The Best Ways To Promote Your Moving Company Using Video Content

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Business Basics, Moving Company Resources, Sales & Marketing

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

When promoting your business, it’s important to use every tool available to you. That includes video marketing.

In 2022, consumers spend an average of 19 hours per week watching videos online (according to one survey by Wyzowl.) In general, video content helps boost sales, supports marketing campaigns, and gains you followers on social media platforms. In fact, 87% of video marketers from that same survey reported that video gave them a positive return on whatever amount they invested into it.


What to consider before creating a marketing video

marketing video

Those numbers probably sound exciting. But what should you know before you dive into trying to make a video for your moving business?

What’s your budget?

Creating video doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive, but it is important to have an idea of your budget ahead of time.

If you make a video (that isn’t just on your smartphone), the average cost of video production is around $1,000 to $5,000 per finished minute. That’s a pretty wide range, and your equipment, staff, and other factors will impact the final cost. Still, if you’re serious about getting some serious returns, this is a good benchmark to help start your planning. 

Be sure that if you’re going to invest in video, you don’t skimp on important expenses. Quality is often much more important than quantity when it comes to video.

What results are you expecting?

Also consider why you’re creating a video and what results you expect from it. It’s important to set “SMART” goals, which stands for:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Timely

For example, if you want to get into video production in order to increase your social media following, a good SMART goal may be: “Grow TikTok followers by 10% over the next three months”. Get it? 

And it’s not the end of the world if you don’t hit your goal, especially in the beginning while you’re still learning. The point is to have something to work toward!

Make a style and keep it

Keeping a consistent style is also important, especially when it comes to branding and engagement. You don’t have to do the exact same thing every time, but viewers should eventually grow to recognize your videos based on the general look and format.

There are many directions you can go stylistically. Will you be speaking directly to the camera? Will you be demonstrating an activity that needs a certain viewpoint? Will you include animation. Know the answers to these questions before you get started so you ensure you have the right props and equipment.

How To Make High-Quality Videos 

video

In most cases, you want your videos to look high quality and professionally produced. This requires investing in the right equipment. Fortunately, there are quality options out there to fit a range of budgets. 

Equipment required 101

Camera: There are many types of cameras on the market that are good for certain types of filming. The most popular options today are DSLR and mirrorless. They have interchangeable lenses and are small and portable. When shopping for cameras, important specs to compare include resolution, frame rate, image stabilization, autofocus, and more. You can expect to spend around $400 to $1,000 for a basic consumer version of DSLR camera, or $2,000 to $3,000 for a basic professional model. Higher-end models can be several thousand dollars.

microphone cameraSound: How your video sounds is just as important as how it looks. It all starts with choosing the right microphone (you don’t want to rely on the one built into your camera). Again, you have many options for external microphones. For example, a top-mic, which sits on top of your camera, is a good place to start. When choosing a mic, be sure it has a shotgun or super-cardioid polar pattern, which picks up sound from the front while blocking out sounds from the side. It also needs a good shock mount to avoid any noise from handling the camera. You can also try a lavalier mic, which attaches to a person’s clothing, and can either be wired or wireless.

 

“Thumbnails (small preview images used to represent videos) are the first thing people notice when scanning through YouTube and other social media sites. If you don’t have a compelling thumbnail image for your video, you could lose out on clicks.”

 

Lighting: Lighting can make or break the quality of your video. The professionals use a three-point lighting technique, which involves a key light, fill light, and backlight set up at certain angles to control brightness and shadowing. As for what types of lights to use, you guessed it: There are many choices. Natural light is often the best (and cheapest) option. But if you’re filming indoors or at odd hours, you can use simple clamp lights. If you go this route, make sure all the bulbs have the same temperature and brightness.

You can also try a ring light if you plan to sit and speak directly into the camera. And if your budget is a bit larger, you can buy studio lights, which run a few hundred dollars each. 

Editing technology: Finally, you’ll need software to edit your video and get it ready for the world to see. Some of the most popular, beginner-friendly video editing tools include After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro. These professional tools do require either a one-time licensing fee or monthly subscription, so if you’re not sure which program would be best for your team, you can try out some free options first:

  • Free online editing tools: Just because some video editing software is free doesn’t mean you can’t create professional-quality videos. They may not have the same level of features, but you can accomplish everything needed to put a great video together. Some good options for free editing tools include DaVinci Resolve, Lightworks, HitFilm, Adobe Express Video Editor, and Canva Video. Some of these tools offer both a free and paid version with more features. 
  • Apps: If you’re working on shorter clips, like videos meant for social media, you could use a free video editing app. Some popular options include Apple’s iMovie, PowerDirector, and Promeo.

Get the Monthly Movers Newsletter



Optimize your videos for mobile 

Mobile video consumption doubles every year. As of 2020 4.18 billion people – which is over half of the global population – are mobile internet users, according to Hootsuite. Which is why it’s crucial to optimize your videos to be viewed on mobile devices. 

Square videos tend to get more interaction, plus they take up more space in mobile news feeds. Be sure to make any text large enough to be seen on a smaller screen, as well, and ensure you include captions for those who are watching without sound. Also, keep it short, since mobile users have short attention spans. 

Make effective thumbnails 

Thumbnails (small preview images used to represent videos) are the first thing people notice when scanning through YouTube and other social media sites. If you don’t have a compelling thumbnail image for your video, you could lose out on clicks. 

It can help to include title text to give more context to what viewers are about to see. Also, pay attention to the font style you choose, and make sure it’s consistent and matches your brand. As for the actual impact, bright, contrasting colors will catch the eyes of scrollers. Just be sure that the image you choose is relevant to the video and a good representation of what it’s about.

“You don’t have to do the exact same thing every time, but viewers should eventually grow to recognize your videos based on the general look and format.”

 

Optimize for Google (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) means making sure your content is visible to search engines and will show up at the top of search result pages. It’s another way to expand the reach of your video content and ensure that it gets in front of the people who are looking for it. 

Just like blog posts, the keywords you include in the video’s title and meta description are important. Do some keyword research to find out what terms people are searching for that relate to your video, then ensure those terms are used (naturally) in the metadata. Remember that even though you are optimizing for search bots, the text should still be engaging and interesting to actual humans. Be sure the rest of the page that hosts your video is optimized as well.

Ways To Promote Video Content 

The more eyes you can get on your videos, there more opportunity they have to gain virality. So make sure all your videos have buttons for sharing on major social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, etc.). Even better, allow viewers to grab the embed code so they can repost, keeping in mind there are slightly different protocols depending on the platform.

Integrate other marketing strategies 

tiktok logo

Video marketing can work great on its own, but it often works best when incorporated into a larger marketing strategy. 

For example, you can create an email marketing campaign that features your videos, which can help increase subscribers, open rates, and return viewers. Or tie a video into a giveaway on your social media accounts, which will not only increase views, but (hopefully) lead to more followers as well. 

Even embedding videos into blog posts or landing pages can help you keep users on your site longer, increase engagement, and help your content rank better in search. One study by  EyeWideDigital found that having a video on a landing page increased conversions by a whopping 80%.

Create engaging content with trending topics

Create something with value for your viewers, research trending topics in your industry and make something informative and helpful.

Tips for Planning Exceptional Video Content

movers content

  • Create a calendar: Just as you would make an editorial calendar for written content, it’s helpful to calendar out your video content, too. This can help you keep track of various projects and deadlines, as well as plan videos around important trends and campaigns. You can keep it simple and use Excel or Google Sheets to manage your video calendar, or look into a special tool for video planning.
  • Create storyboards: Another way to keep your video creation organized is by storyboarding. This essentially serves as an outline for your video, allowing you to plan out the scenes and see if there are any gaps – before you start spending money on production.
  • Create social media stories: You can repurpose the videos you make by turning clips into social media stories or reels and driving views back to the full piece. 
  • Check out video trends: Not sure where to start? Do some research and see what’s trending in popular videos today. For instance, shoppable videos are growing in popularity, as are augmented/virtual reality videos and even silent videos.
  • Make informative tutorials and how-to guides: If you’re not ready to delve into virtual reality just yet, simple explainers are usually a hit. Consider whiteboarding a concept or showing how to do something with a short, fun animation. For moving companies, this may be a video for packing difficult items like fragile jewelry or art supplies.
  • Make top 10 lists: People also respond well to listicles and rankings. So consider experimenting with this format in video. Try creating a video around the top 10 do’s and don’ts when moving, 10 tips for packing, top 10 items to bring and not to bring… you get the idea. 
  • Show the best ways to use your service: It can also be helpful if you use video to explain how your business works and how to get the most out of your service. 
  • Explain how to do something: 
  • Bring testimonials to life: Written testimonials are one thing, but seeing a real, live person talking about how your business has helped them can build a lot of trust with potential customers. Putting testimonials in video format can help boost conversions and trust in your brand. For business owners, think about clients who have expressed their satisfaction with your stellar service. A short, 30-minute interview can be repurposed into multiple video testimonial clips for different audiences. Even easier, ask them to voice-record their written review or testimonial and use it as audio in promotional videos.
  • Make video infographics: If you have interesting data to share, you can visualize it in an entertaining and easy-to-digest way by turning it into a video. A compelling infographic can also help you stand out from the sea of existing video content and gain traction on social platforms. Consider sharing helpful data about moving to and from your area, 
  • Share industry expertise: Are you considered an expert in your industry? Do you have insights to share that can benefit customers or your peers? Show how knowledgeable you are and help viewers gain a better understanding of a certain topic by sharing that info in a video. This can be anything from how to time your move to save money to common scams and how to avoid them.

The Bottom Line 

Today, video production is an important part of a business’s marketing strategy.

If you haven’t incorporated video into your marketing efforts, it’s time to start. It’s possible to create professional, entertaining videos on just about any budget. And you don’t need to be an expert in videography. As long as you invest in the right tools, your business can benefit from video marketing. Remember, quality is more important than quantity.

×

I'm Moving

Moving? Thinking about moving? Whether your move is off in the distance or you already have one foot out the door, you'll learn about everything you should expect through our useful how-to's, cool articles and much more. It's all specially curated for you in our "I'm Moving" section.
Explore
×

I'm a Mover

For rookies or veterans alike, our "I'm a Mover" section is filled with extensive industry news, crucial protips and in-depth guides written by industry professionals. Sharing our decade of moving knowledge is just one way we help keep our professional movers at the top of their game.
Explore