chance, however slim it might be, that you could have a video that goes viral and is seen by millions.
Furthermore, they are a good means of engaging people in a conversation because they can comment on your videos and start a dialogue with you.
Does video cost money to produce? It used to, but things have changed. It’s now within everyone’s reach to make good quality videos and put them on the Web for little or no financial cost. All you need is a camera that shoots video or a decent smartphone and you’re in business. Now, what types of course marketing videos can you make and post on the Web? Marketing research has shown that the most successful types of marketing video for selling courses online are:
1. Sales Videos
These tell people what they will get from taking the course and give compelling reasons to take action and make the purchase. These need to appeal to people’s emotions, namely fear and desire. They tell an irresistible story and include a big call to action at the end.
2. Tips And Teasers
These course marketing videos help to establish you as an expert in your field, by showing viewers a clever trick or tip related to your subject. A maths expert might talk viewers through a problem and solve it in an interesting way, or a Health & Safety expert might mention a hazard people rarely think of. It all leads in to establishing yourself as a mine of useful information and leads people down the path towards buying a course from you.
3. News, Reviews, And Commentary
Show how involved you are in your field and be a thought leader. Give your opinion on recent developments in your industry, or review a new tool or brand.
4. Behind The Scenes
The videos do not always have to be about selling the course directly. This is especially true if you plan to use video material to help supplement your blog posts, and to start your own channel on YouTube. Having videos that go “behind the scenes” and talk about what you do or what your employees do can give people more insight into your personality. While this might not be appropriate for everyone – it depends on the type of training course most often – it can work for many. Adding a little bit of humor, if possible, can help any video that you are creating.
5. Talking Head And Testimonial Videos
You might want to have course marketing videos where you or someone else simply talks to the camera and lets the viewer know about the course you are offering. You could intersperse their “talking head” segments with diagrams, charts, and anything else that could enhance the content. While these can work for some types of courses, they are boring unless the speaker has a good personality or you do something else to make the content interesting.
Using testimonial videos can be a very good idea though. They are similar to talking heads. However, they feature people who have taken the training course and who can speak to how much it helped them. Just make sure that you are using real people for the testimonials. If you use actors, or people who have never actually gone through the course, it will show through and you will come across as untrustworthy.
When you have made a video, upload it to YouTube and embed it on your site. Make sure it is tagged with relevant keywords and that the description contains relevant keywords as well. If you find yourself enjoying making videos, why not become a vlogger, making a video-only blog or videos that complement a blog you are writing?
If you aren’t so enthusiastic about video, then make five or six good ones and post them to YouTube. They will stay there indefinitely and they can generate leads for you.
When making videos, do it as professionally as possible. Use an appropriate backdrop and keep the look and feel of the videos consistent. Check that sound quality is as good as it can be with the equipment you have. If the sound is scratchy or muffled or too quiet, people will simply stop watching your videos and look elsewhere.
Should You Choose DIY Or Professional?
One of the benefits of working with professionals in the creation of a video is that it cuts down on the production time since there is no learning curve. You should still have plenty of control over how the video turns out as well.
Of course, the downside to this is that working with yourself is probably a lot cheaper than working with a professional! If you do work with pros, you can expect to pay professional prices for their services. For some, it might be worth it. For others, it might not be in the budget. As you’ve seen though, it is possible to create decent videos on a budget when you do it on your own.
Video is one of the most important parts of the web. Consider how many hits YouTube gets on a daily basis. People love video, and you should consider using it to help with your marketing and brand growth.
