How Much Does A Music Video Cost In Nigeria? is one of the many question a lot of upcoming and fast raising artiste ask a lot and today we will be enlisting to you all you need to know about the cost of music video production in Nigeria.
The Nigerian music industry has really grown from what it used to be 20 years ago, this growth has affected a lot of other sectors of the industry and one of those sector is the music video production of the songs of this artistes.
Not just that, the improved quality of the music video production is one of the many reasons behind the increased popularity of Nigerian pop music, online and offline. And behind these memorable videos are teams of inventive, dedicated professionals.
It is a well-known fact that Music videos are now as important as the songs in reaching new markets and sustaining the tempo of air play. With the increase in smartphone usage and cheaper internet data, the ability to view videos online (YouTube) and download the latest videos from sites like Tooxclusive.com and Notjustok.com has never been easier.
Why Are Music Videos Important to Artistes?
There are 2 major ways through which music videos help artists:
Exposure
Revenue
Typically, music videos are produced and released in the early stage of a songs’ release cycle, intended to drive exposure through additional channels for fans to consume, whether they are shown on TV, or streamed in a public area.
When brands enter the picture and strategically place products in music videos, it can produce a new revenue stream for the artiste while also building exposure for the brand. (Nielsen.com)
What Does A Standard Music Video Production Budget Cover?
A standard Nigerian video can cost between N2 million and N10 million depending on the production budget of the artiste.
A standard and top quality video production budget covers the following but not limited to the following:
Concept development
Casting
On-camera talent
Pre-production
Choreography
Rehearsals
Location fees
Props
Costumes
Production equipment
Production crew
Editing
Visual effects
Color correction
Video encoding
Digital delivery
So What Changed the Nigeria Music Video Scene?
With the breakthrough in Nigerian music crossing borders and foreigners beginning to appreciate our music better, the Nigerian artistes caught the buzz and improved the quality of videos. However, this wasn’t done without some notable names.
Enter Clarence Peters who took over the market around 2005/06. He changed the face of the Nigerian videos. What Clarence Peters had that others before him like DJ Tee didn’t have was a good Camera, in fact he was a very good Camera handler which was his unique selling point.
Most Nigerian videos made use of the Mac3 or Mac2 years back, but Peters was the first to use the D7 camera. With time other producers followed suit and consequently the quality of videos improved.
Reasons Why Nigeria Videos Cost Much
Concept: Some Directors have their own in-house creative services department with a team of writers, directors and designers who help develop creative options for the artistes to choose from. This will definitely cost money.
For example, DJ Tee directed the ‘Eniduro’ which shot Olamide to limelight. In the video Olamide wore 25 different outfits and in addition the video was in black and white.
Technology: Nigerian videos are now advanced and producers have moved from using Coma shoots/ Greenhouse effect where the video is shot in one house or location. With the aid of Cameras like D7 used by producers to shoot videos, this has driven up the cost of videos shootings. This is because some of these cameras are quite expensive and require efficient maintenance.
Logistics, Wardrobe, and Props: These items determine the look of the video, and their importance cannot be overstated in terms of the final product.
Good locations can be expensive, and sometimes even requires existing relationships. Even free locations end up costing money. It is easily noticeable that lots of Nigerian artists travel to places like South Africa, Dubai, America to shoot videos and the locations used in these places require lots of money.
Ash Hamman a UAE-based Nigerian-born artist is reported to have shot the most expensive video in the Emirates. The video gulped a whooping DH850, 000. The money was spent to rent flashy cars, luxurious yachts and beautiful girls.
He said “I want to make a statement. Let me do what everybody is doing, but do it on a larger scale. I said ok, people want to use one Lamborghini? I want five (5) Lamborghinis. People want to use five (5) choppers? I want seven (7) choppers. People want one (1) girl? I got seven (7) girls.”
For his video, he ended up using 13 exotic cars, 3 yachts and 40 female models.
The Cast and Crew: A great music video requires lots of talented people. A shoot generally involves at least 7-10 production professionals. These people work on day rates and sometimes bring their creativity and scripts on how they want the video to look like.
For example, when Clarence peters shot the video for ‘Ghostmode’ Olamide ft Phyno. An eye-witness who was at the making of the video confirmed that about 10 tankers of water and flowers were used during the shoot.
Availability of resources: Much more money is flowing in the music industry with artists selling millions of albums, million-dollar sponsorship deals from the top companies in the land. Lots of these money is spent on music videos to keep pleasing the fans and maintaining the make-believe lifestyle these artists live.
Olu Maintains’ ‘Enuf Effizi’ has been claimed to be the most expensive music video. Olu Maintain has been a big player in the game for a long time and has the resources to spend so much. In the video he used a Private Jet, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and expensive PROFESSIONAL models.
P square has one of the highest selling albums in the country and also generate the highest revenue from shows for any African artist or group. They have featured American Rapper Rick Ross in their video shot in the US on a yacht. We all know how much it is to feature a foreign “A” list artist, then to also get him to appear on the video also. This would cost as much as $30,000 in cash.
Experience and Connection of Producer/Director: Only a handful of people know that Clarence Peters worked on the set of TV Programme Everyday People as Assistant Director, then he went to South Africa, came back and had a deal with TV Station Soundcity. The deal was that for every of the video he directs, he has a playing slot on the station. This also helps drive his price because Nigerian Artists know that once he directs their videos the chances of their videos being aired is higher.
Sesan, another famous Producer who shoots all of Mavin records videos has his style. He doesn’t shoot low budget videos and wouldn’t want to work with the Artists budget, even if the artist has over 1 million Naira.
What about the rave of the moment Mr. ThankGod Omori Jesam popularly known as TG Omori or Boy Director, At the moment, he is indisputably one of the most prolific music video directors in the countryHe has more than 100 music videos to his name. With top Nigerian musicians like Olamide, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tekno, Kiss Daniel, Fireboy DML, Falz, Timaya, and Naira Marley on his list.
Final Thought
Conclusively, a major factor attributed to the expensive nature of producing videos here in Nigeria or anywhere is the excuse artistes give concerning the exchange rate between the naira and the dollar. They argue that if the Federal Government gives the same or better treatment as the one given to pilgrims as it affects the exchange rate, their bills will be minimal in producing music videos.
There will always be need for film schools in Nigeria, why! the entertainment industry in Nigeria is rapidly growing a very fast paste and to accommodate that growth we need professionals to fill up professional spaces in the film industry and that’s where you need film schools. Lot of talented youths are seriously seeking for the best film schools in Nigeria, academies and institutes in Nigeria where the tutors have vast experience in the filmmaking industry so as to register and get trained in acting, video directing, filmmaking, photography, animation and cinematography just to mention a few. Are you one of them? Have you been considering a glorious career in acting and filmmaking? If YES, then this article is only what you need to read today. Nollywood is one of the Nigerian biggest industries and had produced brilliant talents over the years in terms of writers, producers, actors and actresses, cinematographers just to mention a few. The likes of Chico Ejiro, Emem Isong, Funke Akindele, Uche Jombo, Saint Obi, Mercy Johnson, Chidi Mokeme, Richard Mofe Damijo, Genevieve Nnaji, Osita Iheme and Chinedu Ikedieze and so many talents are all Nollywood products. Nollywood presence has become an avenue for many Nigerians to gain their dream of working in the entertainment industry. So, if you’re dreaming of becoming a star on television you need to attend a good film school well equipped with material and human resources to bring out your creativity. Fortunately, several training academies and institutes are in Nigeria, targeting people who wish to discover their talents in film making. Without further ado, allow me to unveil the list of best film schools in Nigeria:
Kennysoft Film Academy is one of Africa’s leading film and digital art institution, located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Offering certificates, diplomas and Workshops programs in filmmaking and digital art. We offer an intensive, hands-on, total immersion approach to learning, no previous experience is required. Simply put, “we give your dreams wings to fly”!
Courses offers in diploma
• Diploma In Digital Photography
• Diploma In Digital Art
• Diploma In Digital Filmmaking
Courses offers in certificate • Certificate In 2d Animation • Certificate In 3d Animation • Certificate In Photo Editing And Photo Manipulation • Certificate In Visual Effect • Certificate In Video Editing • Certificate In Motion Graphics • Certificate In Cinematography
Wale Adenuga Productions, found PEFTI Film Institute Limited in 2004, to provide opportunities for newcomers and seasoned professionals to gain professional training in the fields of film, television, and music production. Programs Offered: • Acting and Presentation • Choreography • Costume and Makeup • Digital Film-making: Cinematography (Camera + Light + Sound) • Digital Film-making: Editing • Digital Photography (Photography + Picture Editing) • Directing • Music • Music Studio Production • Producing and Production Management • Script – Writing (Radio, Stage and Screen) • Set Design PEFTI Film Institute is in 5/6 Joy Avenue, by UBA Bank, off Osolo way, Ajao Estate, Isolo, P.O.Box 4325, Oshodi, Lagos State. Website: www.web.pefti.tv
Royal Arts Academy, one of the most highly-rated film academies in Nigeria was established in July 2010 by Emem Isong to help in nurturing talent and skills, specifically in acting, directing, editing and screenwriting. In July 2016, the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) accredited Royal Arts Academy. With each succeeding session, students poured in increasing numbers from all areas in Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Liberia, Kenya, Dubai and Mozambique. The students of this programme may proceed after this to polytechnics or universities for higher education. Alumni of the institution such as Theresa Edem, Ijeoma Agu, Lota Chukwu, Bunmi Ajakaiye, Etinosa Idemudia, May Owen, Debby Felix and Emem Ufot, gained ground and prominence in Nollywood, using the experience and knowledge gained to expand the canvas of the Nigerian entertainment industry. Courses: • Acting • Cinematography • Directing • Editing • Screenwriting Duration: 3 Months Campuses: Lagos (₦123,500) Uyo (₦123,500) International Students ($491) Address: 4, Adebisi Close, off Ogunlana Drive, Surulere 100001, Lagos Email: info@royalartsacademy.com.ng Website: www.royalartsacademy.com.ng
The Del-York Creative Academy is Africa’s foremost capacity building institution for film, media, animation, technology, and marketing communications industry. Certified by Nigeria’s National Board for Technical Education, Del-York Creative Academy has remained the best filmmaking and media studies institution since its founding in 2010 by Mr. Linus Idahosa, and has since attracted participants from across Africa and as far as Europe and the Americas. This film and media school is pioneering the growth of the African Creative Industry, through its intensive hands-on training programs that provide a rich learning experience that empowers participants with the skills they need to lead successful, creative careers. The academy has a mission to build a vocational bridge for students between academia and industry guaranteeing professional success while training and empowering a generation of exceptional talent that will move Africa forward through cinema, storytelling and media innovation. Courses • Acting For Film (On-Premise) • Screenwriting For Film and TV (On-Premise) • Cinematography and Set Lighting • Directing • Film Editing • Digital Content Creation and Social Media Influencing • Public Relations and Media Communications • 3D Animation • Producing and The Business of Film-Making • Fashion, Arts and Craft • Music Video Production • VFX • Intro To Theater Production • Makeup and Special Effects • Costume and Set Design • Digital Marketing • Photography • Colouring and Grading • Drones • Sound Design and Scoring For Film • Acting For Film (Online Course) • Screenwriting For Film and TV (Online Course) • Broadcast Journalism (Online Course) • Producing and The Business of Film and TV (Online Course) • Documentary Filmmaking (Online Course) • Digital Filmmaking (Online Course) • Digital Marketing (Online Course) • Fashion, Art and Crafts (Online Course) • Post-Production (Online Course) Email: inquiry@delyorkcreative.academy Website: www.delyorkcreative.academy Addresses: 3, Sapara Williams, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria 117 East Colorado Blvd., Suite 600, Pasadena, California, USA
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Yul Edochie Academy
Yul Edochie Academy is a subsidiary of Yul Edochie Arts World, a reputable and redefined academy for acting, and a training ground for actors/actresses with visions of training the next generation of actors. It is located at Dkk Plaza, KM 46 Lekki-Epe Express, Farms Bustop Beside Splash Bar, Ajah, Lagos Nigeria Phone no. 0903 830 0784, 0701 277 5557, 0903 735 9580.
Scene One School of Drama
Scene One School of Drama offers a training system that combines solid academic experience on introduction to drama, traditional and contemporary dance, music, etiquette and manners and lots more. Scene One School of Drama is located at, lkeja, Lagos Nigeria
Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA)
Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, LAPA, is an accredited acting and performing arts institution stationed in Lagos, Nigeria. This film school was founded by Nollywood legends Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs, is accredited by the National Board of Technical Education of Nigeria. , which delivers world-class, hands-on training in acting and performance disciplines. LAPA offers Diploma and Certificate training programmes covering all aspects of Acting, Directing, Scriptwriting, Critique, Cinematography, Set Design, Make-up, Costume Design and Dance/Movement for stage, radio and camera presentations.
Film for Teens Africa Academy
Film for Teens Africa Academy is a film school in Nigeria notable for 3D Animation, as much as anything else. Located in Lagos, Film for Teens Africa offers lessons undertaking cinematography, script writing, video editing, photography, make up, 3D animation and lots more.
Magnus Film Academy (MFA)
Noted as one of the best film schools in the country, Magnus Film Academy is located in Enugu state. It is dubbed by many as a place where aspiring actors and actresses hone their skills, and are transformed into movie acting professionals. Magnus film revolves around craft and digitalization, combining experienced and internationally renowned professionals and practical learning experience.
Reach World Art Academy
Reach World Art Academy provides acting education in all round entertainment ranging from music, dance, acting, stand-up comedy, MC, poet and lots more. It is located at Kilmore Schools at st.Rose of Lima cath. church Amukoko Roundabout, Gaskiya, Lagos Nigeria 0706 390 6924, 0809 611 8676, 0903 736 6251
Final Thought
These are major film academies you should consider learning skills that will help you fit properly into the film industry in Nigeria. As you should have known, to get trained in a wonderful filmmaking and cinematography school in Nigeria isn’t free, so budget money for your fees, accommodation, feeding, equipment’s. It is necessary to opt for schools that can boast of the industry-standard training facilities to ensure you are getting quality value for your money. Visit the official website of these film schools and institutes to make enquiries and get latest news and updates. Beware of scammers that will parade as agents and schools. Finally, if you know any film school in Nigeria that is equally a good option or shouldn’t be in this list, please let us know in the comment section. Tell us the film school and why it is excellent or bad for upcoming actors and actresses in Nigeria. I wish you success.
This is our best music video directors in Nigeria, as you already know the Nigeria music industry has really improved and one of such improvement is on our visual, Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talented music artists – the bests in Africa No caps – who release hit songs ever now and then. Guess what? Some of the songs from your favorite artist’s won’t be as big as they are without their music videos. Music videos boosts an artist’s visibility and exposure exponentially as stated on Redbrick.
So I am going to give you a track list of the best among the best music video director in Nigeria, crap your popcorn, relax and enjoy the read.
Best music video directors in Nigeria, our top 10
SESAN
If you know the old Mo-Hit owed by Don jay and Dbanj In the early 2009 then you most know sesan, Sesan dominated the Nigerian music video scene. You either see his name Sesanor his company Film Factory and his music videos are always gold. Sesan has worked with top dogs in the Nigerian music space. Some top videos directed by him include;
Oliver Twist Remix by DBanj and Kanye West
Final (Baba Nla) by Wizkid
The Sound by Davido
In The Morning by Mr Eazi
Good Thing by Asa
Soweto Baby by Dj Maphorisa and Wizkid
CLARENCE PETERS
His face might not be popular, but his name certainly is. With over 20 years of experience, Clarence Peters is one of the biggest names in the Nigerian music video sector in the country. He is also a filmmaker and cinematographer.
Peters was born into a prominent family. He is the son of legendary afro-juju singer, Sir Shina Peters, and iconic actress, Clarion Chukwura.
He obtained his primary education from BI primary school and his secondary education from Government College Ikorodu. After finishing secondary school, he worked at Alpha Visions for three years.
He graduated from City Varsity ― a film school in Cape Town, South Africa, where he majored in cinematography.
Upon returning to Nigeria from South Africa, Peters teamed up with a group of filmmakers to establish the Alliance Film Company, which is now known as the Allied Film Company.
Peters worked with the company for a year and eventually started his own production company. The ace music video producer has worked with virtually every A-list entertainer in the country.
Some of the multiple award-winning music video producers works include; GhostMode by Olamide featuring Phyno, Johnny by Yemi Alade, Eminado by Tiwa Savage, among many others.
MEJI ALABI
Music video directors
Uk born Nigerian, Meji Alabi is first on our list of leading music video directors in Nigeria. Meji has carved a name for himself as one of the forces driving the waves of music video production in Nigeria currently.
He has collaborated with several A-lists shooting stunning videos for artists such as Mr Eazi, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Maleek Berry. In 2014, Meji Alabi co-founded a production company, JM Films. The company specialises in creating visuals for music videos, commercials, movies and television.
In 2019, Meji Alabi signed to Black Dog Films, a Uk based creative agency. His genius track record is a solid one; cutting across various movies, commercials, and music videos.
Meji Alabi remains has remained a leading Nigerian talent in film production in recent times.
UNLIMITED LA
During the days when Olamide and his YBNL boys were in charge of the airwaves, Unlimited LA was fixed on our TV screens. In 2021, and the talented video director is still among the hottest in the industry. Hes responsible for the video of some smash hits including;
Science Student by Olamide
Bahd Baddo Baddest by Falz, Davido, and Olamide
Bam Bam by Timaya and Olamide
Sho Le by Sean Tizzle
Repete by Black Magic
Katapot by Reekado Bankz
Poverty Die by Olamide
TG OMORI
Born ThankGod Omori Jesam, the music video director is also fondly called Boy Director. Although he is from Cross-River State, Omori grew up in Agungi, Lagos State, from a middle-class background.
He started directing at the age of 15 while overseeing stage plays in his school and church. Omori started making videos at the age of 16, but took it up professionally at 18, after graduating from PEFTI Film Institute, making him one of the youngest professional filmmakers in Nigeria at the time.
In 2019, he shot into prominence as he was the brain behind most of the chart-topping music videos. Some of his popular works include Soapy and Am I A Yahoo Boy both by Naira Marley, Totori by Olamide featuring Wizkid, Billionaire by Teni, Nobody by DJ Neptune featuring Mr Eazi and Joeboy, among several others.
MOE MUSA
Moe Musa is a celebrated Nigerian music video director and one behind some of your favorite Nigerian songs. He was most prominent during the 2010s but hes still making outstanding music videos in 2021. Here are hit songs whose videos he directed;
Azonto by Wizkid
Bobo by Olamide
Ukwu by Timaya
More by Ice Prince
Bum Bum by Diamond Platnumz
Skelewu (unofficial) by Davido
Only Girl by Adekunle Gold
In My Head by Larry Gaaga and Patoranking
Go Low by Wande Coal
MATTMAX
Mattmax, owner of Mattmax Productions. This talented video director has been active in the industry since 2005. His videography boasts of renowned Nigerian artists and also hits some of which include;
Soke by Burna Boy
King Kong by Vector
Superstar by DBanj
Stupid Love by Olamide
Check and Balance by Burna Boy
PATRICK ELIS
Patrick Elis is one of the music video directors that revolutionized the Nigerian music industry. He was there at the very start of the career of the biggest stars in Nigeria and helped them score major visual credits. Patrick Elis is responsible for several hits including;
Holla At Your Boy by Wizkid
Yawa by Tekno
Kukere by Iyanya
Baby Na Yo Ka by Flavour
N.W.A by Phyno and Wale
Sekem by MC Galaxy
So Far So Good by Phyno
Sexy Ladies by Oritse Femi and Davido
DAPS
Oladapo Fagbenle fondly known as Daps is a British born Nigerian artist and video director. Daps rose to starlight after shooting the video for USA hip hop group Migos hit song Bad and Boujee. The video went on to become a US number one and generated hundreds of millions of views.
Daps had a career as an athlete for many parts of his life until 2010. At the age of 24 when he decided to take up a career in video production. Since then, Daps has gone on to attain world-class heights.
He was the mastermind behind the visuals that accompanied Afrobeat superstar Davidos hit track Fall. The music video surpassed 100 million views, becoming the most-viewed video by a Nigerian artist on YouTube.
Daps has shot videos for several local and international A-list artists including Kendrick Lamar, Iggy Azalea, Willie xo, Davido, Wizkid, 2 Chainz.
DIRECTORKEN
Fast raising Nigerian music video director owner of kennysoft STUDIOs, has been one of the music video directors in Nigeria revolutionizing the music video industry with creative and innovative music videos.
Kenneth Horsfall who is fondly called directorKEN has been the opportunities to work with some of Nigeria biggest artist like:
Bracket ft Cynthia Morgan – far away
Waconzy – dance
Jordan the first – loving lazy
Aramide Featuring Adina – Truth
Just to mention a few.
Video directors are no doubt indispensable in the music and entertainment industry. A video is a visual representation of a song and it helps to increase the visibility of the artiste and song, so the roles of these music video directors cannot be over-emphasized.
You most consider this factors when doing digital marketing as a business owner, you must know that one of the most important things you need to focus on is your digital marketing strategy. However, having an online advertising strategy isn’t only about building a responsive and user-friendly website, there are also various, important factors you need to consider before you begin any digital marketing, all of which will influence your strategy.
Before we can go into details about the factors that make for the success of any Digital Marketing Campaign, we should first define what the term digital marketing means. In the past, it has also been called Internet marketing, e-marketing and web marketing, these alternative terms varying over time, but none of these is broad enough to encompass what digital marketing is today
Many business owners believe that it is all about their website or Facebook page. It is a far more complex and deeper subject, actually covering any ‘electronic’ means (channel) that a customer uses to interact with a business.
It, therefore, covers all Social Media, access through Google, YouTube and any of the many other Search Engines that exist, plus of course Email. And when it comes to the devices, there is the desktop computer, the laptop, the smartphone, and the growing number of devices, like Alexa. Plus, with the Internet of Things becoming a reality, soon a customer’s fridge will be interacting with your business. this is a challenge for you and your Digital marketing and design agency.
Each way in which a customer interacts is labelled a ‘channel’, and the level of interaction can be a complex one, depending on the level of integration (with your business systems) and tactics you apply.
One recent definition is “Achieving marketing objectives through applying digital technologies and media.”
Perhaps then we should refresh ourselves as to what ‘marketing’ is all about?
Defining marketing
The Chartered Institute of Marketing defines marketing, like this:
“Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably”.
It is important to bear this in mind as is it is all too easy to set objectives for digital marketing based around ‘vanity metrics’ such as the number of ‘likes’, ‘followers’ or indeed website traffic. All of these are merely milestones on the route and not a goal in themselves.
In simple terms, digital marketing is promoting products and services online, which are accessible via digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets, wearables, smart TVs, laptops, and desktop computers. Hence, it’s also called online marketing. Digital marketing doesn’t seem to be an option anymore. Now, it’s important for every business to have a digital marketing strategy set in place to reach more potential customers and attain their marketing goals and achieve more sales.
Factors To Conside6r When Doing Digital Marketing
But what makes a digital marketing campaign successful? The success of your digital marketing strategy depends on many factors, which will be discussed in detail below.
Website Performance
Having a website is a prerequisite to launching your digital marketing campaign. And to drive your digital marketing success, your website’s performance plays a crucial role. If your website is slow loading and difficult to navigate, chances are you won’t earn a significant number of visitors and leads.
For your website to have good performance, it must have the following qualities:
User friendly
Engaging
Helpful
Fast loading
Test your website with Page Speed Insights by Google
SEO
Search Engine Optimization has had some bad press over the years, notably because it was, in its early days, all about ‘tricking’ Google into giving ranks to pages (sites) that did not in fact deserve them, by taking advantages of ‘holes’ in the ranking algorithms.
Today, with Google’s advanced systems, such trickery is counterproductive because SEO is now being all about ensuring that sites meet Googles stringent rules and ‘assisting’ Google to make the right choice, i.e. giving a page the best rank possible for any relevant search term.
It is a long-term process, but it is a vital part of any digital marketing campaign. It provides the huge and highly attractive benefit of improving a website’s position in the search engines results pages (SERPs) and thus delivers targeted traffic in high volumes. Failure to appear in the Google results is often counterproductive when a customer, having been ‘touched’ via another channel wants more information.
The content of the pages (so called On Page Optimization) should focus on your visitors needs and wants and should cover the questions being asked on the web. You also need to understand the intent behind visitors’ searches (through good keyword research and testing).
Off-page optimization is another vital part of the SEO process, focusing on building links and ‘Social Signals’, these ‘helping’ the search engines to identify how relevant your content is thought to be by others.
Traffic is not enough though; the website must deliver conversions.
Clear Call To Actions (CTA’s), targeted landing pages, and ensuring the site loads quickly and is easy to use are essential requirements. Above all the site must enable the complete customer journey to be made with the minimum of effort, navigation tips and aids being used in support of this aim.
Set your digital media marketing goals
Your goals help you stay focused on your digital media strategy. If you want to see success with digital marketing, you must determine what you want to achieve with your strategy. Goals depend upon your business’s needs.
Whether you’re looking to gain new leads or earn more conversions, you must think about what your company wants to achieve by investing in a digital marketing strategy. If you’re looking to increase sales, your next digital marketing goal could be raising sales by X%. In short, your marketing goal should align with your business’s overall goals.
Every digital media strategy goal should work towards achieving a larger company goal. Additionally, these goals need to be SMART goals. SMART goals are:
Specific: Your digital media strategy must aim to achieve a specific goal. A vague goal, like “earn more conversions,” won’t help you know if you’ve reached your goals, but a specific goal like “increase conversions by 20%” states precisely what you want to achieve.
Measurable: Your goals must also be measurable. A measurable goal is one that you can easily track, such as “increase traffic by 50%.” With a goal like this, you can visibly see how much your traffic increases or decreases over the course of your digital media campaign. When goals are easily measurable, you can identify key metrics and determine how much you’re accomplishing.
Achievable: Before setting a goal, you need to determine if you have the resources and ability to achieve it. A goal like “increase sales by 50%” may not be achievable for your company and can derail your strategy and discourage the people on your marketing and sales teams.
Realistic: Similarly, to achievable, your goals must be realistic. You might be able to achieve a goal like “increase Facebook likes to 4000,” but if you’re trying to do that within a short amount of time, it may not be realistic for your business. Measurable milestones will help you reach those goals that are more difficult to accomplish.
Timely: Your goals must have deadlines. With enforced deadlines, your teams will be more motivated to keep your digital media strategy on track. Without a concrete deadline to push your teams to accomplish your goal, your goal runs the risk of falling by the wayside.
SMART goals help you stay focused and know what you’re aiming to achieve.
Identify your target audience
You need to know exactly who you’re marketing to with your products or services. Identify the common points between your customers, and segment them into groups according to their:
Location
Age
Income (occupation)
Goals
Needs
Interests
And priorities/values
The easiest way to do this is by using customer lists, surveys, and interviews to create representations of your ideal customers (called buyer personas or marketing personas) based on real data, not assumptions.
VIDEO MARKETING
YouTube’s blog recently stated that they now have 1 billion unique customers every month and that 6 billion hours of videos are watched every month – which was 50% more in March 2013 than it was in May 2012.
Video marketing is also an essential part of your website and in the days of smart phones, digital cameras and free video editing software it has never been easier. Videos can be embedded on your website and can also be uploaded to, and shared in YouTube. Videos have the ability to show clearly which products and services your company can offer – most people will prefer to watch a 1 minute video than read a page full of text.
Use High Quality Content only
Last on our list, yet not least significant is the fact that you have to use high-quality photographs, videos, and articles. These things are utilized as tools for increasing your brand awareness, which is why you need to guarantee that the content you create is HQ, interesting, as well as fun for your consumers.
Marketing Automation
There are many different marketing automation tools available today, each one allowing for some of the repetitive processes to be taken over by technology. Examples of this are the automated sending of emails or ‘Join My Network’ requests on Social Media.
Any automation has to be carried out with care, as, if it is allowed to become robotic, it could have negative effects. More and more businesses are, however, incorporating automated elements into their digital marketing campaigns. Statistics show that about 70% of marketing leaders are using some form of marketing automation platform. Indeed, these tools speed up and streamline the processes involved, without them it would be difficult to manage all your digital marketing efforts.
Social Media Influencers
Social Media is a vital Digital Marketing Channel and one that cannot be ignored, because it is the best way to create a feeling of community and associate this with your brand. It’s a great tool for marketers and allows the creation of a large number of personal interactions, which in turn can promote long term loyalty.
Social media can also be a valuable tool for monitoring feedback about your business or brand. This is useful as when you change something about your website, business, or launch a new campaign, you can instantly find out how your users feel about it.
It is also an excellent way to provide customer service, many users preferring to contact you via social media, rather than send in a support ticket.
However, building a connected online community is not an easy task, and for best results it is vital that your dedicated social media team utilize a content plan, this detailing the message and when it is going to be sent.
Using it correctly to attract and engage with potential customers by using original content, can bring in huge amounts of traffic and potential sales.
The biggest issue is in selecting the correct type of content. It has to be of the right type though, posting a series of funny cat videos or memes does not fit in with many brands.
Determine your product’s unique value proposition
Every product and service needs to have something about it that makes it valuable to customers. If you can’t showcase the value, people won’t know why they should buy your product or invest in your services. To identify your product’s value proposition, ask yourself these questions:
What need does my product fulfill?
Customers buy products or use services to solve a problem or to improve their lives. You must determine how your product or service benefits your customers, so you can showcase the value. Take some time to identify the unique value of your product or service that will address those needs and concerns.
Ask questions like:
What problem is my product solving?
What does my product do that makes life for my customers better?
How does my product solve the problem better than my competitors?
What capital and means do I have to bring that value to customers?
How can I sustain my product’s unique value?
Where is my business qualified to compete in the business environment?
In other words, what is your niche market? You need to determine which niche your products and services fall into to compete successfully.
If you enter into a market that doesn’t fit your products and services, you’ll likely have a hard time making an impact on that niche’s audience, and you won’t be able to out-compete your audience. Identifying your niche allows you to determine the value of your product compared to your competitors. You can see what you offer that’s better than their product and vice-versa.
Budget
Your budget allocation for each marketing campaign also plays an important role in the success of your online presence. Before you even think of pursuing a digital marketing campaign, you need to determine how much the strategy would cost you to avoid any delays or interruption while the campaign is ongoing. In this way, you could maximize your efforts and gain the best results.
Consistency: It is necessary to constantly promote your company. Even when you do not get results immediately
Using the correct digital marketing channel: It is essential to know which channel to focus on if the desired results are to be achieved
Choosing the correct audience: The correct audience is as important as choosing the correct digital marketing channel
Conclusion
In order to ensure the success of your digital marketing, there will be a wide range of things that you’ll need to consider and do. However, by following some or all of the tips mentioned above, you’ll certainly be able to make the entire planning easier, less time-consuming, and less stressful for everyone involved.
So, now that you’re aware of all the things you’ll need to focus on, you might not want to lose any more of your time – after all, time does equal money in the business world. Instead, keep all of these tips in mind and start creating a digital marketing strategy that will suit your needs.
Baker arranging showcase in bakery. Selling product to a customer.
Today we will be talking Video marketing tips for small businesses in Nigeria, incase you don’t know video marketing is here to stay, you accept it or not the truth remains that in 2022, video marketing is rapidly becoming the most popular form of content marketing, with most consumers preferring short-form video over any other content type. As video marketing content continues to rise in popularity, there are a few best practices and helpful hints and tips your small business needs to know about. We’ve done the research, gathered the best tips and have broken it all down by platform to help your small business boost sales with video marketing content in 2022.
As the demand for online videos grows, video marketing becomes more relevant. Besides giant corporations, small businesses can also use online videos to promote their products or services online and attract more customers.
Before we go into details let define what’s video marketing so we can all understand better,
What Is Video Marketing?
Video marketing is a strategy that uses videos to share valuable information. These videos can help gain the trust of potential customers, establish credibility, and raise brand awareness.
If small businesses produce bite-sized video content, they can attract customers, generate leads, and drive conversions as long as they share it on various digital marketing platforms like Facebook, YouTube, etc.
So, let’s begin. Grab your popcorn and dim the lights: your small business’s screen time starts now.
Video marketing tips for small businesses
Tell A Story
A great marker should be a great creator. Marketing means being creative and thinking outside the box, yet we often seem to forget that and get caught up in the technical aspects of it such as reports, metrics and all kind of different tools that are supposed to increase the ROI.
But at the very foundation of a solid video campaign is nothing more than a good storyline. Remember that at the other end of your campaign will be a human being who needs to relate to your story and that’s what your focus should be on.
As per this presentation which is based on YouTube’s studies, 70% of the effectiveness of your campaign will depend on how good is the story behind your video. That’s how important this very first step is and if you get it wrong, you will have a flimsy foundation to build your campaign on. It doesn’t matter if you shoot in 4K, have the best videographer and the video editor or if your laser targets your audience. It all comes down to the story.
The storyline will have to be somehow dependent on your brand and there are no specific guidelines, but generally speaking, videos that are either funny or emotional (or both) tend to perform better.
So definitely put the majority of your time and efforts into building a solid script before you actually start shot the video.
Use an Introductory Video To Tell Your Story
As a small business in a sea of other small businesses, the proper thing to do is introduce yourself properly. What better way to do that than with an introductory video?
Whether it’s an on-the-fly Live Q&A social video on Facebook, a behind-the-scenes look at the operations of your business, or a business profile video on your website’s home page, introductory videos start a dialogue with your audience. Create an online video to answer frequently asked questions, share a behind-the-scenes look at daily operations, and illuminate your brand’s story.
Take a look at this video marketing effort from Warby Parker, which shares the common problem that inspired the company and tells the audience how their process offers an affordable solution.
Now, adopt this concept to share your brand’s story. Focus on the problem you offer a solution to and the inner workings of the business, its history, beliefs, and mission statement.
Keep It Short
Keep your videos short – Not only is short-form video content much easier for brands to create, it’s also the type of content that customers love to consume! Did you know that people have an attention span that’s only 8-seconds long? Your audience is much more likely to watch an Instagram Reel than a full-length YouTube video.
Show Rather Than Tell
The whole purpose of the video is to actually show your viewers who you are, what you can do and how your service or product works. If a picture is worth a thousand words a video should worth a million.
Get as specific and as explicit as you can with your video. Be totally transparent and let your audience see what it is that you will provide them. Don’t just have someone in a suit behind a desk talking for 2 minutes straight about your company profile. Nobody is interested in that. Instead, show them what you can do for them.
Zappos, which is one of the biggest retailers specialized in skiing equipment has increased conversion with as much as 25% just by adding demo videos to each of their product. So if you’re selling a physical product that’s a great way to boost sales.
Quality Over Quantity
My number one tip is simple but absolutely non-negotiable: you must be uncompromising when setting the standards of quality for your video content. We know the research behind user behavior and how digital algorithms manipulate user experience.
Producing impactful, compelling content that moves viewers to opt-in and continue watching despite the endless options awaiting them behind another swipe or click is absolutely more important than ever.
Quality over quantity always.
Create Content That Educates Your Audience
Creating high-quality content, not necessarily high production value, that educates your target audience and answers their questions is key for your digital strategy.
The number one category on YouTube? How-to videos. I tell our clients to start with sharing tips, tricks, and even behind-the-scenes of their operation on video.
Create Company Vlogs
Add video diaries to your video marketing. You can do these monthly or weekly or whatever works best for you, but make sure you are doing regular vlogs where you talk directly to clients or prospects on what your company has been doing, what you’re working on now, and what you have planned for the future.
These videos create a personal relationship that is so hard to get these days, they convey useful information, they display your company culture, and best of all; they’re very inexpensive to produce.
So find someone with a great on-screen personality or a high-ranking employee and do these regularly. You’ll be amazed at what these can do for a small business.”
Use Video Testimonials
Get video testimonials from your best customers. Happy customers can usually sell better than you can. It’s not difficult and you can do it very quickly.
Contact a few happy customers, shoot their testimonial on your phone, edit it down to the most important information and then post it on your social channels by buying geo-targeted ads. Post them on your website and use them in an email campaign to your existing customers.
Let your customers sell for you. I know this will work because we have been using this strategy for over 3 years in our business and it is a huge part of why we have generated millions in sales from clients.
Target A Platform
One mistake that we’ve seen many businesses do is to simply take the same video and throw it on all social media platforms. While that will probably get you some results, it is definitely not the optimal way of handling it.
And it’s not just us saying that. Mark McMaster said in the same presentation cited above that 44% of the campaigns they analyzed were not optimized for the platform they run on. And when we say platform we pretty much refer to just YouTube and Facebook as these two giants take up 86% of all online video view (not taking into account Instagram views which runs through Facebook ads too).
YouTube works like a search engine and people go to YouTube to get answers to specific questions, watch how-to videos, product reviews, and tutorials and so on and so forth. The content they want to watch is informational or educational most of the times. So if you plan on running your campaign on YouTube keep that in mind and make your videos more informational and maybe a little bit less funny.
Facebook, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. There is no intent based. The majority of people go on Facebook so simply distract themselves from work and just to chill. They connect with their friends, and they enjoy watching funny videos or pictures. And that’s what you need to keep in mind if you’re targeting Facebook.
So if the goal of your campaign is to laser target women looking to buy mascara products for example, then YouTube is great for that. But if you want to go after a broad audience, such as women interested in the beauty industry, because you want them to know about your company or your product, that’s what Facebook is great for.
Yes, filming and editing two videos instead of just one will probably cost twice as much, but if you set up your campaign right, the ROI will be better in the end.
First Three Seconds Are The Greatest
According to Facebook for Business, 65% of people who watch the first 3 seconds of your marketing video will watch at least 10 seconds. 45% of those will watch for 30 seconds.
You could have the most amazing, enticing marketing message later on in your video, but if the first 3 seconds don’t capture your audience, the whole rest of the video will go unseen.
Try including an attention grabber to begin your marketing videos that will make them stand out. You may also want to include emotional appeal in your video intro to pull your audience in.
Video Marketing Tips Final Advice:
As a small business, starting a video marketing strategy can feel overwhelming. That’s why we reached out to our network for their advice to give you the confidence to get started.
When launching a new marketing channel, remember to set your goals, create valuable content for your target audience, and stay true to your brand.
And as always, measure your results following a campaign to see what worked and what didn’t so you can optimize your strategy for next time.
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Level-up your marketing efforts by partnering with kennysoft STUDIOs, Nigeria’s No1 video marketing agency. Get in touch today to see how we can be awesome together:
Today i am going to be talking about 5 essential tools every business need to be successful in todays business world we all know launching a business may seem scary at first, but it can be a very rewarding challenge if you have the right tools under your belt. Hundreds of small companies are launched every day globally for example here in Nigeria they are about 41.5 million SMEs, and about 71 thousand are added every year just only here in Nigeria. But the truth is the secret to long-term success is hiring passionate employees and securing the right business tools. If you want to set your company up for success, here are the top 5 business tools every entrepreneur needs to thrive.
5 essential tools every business need to be successful
Website: A business’s online presence, regardless of industry, can have a massive impact on its success. In this day and age, some businesses still don’t realize that a majority of their customers will visit their website before making a purchase.
Having a strong online presence, particularly a website, can be make or break for generating more revenue. One of the main reasons you should have a website for your business is to increase your organization’s credibility. Chances are there are several providers offering a similar service to yours. One way you can stand out is by having a website that looks good and clearly communicates quality information to your consumers.
Without a website, people may question your legitimacy as a business. Having a website is an opportunity to make a great first impression and give people comfort that you’re a real business.
Many businesses get calls from prospects or existing customers asking simple questions about location and hours of operation. If you miss a call, the customer is left unhappy. Calls can also distract your staff from focusing on the most important parts of your business. A website can reduce these calls and increase internal productivity. At the same time, it helps customers find useful information without needing to call, which ultimately provides an all-around better user experience.
Since your website is on 24/7, it’s easy to post updates and announcements to your customers. It’s a way to keep them up to date on everything that you’re doing. When something is particularly relevant to them, it increases the chance of you being able to upsell them.
If you plan on leveraging digital marketing to increase your leads and grow your business, you’ll likely want to drive traffic to a website or landing page. To do this effectively, leverage historic traffic that has been going to your website so you can target the most qualified customers and get the best ROI on your ad spend. This is something that can’t be set up retroactively, so it is best to get your website running early even if you’re not planning on running ads at the moment.
Websites have become essential to business today. I strongly recommend creating one if you haven’t done so already. You can improve it over time, but the key is to start.
Gmail: In the present days having an email is essential because not only it helps you communicate with your friends, colleagues and businesses but it also helps you surf the web to register in blogs to comment, subscribe to newsletters and to shop on the internet.
There are many free email providers but one of the best is Gmail because it has so many more options included when you sign up compared to its competitors. Here we will list some of the benefits of Gmail that make it the best choice for personal and business use.
Google takes security very seriously. If you forget your password, there are very specific steps to recover it and only the owner can get back the password because of all the security steps google has taken to ensure no one else can get access to your password.
The Gmail platform is very easy to customize and you may change almost every aspect of it. You can chafe colors, themes, font size, type of font, how messages are displayed, etc. This way you can modify it to your linking.
With Gmail you can have up to 5 POP email accounts in your main Gmail so that you don’t have to sign in to each email account. For example, you can have your Hotmail and yahoo emails from Gmail, you can receive all new messages to these account and send emails from each of these emails. This a really cool feature you don’t find in many other free email providers.
With your Google Account you have access to Youtube.com, Google Play, Blogger, Pinterest, Google+, Google Docs, Google Drive and much more without having to open a new account for each of this services. It is great to have access with just one username and password to all this services because this helps minimize the number of usernames to access all web services many of us use everyday.
Phone Systems: It can be exhausting keeping up with customer calls, especially if you own a small company that does not have a specific customer service team. An automated phone system can help you deal with an influx of calls in an efficient manner. This tool allows you to answer common questions without tying up employees. You can also take orders, allow customers to make payments and register complaints as needed.
There are many types of phone systems that could be beneficial for your company. Along with automated systems, you may want to invest in a PBX phone system that allows your company to transfer calls between multiple extensions and departments. Small business PBX essentials are especially useful in streamlining communication for startups.
Task-Management Software: Running a successful business requires you to complete numerous tasks quickly and efficiently. Keeping track of all of these tasks can be incredibly difficult, especially if you have several employees with different responsibilities. Investing in task-management software is a great way to streamline the process so you can check items off your to-do list in an organized manner.
The right software can also help you divide tasks and delegate responsibilities evenly among your employees. Investing in software tools such as WorkFront can help you with time management and ensure your tasks and responsibilities are completed in a timely manner.
Google Analytics: As a business owner, you might have heard about — or are already using — Google Analytics. Today, millions of businesses use Google Analytics. If you are one of them, it is necessary to know how you can maximize this tool.
First, What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics helps businesses get a better grasp of their website. It also helps evaluate and measure how marketing, content and products are performing relative to user engagement. This tool collects data and sorts it into useful information.
Google Analytics provides businesses with tools that help measure trends. For example, showing business owners if there are specific products on their website that are suddenly gaining traction.
Further, Google Analytics can help businesses predict clients’ behavior. For example, the rate of customer churn in a specific period. This tool is able to provide data that can help you allocate the necessary funding to retain your customers. These kinds of insights can help you create better marketing strategies and other business-related plans. These features create a clearer path for you to achieve a return on investment.
For Google Analytics 4, measurements include both website and app. So, data is a combination of two integral parts of your operations. It is now also able to include data from your YouTube account alongside other channels. This way, you have a more comprehensive view of your marketing efforts.
Better Understanding of Client Behavior
The upgrade has a more customer-centric approach in measurement. This includes user IDs that aid in tracking behavior with regards to your business. The new version is capable of providing information about your client’s life cycle in interacting with your channels. Since they are given unique user IDs, you can track their behavior individually — from the acquisition stage to retention.
This is important as consumer behavior is rapidly changing. Being able to get ahead by making real-time decisions based on true data is essential. Track which channels are effective in customer acquisitions, and keep a pulse on data regarding engagement with your products. This, in turn, can aid business entities to pave plans for better customer retention.
In my experience, this change has been one of the most useful as it can help businesses create a more personalized approach. In the older version, business owners were only given platform-centric data, which didn’t help much in regard to targeted marketing.
Targeted Marketing
Google Analytics offers a comprehensive set of features that can help you scale how you manage your digital marketing efforts. The data collected by this tool can be managed in different ways. One is using these sets of data for ad personalization, which plays a great role in marketing. Google gives you the option to set up personalized ads relevant to the geographical data collected from your clients.
For example, say you have gathered a useful amount of first-party data from a specific state. You can use this set of data to create an audience for your next ads. This data will aid you in placing ads that will yield sure returns as it is targeted to an already interested market.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
At this point, you probably know or have an idea of what SEO is. It is one of the most highly effective digital marketing efforts today. Google Analytics contributes to making this even more efficient and effective in helping you grow as a business. The tool gives insights regarding the pages of your website that are gaining a relative number of visitors and your best-performing pages. This can help you strategize on what kind of content to invest in and how you allocate your efforts accordingly.
Creating Innovative Business Ideas
To make sure your business grows, you need to introduce new ideas that set you apart from your competitors. However, coming up with ideas is one story, but having ideas that are worthwhile is another. So, how do you introduce new things that are worthwhile? By basing them on data and facts.
With the information Google Analytics provides, you can start implementing upgrades and innovations. These changes can further help you have an edge over other competitors.
Going over these data can help you devise actionable plans and reasonable business goals. Take, for example, reports indicating that Reddit forums help in customer acquisitions. Given this information, you can create marketing strategies that are tailored to Reddit.
As a business owner, having control over your operations is important. This control should always be data-driven and factual. This is to ensure that your business decisions will bring valuable contributions to how you want your business to grow.
With Google Analytics and all the services, it offers, tracking digital channels has been made easier and more efficient. Through this tool, you are provided with accurate data that can be used to scale your business.
QuickBooks: QuickBooks is the most popular small business accounting software businesses use to manage income and expenses and keep track of the financial health of their business. You can use it for invoicing customers, paying bills, generating reports, and preparing taxes. The QuickBooks product line includes several solutions that work great for anyone, from a freelancer to a midsized business.
Video Marketing Tips and Techniques to Use on a Budget for small businesses
According to a survey by hubspot.com video marketing data, 69% of video marketers surveyed own production equipment while 10 percent rent, and the remaining group does both.
There’s an argument to be made for both.
On one end, creating videos in-house can be cheaper. However, outside agencies can provide higher-quality content.
In fact, most smaller brands (those with 200 employees or less) believe creating video content through an outside agency offers a better ROI than doing so in-house.
However, across all business sizes, roughly a third of respondents say the ROI is about the same either way.
With that said, it’s important to weigh your options and assess when and what you should rent versus own.
Upon first look, it might seem like renting is the smarter (and more affordable) option. However, most marketers surveyed (58%) say creating content in-house is cheaper.
To make this decision, consider the type of content you’ll be producing and the equipment you’ll need.
This is key in determining what is more cost-efficient.
If you’re a makeup brand for instance, you can probably produce great content sitting in front of a camera simply showcasing your products in action with good lighting. However, if you’re a travel and hospitality brand, you’ll likely need props, on-camera talent, location, and many more elements to fulfill your vision. In this case, it may be cheaper to outsource.
2. Separate need-to-haves from must-haves.
When it comes to video equipment, there will always be bigger and better out there.
If there’s one area you should focus on, it’s lighting.
Many believe that having the best camera does the trick but the truth is, lighting is what makes or breaks the quality of a video.
Lighting sets the tone and mood of a video, two elements you need to maintain your audience’s attention in a video.
Sound is another area to splurge on – specifically your mics. This will enhance the quality of your video, especially if you have to settle for low-end cameras.
As for everything else, (the camera, the lens, the accessories), these are great add-ons but if you’re on a budget, you can make do with low to mid-range options while still getting a high-quality result.
3. Leverage user-generated content.
According to HubSpot Blog Research, the number one challenge video marketers face is a lack of time to create video content.
Well, who said you had to create your content from scratch? You’re likely sitting on a pile of content from your customers right now.
If you have a strong social media presence, you likely have a bank of user-generated content ranging from images to videos and text. You can leverage all of these for campaigns and use them to supplement your own content.
For instance, ahead of the official Fenty Beauty perfume launch, its founder and musician Rihanna posted what seemed to be an ad. It was a video compilation of various celebrities and influencers mentioning how good she smells – “like heaven” was a phrase heard multiple times.
Without ever having to produce their own video, the brand leveraged UGC to build anticipation surrounding this launch.
4. Hire student and amateur talent.
When it comes to on-camera talent, this is where brands often struggle to think of alternatives.
They usually opt for an in-house creator just to save money, even though their role may not focus on this area at all. Or they contract talent, which can be costly.
Here’s a third option: Reach out to students and amateur actors.
In some cases, money isn’t the main motivator. It can often be exposure, gaining experience, or building up a portfolio. However, paid opportunities will always generate more interest and can get you more experienced talent.
5. Use free editing software.
When you think of video editing, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Adobe.
It’s the go-to software for production professionals. However, it’s complex and isn’t affordable. If you own an Apple device like the Macbook or iPad, you will have free video editing software already available.
While it doesn’t have as many features and offers limited functionality, it works well for simple editing and you can always find workarounds on platforms like YouTube.
Some free editing software comes with free music or you can find online websites that offer royalty-free music.
If you’re intimidated by the idea of video marketing because you think you don’t have the funds, hopefully, these five techniques will change your mind.
Video marketing is an important part of content creation and can drive sales so don’t let money prevent you from staying in the game.
Sharing is caring so please don’t forget to share this post!
Online influencer creating fun podcast content with videoblog, recording live discussion to broadcast on social media channel. Happy lifestyle blogger using vlogging equipment.
Broadcasting live to thousands of people used to be the stuff of television, requiring millions of dollars and oodles of fancy equipment. Now we have supercomputers in our pockets. With a smartphone or a GoPro, we can broadcast anything to friends over Facebook and YouTube in seconds.
Why Livestream?
It’s fast, it’s fun, and it’s immediate. Livestreaming goes straight to the internet. There’s no editing, no fiddling around with cuts, no overlays or sound effects, and no special filter to make you like Tom Cruise. Just you and the audience. You can show off the best of your skills. Did you learn a new guitar song? Just finished a painting? Want to let the world know about the best graphic novels? Livestream it.
With over 57% of marketers live streaming their content, it’s not hard to see why brands are jumping into the streaming business. But for plenty of brands and content creators, learning how to live stream can be a hurdle.
There’s no shame in admitting the technical side of live streaming can be, well, pretty technical to understand for the majority of us.
Don’t lose hope! In this guide, we’ll unpack all the complicated business of streaming. We’ll walk through how to set up a live stream, what gear to consider, and how to get it set up.
We’ll also tackle how to find the right streaming platform and share tips for a stable internet connection when live streaming.
There’s a lot of ground to cover, so let’s jump into it.
How to set up a live stream
Ultimately, live streaming your content boils down to five steps:
Connect the audio and video sources that capture content for live streaming to your streaming device (PC or laptop).
Configure the encoder – one that translates the audio and video content into stream able files ready to be shared on the internet.
Connect the encoder and streaming platform using the stream key and URL that your streaming platform provides.
Test your internet connection and upload speed
Stream away!
In other words, your live streaming process includes CED or capturing audio and video content, encoding it, and distributing it using a live streaming platform.
You probably noticed there’s lots of gear and live streaming software involved. We’ll address those first, then share the details on how to set everything up.
What equipment do you need to live stream?
Building a streaming setup for beginners is pretty simple. You’ll need a camera, mic or microphone, lighting, and a stable internet connection.
You’ll also need to get your (digital) hands on some live streaming software. More on that in a bit. For now, let’s get started with the live streaming equipment you’ll need.
Camera
If you’re only getting started with testing the live streaming waters, our Live Production Lead at Vimeo, Tom Gott, suggests you’ll only need a single quality camera.
In other words, a webcam will do the job.
But if you’re looking to explore other camera choices, there are plenty of options for every budget. We have great options if you’re aiming to go low-cost into live streaming before upgrading your gear.
Beginner level video sources:
Your phone’s camera
An entry-level live streaming camera like DJI Osmo Action, GoPro Hero, Logitech C930e, or Mevo camera.
Intermediate level video sources:
If you do have some budget set aside for investing in a camera, say up to $2000, you can level up your live stream’s game by investing in any of the following:
Canon XA15 or XF100
Panasonic LUMIX GH4
Sony A7 II for this price range.
Can you use any camera to live stream?
A webcam, point and shoot, camcorder —all will work for live streaming as long as the camera you use is able to capture a minimum of 720p at 24fps footage.
Audio
Even if the video quality of your live stream is up to par, your audience will check out if the audio quality is poor.
So don’t overlook your live stream’s audio quality. That’s why Gott advises, “Don’t rely on the built-in microphone on your camera, invest in a proper one.”
Lavalier mics aka clip on mics (yes, the ones that look pretty cool)
Handheld microphones such as Shure SM58s that our team has used
Not planning to invest in an audio source? Your phone can help capture sound. Well, at least temporarily as you get to grips with the live streaming business.
Capture card
The third piece of live streaming equipment that you may need is a capture card.
A capture card is an intermediary device that transfers video from its source to your main live streaming setup.
But hang on: why do you need a capture card? So that it can show your computer what your camera is seeing.
To use a capture card, your camera needs an HDMI port/output to attach the HDMI cable. This will transfer the video feed to your computer.
And, when do you need to add a capture card to your live stream setup?
You need a capture card when you’re using a software encoder (more on this below).
You don’t need a capture card when you’re using a hardware encoder as it usually comes with an internal capture card. You also don’t need it when you’re using a USB camera or microphone that you can directly plug into your computer.
For now, know that if you are planning to use a capture card, you’ll need to pick between a USB interface capture card or one with a PCI-e interface.
Here are some of our capture card recommendations:
AV.io HD
Elgato CamLink 4K
Razer Ripsaw HD
Whatever you select, be sure to check that the capture card is compatible with your streaming platform. For instance, there are a handful of capture cards supported by Vimeo.
Lighting setup for live streaming
Okay so you now have most of the tech list that partly answers how to live stream. But there’s another essential aspect that you can’t skip — lighting for streaming.
A well-lit stream can help your live video look more professional and help you engage your audience. Think about it: you don’t want your viewers to cringe at how poorly lit your live streaming setup is and you certainly don’t want the overhead lights in your office to cast harsh shadows on your speakers or presenters.
The good news? You can perfect the lighting set up with these two sources.
Lighting for entry level streamers:
Sunlight
Ring light
Sunlight is your best friend and a free source for lighting your streaming space. Test your video to find the right balance of natural light. Too much sunlight can mask the details of your speaker’s face and too little of it will obscure their features.
Here are a few tips for creating a flattering look with natural lighting:
Face the natural light source
Use a bounce to fill in any dark shadows
Avoid having a window behind the speaker
Avoid harsh white or fluorescent lighting
Experiment with opening and closing the window shades to find the right setting and the perfect balance between the natural and artificial lights in your room.
Want to make the most of the sunlight and shoot outdoors? Dive into this guide to get a rundown of how to perfect outdoor lighting.
Another option that’s become popular among live streamers is ring light. These are budget-friendly lighting sources for beginner-level streaming that don’t pose a fire hazard or heat the room, making them great to use. Their circular design also means ring lights help remove shadows from your face.
Lighting for intermediate level:
A three-point light kit
Have some money to spend? Get a three-point light kit to polish up your lighting. These kits include three lights: a main/key light, fill light, and a backlight that bring warmth, depth, and quality to your stream.
You can also pair lights from this kit with the overhead lights in your office to light up the scene professionally. How? By removing the main light since overhead lights do its job instead.
Where should I position my lights for streaming?
Using a three-point light kit, position the main light across the subject to illuminate. Next, position the fill light across the other end of the subject to balance the light from the main light and position the third, backlight behind the subject to separate them from the background. See where each light goes in this short video.
Accessories for live streaming
As for the bits and bobs for the perfect setup, here’s a quick list:
A green screen (Chroma key) for changing your background
A tripod stands for holding your video camera
A microphone arm where the audio source rests (unless you’re using a clip on mic)
Encoder
Let’s talk about encoders. To share your stream with the world, you’ll need an encoder.
An encoder is a device that converts video files from one format to another. Put another way, it takes the raw feed from a camera and transfers it into viewable content in your main live streaming station.
There are two types of encoders at your disposal: hardware encoders and software encoders.
Here’s a quick rundown of hardware encoders and software encoders.
Hardware encoders
Specially designed for live streaming. They free up your computer for other tasks.
Does not require a capture card.
Less affordable and difficult to upgrade.
Because hardware encoders free up your computer for focusing on other tasks, these are great for more professional broadcasts and live streaming gamers. This way, the PC can focus on the game while the encoder works in the background.
As for which hardware encoder to buy, read on to find out budget-friendly options below.
Beginner-level hardware encoders:
AJA HD10AMA audio embedder
Intermediate level:
AJA HD5DA HD-SDI distribution amplifier
Datavideo DAC70 up/down/ cross converter
Software encoders
A great option for beginner-level streamers. Keep in mind they rely on your computer’s processing power.
Capture card may be needed
Variety of price points and upgrade options
The good thing about software encoders is that they work on their own, not taking up much of your attention.
Here are a few software encoder options:
Livestream Studio 6
OBS Studio
Streamlabs OBS
Switcher
Last on this list of live streaming equipment is a switcher. Like an encoder, you may or may not need it. It all comes down to your requirements.
Essentially, a switcher helps switch between different video and audio sources, production elements, and control graphics.
So if you’re using two or more cameras for live streaming or want to show graphics/presentations between your live stream, you’ll need a switcher to capture the additional feeds for you.
If you’re a Vimeo Enterprise user (or plan to be one soon!) you’ll get Livestream Studio with your package. Not only does it handle a software encoder’s job, but it also plays the switcher’s role.
What’s the right streaming platform for me?
With live streaming equipment out of the way, let’s talk about the distribution side of how to live stream.
Live streaming platforms are video hosting services that let you broadcast video content. Depending on the platform you choose, you can stream on multiple channels at once to reach a wider audience.
There’s no one answer to which streaming platform is right for you as the correct answer is: it depends on your requirements.
For live streamers who are using video for internal communications (like town halls or employee trainings) or for virtual events, there are a few key features to keep in mind.
Five key features for your live streaming platform
High quality, professional video
For high quality, professional streaming video, you’ll want to find a solution that supports full HD 1080p and cloud transcoding so that viewers can enjoy beautiful video across devices.
Broaden your reach
If you’re a business looking to reach customers wherever they are, you’ll want to find a platform that supports simulcasting to other platforms like YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Twitter, and Twitch.
Security and privacy
Secure video streaming is a must for businesses. Look for platforms that include features around privacy, authorization, customization, embedding restrictions, and security.
Powerful engagement
You’ll want to include ways for your audience to interact with your live streaming content via live chat and polls as well as advanced analytics to help you better serve your audience.
An all-in-one home
Get all the tools you need for your live and hosted videos: edit and replace post-event video files in up to 4K, spread out with up to 5TB of storage, and sell your videos after the big event.
Five streaming channels for your video
There are a lot of places for your audience to view your live stream. Here are a few main destinations where you may want to broadcast your next live event:
Branded site: For businesses with a dedicated website or event site, embedding your live stream video can be the simplest and most effective way to share your content with your audience.
Vimeo: With an audience of X, Vimeo is a great place to reach your audience. With Vimeo Enterprise, streamers can create showcases to broadcast HD quality video and organize videos into custom categories to create a more Netflix-like experience for audience members.
LinkedIn Live: LinkedIn’s native livestream feature is a great place to connect with business-minded professionals, hospitality workers, and even students.
Instagram Live: Instagram’s livestream feature lets you broadcast content as part of your IG stories. The key differentiator here is that the stream is ephemeral. Meaning: it disappears once the broadcast ends. No replays are available.
Twitch: With 3.8 million streamers, Twitch is the go-to live streaming platform for gamers. But, it’s now opening up for other stream content too.
Facebook Live: Once started as mobile-only streaming, Facebook Live lets you now stream from both mobile and desktop.
What if your audience is spread across multiple channels? You don’t have to pick just one place to stream! Simulcasting allows you to stream to multiple destinations at once.
How to live stream in 5 simple steps?
At the start of this guide, we gave you a quick overview of how to live stream. Now that you’re familiar with the gear needed for a streaming setup for beginners, let’s dive into the details of how to set up a live stream.
1. Connect your audio and video sources
This involves physically connecting the audio and video sources to your main live streaming setup (the PC or laptop). Connect these sources to your hardware encoder to feed the content into your livestream station or use a capture card if you have a software encoder.
2. Configure the encoder
If you’re using an external encoder, you’ll need to configure the device’s setting using an app or Web UI. For a software encoder, you’ll work internally.
You can leave the configuration setting to default as the software automatically adjusts to the streaming platform.
Ask you configure your encoder, keep these three points in mind:
The resolution or your video’s frame size needs to be at 1280 x720 resolution to start.
The bit rate or the rate at which data is uploaded should be set at 3000 Kbps.
Lastly, the frame rate or the number of images/frames displayed in a second needs to be 30
3. Connect to the streaming platform
With the audio and video set up with your livestream station, you’re now left with linking in your streaming platform into the picture.
Use the streaming key/name and streaming URL that your live streaming platform gives you and enter it into the encoder to complete your live streaming setup.
Doing so allows the streaming platform to identify your encoder. On the other hand, the encoder is able to understand where to send the audio and visual details.
4. Check your internet connection
Your internet connection is the elephant in the room when it comes to streaming. Unreliable internet connection equals slow streaming – something that can make you lose viewers fast.
To prevent lost views, start test your internet speed using a site like Speedtest.net. Here are a few other tips to make sure your internet connection is stable.
Upgrade your bandwidth or how much data you can upload to the highest available.
Ask any other family members, roommates, or colleagues share your space to stay offline during your stream.
Use your cell phone’s hotspot as a worst-case scenario backup.
Test your tech including audio and video quality.
5 important ideas to consider with upload speeds and streaming
What is upload speed?
Your upload speed is the speed at which your ISP lets you share content on the internet. It’s measured in millions of bits — or megabits — per second and it matters because a slow upload speed would mean spotty livestreams.
While there’s no answer to the perfect upload speed for a live stream, we have a few benchmarks to keep in mind:
3 Mbps for 480p
6 Mbps for 720p
13 Mbps for 1080p
Just remember, the higher your video quality is, the more upload speed you’ll need.
Your upload speed can also be impacted by four things.
Upload rate
This is the speed at which your internet can upload content. The higher it is, the better your upload speed.
Your internet service provider’s (ISP) bandwidth
To recap, bandwidth is the capacity of your internet to upload or download data. The larger the video content, the greater bandwidth required.
The content quality
High-quality and fast moving visuals can impact your upload speed.
Your streaming platform
Every platform has its recommendation. Here just few platform-specific suggestions to give you an idea:
Vimeo requires 10 Mbps or faster for live streams in 1080p.
5. Start streaming
With everything in place, click start streaming in your encoder and get the show running! Remember, it’s okay to be nervous with your first time going live. Add a few practice runs before the live data and you’ll be good to go.
With enough planning and a few live streaming sessions under your belt, you’ll start enjoying the process in no time.
To find out more about how Kennysoft STUDIOs can help you livestream your event, get in touch with one of the members of the team for a chat.
Are Tiktok Ads Worth It? The short answer — yes, you should definitely give it a go. It’s one of the fastest-growing (& most cost-effective) social media platforms in the world and is quickly becoming an advertising haven for businesses! But deciding if it’s the right fit for you requires answers to essential questions like:
Who is your target audience?
(If they’re 25 and under, TikTok is the place to be!)
Can you easily showcase your products/services in a video?
Are you comfortable sharing light-hearted content?
(TikTok isn’t a ‘serious’ platform by any means).
I personally recommend you spend time experimenting with the platform and different types of content so you can find the perfect fit for your business!
That been said, why will you even want to market your product or service in TikTok to start with. I believe you don’t know let me explain to you statistically, just take a look at these statistics from Influencer marketing hub
TikTok Users Spend More than 850 Minutes Per Month on the App
According to Statista, US TikTok users average 858 minutes per month on the app. This statistic gives information on monthly TikTok app user engagement in the United States in March 2020.
If you examine the data from October 2019 to March 2020, you will note a considerable increase in the time that the average TikTok user spent on the app. Usage grew from an average of 442.9 minutes per month in October 2019 to 526.1 minutes in November, 561.2 minutes in December, 680 minutes in January 2020, 731.6 minutes in February, and 858 minutes in March 2020.
2. TikTok now has 1 Billion Monthly Active users (January 2022)
As of January 2022, TikTok had 1 billion Monthly Active users worldwide!
In a December 2019 Statista survey, 23 percent of respondents stated that they had used or seen videos posted on TikTok. Conversely, 44% indicated that they hadn’t, while 33% claimed to have never heard of TikTok. However, more U.S. internet users used TikTok in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, so these percentages now probably understate the actual situation.
3. 3 Billion Installations
TikTok has been installed on devices over 3 billion times worldwide. It passed the one billion-milestone in February 2019 and the two billion-figure in April 2020. It reached three billion in Mid-2021. TikTok became only the fifth non-gaming app to reach the 3-billion level and the first not owned by Facebook (now Meta).
4. 167 Million TikTok Videos Watched in an Internet Minute
In August 2021, Statista collated online media usage for an “internet minute” worldwide. In that time, people consume hundreds of thousands of hours of content and send, scroll, and upload millions of messages, emails and texts. Amongst these statistics, Statista found that TikTok users watch 167 million hours of videos on the app in a sample minute.
5. Entertainment Most Popular Category on TikTok by Hashtag Views
As of July 2020, the most popular content categories on TikTok all had over two billion views, according to Statista. The most viewed content category on the app was entertainment content. Presumably, this category includes all those lip-synching videos. The second most viewed content category was dance.
The most popular categories overall are:
Entertainment – 535 billion hashtag views
Dance – 181 billion
Pranks – 79 billion
Fitness/sports – 57 billion
Home reno/D.I.Y. – 39 billion
Beauty/skincare – 33 billion
Fashion – 27 billion
Recipes/cooking – 18 billion
Life hacks/advice – 13 billion
Pets – 10 billion
Outdoors – 2 billion
6. Highest Social Media Engagement Rates Per Post
Recent Upfluence data shows better engagement rates across different follower levels for Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. TikTok has considerably more engagement than either of the other two networks at all follower levels. For example, Upfluence found micro-influencers had engagement rates of 17.96% on TikTok, 3.86% on Instagram, and 1.63% on YouTube. At the other extreme, mega-influencers had engagement rates of 4.96% on TikTok, 1.21% on Instagram, and 0.37% on YouTube.
If you isolate the fitness sector, Upfluence found that although there weren’t all that many TikTok fitness influencers, they had the highest average engagement rate across platforms – 9.3% compared to Instagram (2.9%), YouTube (0.7%), and Facebook (0.5%).
7. Total Downloads For TikTok Exceed 2.5 Billion
TikTok has grown significantly over the years and House of Marketers expect it to continue to scale worldwide. According to a report by the Business of Apps, 2.6 billion people will download the app by 2020. In 2018 alone, more than 750 million people downloaded the app. And as 2019 came to an end, they reached 1.5 billion, almost doubling the number of downloads in a single year.
8. Most TikTok Users Want Funny and Engaging Content on TikTok
Participants in the global web index survey said that they usually look for entertaining or funny content on the app. Entertaining its visitors is a higher priority for TikTok than anything else. Posting and sharing entertaining content remains the most common way that people interact with the app.
9. Users spend more time on TikTok than YouTube
According to AppAnnie, users are spending much more time watching TikTok than they are on YouTube. People can watch new content in a very short span of time given the style of content that TikTok offers, especially when compared to YouTube. This helps explain why your marketing budget may be better used off YouTube, and on TikTok.
10. Smaller Brands Can Go Viral on TikTok, With Little Effort
Some smaller brands can sometimes become household names and older brands can become relevant again through TikTok. In the case of Ocean Spray, a 90-year-old beverage company became relevant again. TikTok creator Nathan Apodaca showed himself drinking the beverage on his way to work. Ocean Spray also saw a bump in their sales following the height of the trend. They capitalized on it by referencing the trend on TikTok and participating in a challenge inspired by Nathan’s initial video.
TikTok age demographics
Age
Percentage of users
Under 18
28
19-29
35
30-39
18
39+
19
Note: These are global values. Individual country demographics are available in the TikTok Report
Source: App Ape
TikTok gender demographics
Gender
Percentage of users
Female
59
Male
39
Other
2
Sources: App Ape, Bloomberg
TikTok engagement by country
Year
Usage per day (minutes)
United States
68
United Kingdom
60
France
60
Norway
74
Poland
68
Sources: Bloomberg, Sensor Tower
So, with all these statistics I need you need to rethink it twice if you will not be marketing your product or services on TikTok.
Type of TikTok ads
Here are the five types of TikTok Ads:
In-Feed Ads
Brand Takeover
TopView
Branded Hashtag Challenge
Branded Effects
TikTok Ads: In-Feed Ads
In-Feed Ads are the video ads that appear in between user videos as you scroll through your For You page. If you’re unfamiliar with TikTok and the For You page, In-Feed Ads are very similar to the ads you’d see while tapping through Instagram Stories.
TikTok Ads: Brand Takeover
Have you ever opened up TikTok and received an ad right away? If so, those are Brand Takeover Ads.
Brand Takeover Ads appear upon opening the app — presenting a full-screen video to your targeted audience.
They’re one of TikTok Ad’s best options for delivering mass awareness and driving direct sales since you can place your messaging right in front of your target audience.
Not only do these ads show up as soon as users open TikTok, but they can also appear on the For You page as still images, GIFs or videos — including a clickable link driving users to a landing page or a Hashtag Challenge within TikTok.
See how Guess Jeans had their #InMyDenim Challenge advertised all across TikTok. The photo below on the far left is an example of a Brand Takeover.
Brand Takeover Ads are exclusive to their category, which means that TikTok makes sure users don’t see more than one Brand Takeover per day. With Brand Takeover Ads you can expect a lot of eyes on your content with little competition.
If you’re just starting out with TikTok Ads, Brand Takeovers may not be your first choice. Because, while super effective, Brand Takeovers do come at a high cost.
If you’re a bigger brand with a large marketing budget, they are a great option for fast growth and reaching a large group of TikTok users.
TikTok Ads: TopView
TopView Ads are a new advertising option that builds on Brand Takeovers.
What makes TopView Ads different is that unlike Branded Takeover Ads, TikTok users aren’t bombarded with an ad as soon as they open the app — TopView Ads are the first in-feed post after 3 seconds.
It shows up at the top of the For You page, TikTok’s most premium real estate, with up to 60-seconds of full-screen video with auto-play and sound.
TikTok Ads: Branded Hashtag Challenge
Branded Hashtag Challenges are a one-of-a-kind advertising opportunity exclusively to TikTok. You’ve probably seen branded hashtag challenges displayed on TikTok’s Discovery page.
TikTok Ads: Branded Effects
TikTok now offers branded shareable stickers, AR filters, and lenses in their advertising mix.
Similar to Snapchat’s branded lenses, TikTok’s branded effects allow brands to design their own custom filter on the app.
Branded Effects can be live for up to 10 days at a time and are an awesome way to encourage users to directly interact with your brand (in a fun way!).
How Much do TikTok Ads Cost?
TikTok Ads are new to the scene — brands and businesses are still experimenting with the platform — so understanding the average spend or return on investment (ROI) is difficult.
So, if you’re a small business and want to give TikTok ads a try, don’t let the unknown scare you off right away — spending big bucks on TikTok isn’t the only way to advertise on the popular app.
You can set up a free TikTok Ads account and create In-Feed ads with your own set budget and schedule. Currently, TikTok’s minimum campaign budget is $500 and the minimum ad group budget is $50.
However, it has also been reported that the cost of advertising on TikTok can be anywhere from $50,000 to $120,000, depending on the type and duration.
If these reported numbers are true, it would make sense as to why we haven’t really seen smaller businesses advertising on TikTok just yet.
As more brands begin to engage and use TikTok Ads, it will become clearer whether TikTok will follow a similar model to Instagram and Facebook ads where (no budget is too small), or if they will continue to keep certain ad types, like branded hashtag challenges, as elite spends
How to Create a TikTok Ad
Now that you’re familiar with TikTok’s creative advertising options, it’s time to talk about the tools that help get your ads into action.
Before you can go ahead and create ads on TikTok, even In-Feed ads, you have to be approved by TikTok. It’s not a difficult process, just an extra step to keep in mind.
#2: Enter your country and account type and press “Next”.
#3: TikTok Ads is currently only available in certain regions. Fill out all of your contact information and depending on if TikTok Ads self-serve is available in your region, either press “Make a Reservation” or “Inform me of Future Updates”.
Note: TikTok Ads Manager self-serve platform is now available in the United States for businesses of all sizes.
#4: Now it’s time to wait for TikTok to send more information. Make sure to double-check all your email folders (promotions, social, junk, etc).
TIP: If you know you want to start advertising on TikTok in the future (even if it’s not for a while!) create an account sooner than later to be sure you have it there when you’re ready.
Once you get the verification email, TikTok asks a number of questions about your business and advertising goals. After you submit the questionnaire, a TikTok representative will be in touch with you over email to help you complete the process.
Following that, you’ll be able to enter and officially set up your account.
On TikTok’s self-serve platform, you can create and run campaigns, easily define your target audience, select bidding methods, and design your ad creative.
Similar to regular hashtag trends and challenges on TikTok, Branded Hashtags Challenges offer both organic and sponsored opportunities for brands.
They’re a great way to encourage user-generated content and build brand awareness.
The best part about Branded Hashtag Challenges? You can have a ton of fun with them! They are an awesome way for brands to collaborate and seamlessly integrate themselves into the TikTok culture and community.
It’s important to have concrete objectives when you’re creating a Branded Hashtag Challenge. Are you looking to create awareness for a new product? Generate new leads? Or increase general brand awareness?
When a user clicks on a sponsored hashtag, they’re taken to a landing page on TikTok with the brand logo, link to their website, brief description of the challenge, and popular videos using the hashtag.
#4: Now it’s time to wait for TikTok to send more information. Make sure to double-check all your email folders (promotions, social, junk, etc).
TIP: If you know you want to start advertising on TikTok in the future (even if it’s not for a while!) create an account sooner than later to be sure you have it there when you’re ready.
Once you get the verification email, TikTok asks a number of questions about your business and advertising goals. After you submit the questionnaire, a TikTok representative will be in touch with you over email to help you complete the process.
Following that, you’ll be able to enter and officially set up your account.
On TikTok’s self-serve platform, you can create and run campaigns, easily define your target audience, select bidding methods, and design your ad creative.
Similar to regular hashtag trends and challenges on TikTok, Branded Hashtags Challenges offer both organic and sponsored opportunities for brands.
They’re a great way to encourage user-generated content and build brand awareness.
The best part about Branded Hashtag Challenges? You can have a ton of fun with them! They are an awesome way for brands to collaborate and seamlessly integrate themselves into the TikTok culture and community.
It’s important to have concrete objectives when you’re creating a Branded Hashtag Challenge. Are you looking to create awareness for a new product? Generate new leads? Or increase general brand awareness?
When a user clicks on a sponsored hashtag, they’re taken to a landing page on TikTok with the brand logo, link to their website, brief description of the challenge, and popular videos using the hashtag.
If you’re looking for maximum exposure, you can pay up to a hefty $150,000 per day to show up on TikTok’s Discover banner. That’s huge real estate but it’s not the only way to get users engaged with your branded hashtag.
TIP: If you’re looking for a less costly alternative, partner with popular creators on TikTok, like Houseparty and Freal Milkshakes below, to help your challenge take off!
Check out how the popular video messaging app, Houseparty, uses branded hashtags in a recent campaign on TikTok.
See how Houseparty partnered with Gen-Z heartthrob Chase Stokes (or better known as “John B” from Outer Banks) to help push their hashtag even further.
You can get super creative with In-Feed Ads. You can include multiple call-to-actions and make your video anywhere between 9 to 15 seconds.
Having the opportunity to include a call-to-action is a huge advantage. For example, you can encourage users to shop now, download your app, or visit your website right from TikTok.
See how Adobe uses a clear CTA in their In-Feed Ad below.
One thing to keep in mind is that like any other video on your For You Page, In-Feed Ads can be scrolled past or skipped pretty quickly. You only have about 2-3 seconds to catch your audience’s eye before they keep scrolling.
In-Feed Ads should be full screen and should be enticing enough to stop users from scrolling past your content.
TikTok offers brands an effective way of communicating with their audience by helping brands engage with users through multiple ad formats that speak the TikTok language, seamlessly integrating with native content and delivering maximum results.
Over the years TikTok have grow from not just been one of the video sharing apps but among the biggest video sharing apps in the world at the moment with about 1 billion monthly active users worldwide and still growing it has become so powerful that you just can’t ignore it anymore.
So, I will be showing practical ways you can create very Engaging Contents on TikTok, so without no further ado let’s get started.
Be authentic.
Keep it real, keep it organic, and create something truly engaging. Don’t focus on “branding” it too much; instead, create something which would drive lots of user-generated content. Ordinality will always sellout.
Focus on Niche Content Your Ideal Audience Will Want to Watch
When people think of TikTok, they tend to think of viral content, popular dances, and trendy music. TikTok trends tend to be fairly universal. Certain content also tends to be fairly universal, things like food, for example. Universal content can help you rack up a lot of views fairly quickly but it doesn’t always equal high engagement or sales like having a targeted audience.
A targeted audience most often comes in through niche content. Niche content doesn’t need to be super-narrow but it does need to be content your ideal client would be interested in watching, or even binging, while on TikTok.
While going viral can be fun and exciting, the real success for businesses comes with consistent content targeted toward their audience, growing a community based around that content, and offering the same tips and value that would elevate them to thought leaders.
Hashtags on TikTok
One more thing to consider when it comes to creating content for TikTok: the hashtags. Like other platforms, TikTok uses hashtags to help categorize and filter out content. And users use hashtags to find the content they’re interested in. Using niched-down hashtags will help ensure that your content gets in front of the right eyes.
However, hashtags aren’t necessary and don’t always play a role in going viral. Even if the hashtag is trending, using a popular hashtag that’s unrelated to your content won’t necessarily increase the views on your videos.
Educate Your Audience
It’s time to flex your skills and expertise! Break down valuable information or guide viewers through an educational how-to video.
This type of content works because it can be applied to any industry or niche, and you can share your knowledge about a particular subject.
Real-estate professional Tamika Ellsworth (@realestate_t) educates viewers about home buying terms, insurance, and more:
Not sure where to start? Take a look at FAQs related to your business on Google, gather feedback from your followers, or think about what advice your friends ask you for.
TIP: Make educational TikTok videos a recurring element of your content strategy by creating a dedicated TikTok Playlist. This will allow viewers to find all your related videos in one place.
Tell a Story
With over 65B views, the #StoryTime hashtag is proof of the demand for personal, story-based content on TikTok.
Take Tiana aka @hoopsandt, an official scorer for basketball games. Her TikTok video telling the story of how she landed her job has over 72K views:
Or you could get inspiration from Joanne L. Molinaro who shares personal stories about her life while cooking Korean dishes:
You can also share stories you’ve been captivated by and spotlight employees, role models, or game-changers in your industry.
TIP: Storytelling videos don’t need to be too complicated. They can be as straightforward as filming a selfie video to talk about a unique experience.
Prioritize creativity.
Be creative! That’s the only thing that brands should consider while engaging with their audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels! Brands who are able to show their creativity in a funny and natural for the platform way, are always welcomed by the viewers
More Than Just A Trend
While it can be daunting to use a new content-creation platform like TikTok, the most important thing is to have a little bit of fun while using TikTok. Services that can express their creativity and funny side will be more popular with audiences and leave a positive lasting impression. What do you think about brands using TikTok to widen their reach and Creating Engaging Contents? Do you think it’s just a trend that is soon to pass? Share your thoughts, feelings, and opinions with us at kennysoft STUDIOs, because together, we learn!
