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Tag: Video Marketing

  • Why Most Entrepreneurs Are Approaching YouTube the Wrong Way | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Most entrepreneurs are getting YouTube completely wrong. They’re copying entertainment creators, chasing viral moments and treating their channel like a content graveyard instead of the powerful authority-building platform it actually is.

    Here’s what they’re missing: YouTube now captures over 12% of total television viewing time, which is more than Netflix, Disney or any major network. When you upload a video, you’re not competing against other YouTubers. You’re competing against prime-time television.

    This changes everything about how you should approach the platform.

    Related: Turn YouTube Into a Business Growth Engine With These Easy Tactics

    Why traditional YouTube advice doesn’t work for entrepreneurs

    Most creators obsess over “beating the algorithm,” but here’s the truth: The algorithm isn’t your audience — it’s a mirror of your audience. YouTube’s AI simply predicts human behavior based on how real people interact with your content. When viewers click your videos, watch them completely and immediately watch another one, the algorithm notices. It’s pattern recognition, not magic.

    Stop trying to hack the system. Start understanding your audience so deeply that the algorithm has no choice but to promote your content.

    When growth stagnates, most entrepreneurs default to posting more frequently. This is backwards thinking. I’ve seen channels grow faster by reducing from daily uploads to once per week because they stopped treating YouTube like a hamster wheel and started treating it like a strategic media platform.

    The real issue isn’t posting frequency; it’s resource allocation. When you’re rushing to meet arbitrary deadlines, you can’t invest the time needed for strategic thinking and quality execution.

    How YouTube actually works in 2025

    YouTube operates on a simple two-step psychology: someone sees your content, decides to click, then chooses whether to keep watching. But there’s now a third element to consider, where autoplay previews let viewers “sample” your content before committing to the full click.

    This mirrors how our brains make decisions. We constantly evaluate whether something is worth our attention, and YouTube has evolved to support this natural decision-making process.

    The platform also tracks “valued watch time,” not just how long someone watches, but how satisfied they felt with the experience. YouTube runs daily surveys asking millions of users whether videos were worth their time, and this data directly influences which content gets broader distribution.

    Related: Ready to Get Off the Social Media Hamster Wheel? Discover the Platform That Actually Boosts Your Discoverability

    The 3 strategies that actually build authority

    1. Master the ideation process

    Most creators spend 90% of their time editing and 10% on ideas. Successful entrepreneurs flip this ratio entirely. The idea sets the bar for every video’s potential. Even a perfect execution of a weak concept will always underperform a strong idea with average execution.

    Use what I call the Creative Faucet Method: When you first turn on a faucet, dirty water comes out. But if you let it run, clear water eventually flows. Your brain works the same way.

    Set aside time each week to generate 30-50 raw video ideas using this breakdown:

    • 40% market research (analyze what’s working in your space)

    • 40% audience mining (scan comments and customer feedback for pain points)

    • 20% innovation (experiment with unexpected angles)

    From those concepts, 3-5 genuinely compelling ideas will emerge.

    2. Perfect your packaging

    Your title and thumbnail aren’t just about getting clicks; they’re your first credibility test. Every element should signal authority and expertise while creating enough curiosity to stop the scroll.

    Effective title frameworks for entrepreneurs:

    • The Contradiction: “Why I Don’t Use Email Marketing (Despite $10M in Revenue)”

    • The Insider Secret: “The Sales Tactic 99% of Entrepreneurs Get Wrong”

    • The Time Constraint: “Building a $1M Business in 18 Months: What I Learned”

    Limit yourself to three elements maximum: your face showing confidence or expertise, clear text that reinforces the title and one visual element that represents the outcome or result.

    With autoplay previews now showing 1-2 seconds of your video without sound, your opening moments have become part of your packaging strategy. Start with movement, compelling facial expressions or visual elements that immediately validate why someone clicked.

    3. Focus on metrics that predict success

    Ignore vanity metrics like subscriber count. Focus on three numbers that actually matter:

    • First 24-hour click-through rate: This predicts long-term performance better than any other metric. YouTube gives new videos an algorithmic boost during their first day, primarily showing them to your core audience. Strong early performance signals broader distribution potential.

    • Retention stability: Look for where your audience retention graph stabilizes after the initial drop-off. This shows you’re delivering on your promise and maintaining interest.

    • Catalog performance: 40-60% of your views should come from videos older than six months. This indicates you’re creating evergreen content with lasting value, not just riding temporary trends.

    Your starting point

    Don’t try to implement everything at once. Pick one area and master it:

    Week 1-2: Fix your ideas. Spend one hour every Sunday generating video concepts. Use customer emails, competitor analysis, and industry forums to find recurring questions and pain points.

    Week 3-4: Improve your packaging. Apply the “mobile glance test.” Shrink your thumbnail to 150 pixels wide (roughly mobile size) and see if you can understand it in one second. If not, simplify it.

    Week 5-6: Track what matters. Check your first 24-hour click-through rate in YouTube Studio. Anything above 8% is strong; above 12% is exceptional. Use this data to understand what resonates with your audience.

    Related: How Brands and Individuals Can Leverage YouTube to Scale Their Business

    Platform algorithms change constantly, but human psychology remains stable. When you build your YouTube strategy around how people actually discover, evaluate and consume content, you’re designing for constants rather than variables.

    The entrepreneurs who build lasting authority on YouTube don’t chase viral moments; they create systematic value that compounds over time. They understand that every video is both a standalone piece of content and a building block in their larger authority platform.

    Master these fundamentals, and you’ll have a YouTube presence that grows your business regardless of what changes the platform makes next.

    Most entrepreneurs are getting YouTube completely wrong. They’re copying entertainment creators, chasing viral moments and treating their channel like a content graveyard instead of the powerful authority-building platform it actually is.

    Here’s what they’re missing: YouTube now captures over 12% of total television viewing time, which is more than Netflix, Disney or any major network. When you upload a video, you’re not competing against other YouTubers. You’re competing against prime-time television.

    This changes everything about how you should approach the platform.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    AJ Kumar

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  • Guide to Video Marketing for Cannabis Businesses – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    Guide to Video Marketing for Cannabis Businesses – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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    Guide to Video Marketing for Cannabis Businesses – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news































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    Susan Gunelius

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  • ‘Barbie’ Was a Marketing Masterpiece. Here’s Why. | Entrepreneur

    ‘Barbie’ Was a Marketing Masterpiece. Here’s Why. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Barbie, the iconic doll that has captured the hearts of millions worldwide for over six decades, was created by businesswoman Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel.

    Barbie was inspired by Ruth’s observation that her daughter enjoyed playing with paper dolls representing adult women. Ruth envisioned a three-dimensional adult-like doll that would empower girls to imagine and role-play different professions and aspirations.

    The first Barbie doll debuted at the American International Toy Fair on March 9, 1959, in New York City, instantly gaining popularity and sparking a cultural phenomenon.

    Over the years, Barbie has evolved to embrace diversity, representing various ethnicities, professions and body types while remaining a symbol of inspiration, creativity and limitless possibilities for generations of children worldwide.

    Related: What the ‘Barbie’ Movie Can Teach Businesses About Effective Multicultural Marketing

    ‘Barbie’ debuted on July 21, 2023, to a historic $162 million opening weekend domestically, coming in way ahead of the anticipated $90 million to $110 million and, perhaps even more remarkably, surpassing its $146 million production budget.

    But that’s not why you’re here. You’re here because you’ve got your marketing hat on and are wondering, “Is marketing important when launching a product or a service?”

    ‘Barbie’ reportedly had a $150 million marketing budget. Here’s the breakdown of some of the marketing campaigns:

    While the essence of a great film lies in its storytelling, there’s no denying the impact of marketing in propelling a movie to phenomenal success. The marketing plan for ‘Barbie’ definitely paid off because ‘Barbie’ had the biggest opening weekend of 2023 at the US box office.

    In the fiercely competitive world of filmmaking, creating a successful movie requires much more than just a compelling script and talented actors.

    Over the years, several films have demonstrated the art of investing heavily in marketing to achieve box office triumphs and leave an indelible mark on pop culture. Let’s explore some of these movies that became cinematic juggernauts by strategically investing in their marketing campaigns.

    Related: ‘Barbie’ Is Driving a Huge Surge in Vintage Car Buying Says Hagerty CEO

    1. Avatar (2009)

    James Cameron’s groundbreaking sci-fi epic, “Avatar,” took the world by storm and revolutionized how movies were made and experienced. With an estimated budget of $237 million, the film’s marketing campaign spared no expense. Avatar couldn’t rely on brand (franchise) recognition to sell tickets, so it came up with an innovative promotional strategy:

    • Imax 3-D screening of the film on 130 screens (16 nonsequential minutes) to raise awareness about the new 3-D technology for four months before the film’s debut.
    • A video game trailer.
    • Mattel action figure set.
    • Partnerships with McDonald’s, Coke, LG and Panasonic.

    The efforts paid off as “Avatar” became the highest-grossing movie ever, earning over $2.8 billion worldwide.

    Related: From an Airbnb Stay at Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse to Frozen Yogurt Flavors and Park Benches—The ‘Barbie’ Movie Team Is Going All In on Marketing

    2. The Avengers (2012)

    Marvel Studios’ “The Avengers” was a cinematic event that brought together Earth’s mightiest heroes in a colossal ensemble spectacle. Marvel’s marketing team meticulously laid the groundwork for this epic team-up, starting with individual character films like “Iron Man,” “Captain America” and “Thor.”

    Marvel orchestrated a 5-year marketing plan by planting seeds for the all-star “The Avengers” movie in its preceding global hits:

    • Iron Man (2008) – gross revenue of $585 Million
    • Thor (2011) – gross revenue of $449 Million
    • Captain America (2011) – gross revenue of $370 Million

    If even one of the prior films had flopped, it is likely that “The Avengers” film would not have happened. The result? “The Avengers” became the first film to gross over $1 billion without the help of a re-release.

    Related: The ‘Barbie’ Movie May Have Caused A Global Pink Paint Shortage

    3. “Jurassic World” (2015)

    Revisiting the beloved “Jurassic Park” franchise after a long hiatus was risky. Universal Pictures, however, made sure “Jurassic World” was a roaring success. With a substantial marketing budget, the studio launched a nostalgia-driven campaign that honored the original while presenting fresh, exhilarating content:

    • JurassicWorld.com — designed like a park, including an interactive map, camera installations and digital tour of attractions.
    • Jurassic World Youtube channel — corporate/educational videos about the park’s staff, videos by Simon Masrani, park founder, on the park philosophy, and collaborations between lead actor Chriss Pratt and prominent YouTube channels.
    • Shazaam app partnership — turned posters into dynamic content.

    The film’s marketing campaign paid off spectacularly, becoming the first movie to gross over $500 million worldwide in its opening weekend.

    4. “Deadpool” (2016)

    “Deadpool” defied conventional superhero movie norms by embracing its R-rated nature and quirky humor. Ryan Reynolds, who played the titular character, played a significant role in the film’s marketing success. He actively engaged with fans on social media, shared witty promotional material, and even took part in offbeat marketing stunts, like posing as a faux bear for a Russian travel show. Some of the unconventional marketing campaigns:

    • The Emoji Billboard – AdWeek described the billboard as “So Stupid It’s Genius.”
    • Valentine’s Day prank – jokingly released as a romantic comedy.
    • Marketing on Tinder – users would match with Deadpool on the dating app.
    • 3 Hours of Ads – Spike, MTV, and VH1 advertised nothing but Deadpool for 3 hours straight.

    The unconventional approach worked wonders, and “Deadpool” became the highest-grossing R-rated film ever.

    The success of these movies is a testament to the power of marketing in the entertainment industry. By wisely investing in strategic and innovative promotional campaigns, studios were able to capture audiences’ imaginations and generate unparalleled box office returns. Beyond their compelling stories and visual splendor, these films are shining examples of how marketing can elevate a movie from merely successful to a cultural phenomenon.

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    Kevin Kaminyar

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  • How To Create Engaging Video Content for Your Brand | Entrepreneur

    How To Create Engaging Video Content for Your Brand | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If the successes of YouTube creators like Jimmy Donaldson (who boasts 153 million subscribers as MrBeast) and Felix Kjellberg (also known as PewDiePie, with 111 million subscribers) are any clue, video is in a class all its own when it comes to marketing and gaining reach. As a result, video has become a favorite form of media for marketers. Here’s a quick guide to harnessing the power of video marketing for yourself.

    What video marketing can deliver

    Video integrates seamlessly with smartphones and other small mobile devices, providing a full range of benefits such as increased recall and buying intent. Because it’s more engaging than white papers or articles, it typically improves the amount of time people spend on your website. And the longer people remain in your corner of the web, the more likely they are to buy or explore your other offers — meaning there’s a correlation between video content and your ability to sell.

    Because video works so well, the market is admittedly saturated — but it’s a fixture of the current online landscape, and people want more. The prevalence of video means that your content has to be top-notch to stand out. When the first creators began to pioneer video content, it didn’t have to be groundbreaking to get noticed. Now, there’s so much available video content that you have to set yourself apart; otherwise, people won’t be drawn to your site or YouTube channel. Make the most of your expertise and ensure the quality of every video you produce is high.

    Related: Video Marketing KPIs That Are Crucial for Your Campaign

    Standalone, omnichannel and video

    Does the success of video mean you shouldn’t produce articles, white papers, infographics or other media such as podcasts? Not at all. You’ll always have some customers or clients interested in a different media option, and repurposing your content in various formats allows you to employ an omnichannel strategy to reach more people. In my experience, videos earn more engagement when compared to other content types.

    Before you start, consider whether your video will serve as a standalone piece of content or be part of a larger, multi-touchpoint campaign. There might be specific cases where it makes perfect sense to create only video, depending on your goals and the market you’re working in. But overall, we develop video as another option for engagement rather than having it work in an isolated or siloed way.

    As you decide if your video should be standalone or part of a bigger campaign, keep in mind that there is an array of options for video. You can get creative and utilize features — like voiceovers, digital animation or AI integration — or opt for live video for a change of pace and if your budget allows. Some videos will be less expensive than others. If you are looking to produce live videos, then a dedicated studio and staff will help keep the work focused and well-produced. This will be your most expensive option, and smaller marketing teams should look at digital animation as a great alternative.

    Related: Give Video Marketing a Try and Watch Your Business Grow

    Measuring your video’s success

    Video content is like any other form of media in that there are metrics that can show how well you’re doing, such as the click-through rate and time on site. The most significant metric we measure is how many people visited the video. Factors such as the quality of your thumbnail image or placement of the video on your website can dramatically impact your results.

    The second most important metric is how long viewers watch your video. Our team found that after 90 to 120 seconds, people stop viewing. With that in mind, keep your video short, designing your script so that appealing information or visual shifts keep visitors engaged.

    Finally, track whether people are sharing the video. If they are, the content is resonating with your audience. People won’t share what they don’t connect with. Just remember that elements like the platform’s algorithm can greatly influence the initial impressions you get. A greater number of initial impressions means that more people have the potential to watch and, subsequently, share your content.

    Related: Why Franchise Brands Need to Start Utilizing Video Marketing

    Your basic video content game plan

    You might want to develop specific video-creation protocols within your company to provide consistency and accountability. Here are some basic steps to follow:

    1. Decide how much you’ll spend. Can you afford to hire professional talent? Do you need to spend extra for makeup or editing? Even small budgets can yield fantastic content. Be realistic about how much money you can put toward the video to help narrow down vendor and tool options. Be clear about what the budget is based on.
    2. Choose a length. A limit of two minutes is a good general rule, as explained above — but the length you choose may vary depending on the channel or goal. A video you post directly to Twitter can’t exceed two minutes and 20 seconds, whereas one on Instagram can be up to 60 minutes long. The more omnichannel your approach, the shorter the content you’ll probably need to produce so as not to exceed limits — unless you plan to create multiple versions of the video.
    3. Write your script. Writing an engaging script can be a challenge. Will you hire an outside writer or stay in-house? Either way, the tone of the script has to match your brand and adhere to the length — and budget — you set.
    4. Strategize your video distribution. Will you post your video solely on your website, or social media, too? More distribution channels will likely increase promotion costs. If most of your customers or clients use a specific channel, it’s okay to focus there rather than trying to cover every avenue.
    5. Prepare your captions and transcript. Including transcripts and captions is an American Disabilities Act best practice that can increase SEO reach and viewership regardless of where you distribute. Be mindful of positioning your captions so you don’t block important video elements.

    Aim high and enjoy yourself

    Video is one of the most widely used media forms available for marketing, and for good reason: People are 52% more likely to share a video than any other type of content. If you’re not already making video part of your marketing strategy, now could be your chance.

    Creating videos doesn’t need to break the bank, but set a high bar for quality to ensure your videos have the biggest reach and ROI possible. After that, have fun within the guardrails of your brand. The more you enjoy producing the content, the more viewers will probably enjoy watching it, too.

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    David Partain

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  • The Best Video Marketing Advice for Franchise Brands | Entrepreneur

    The Best Video Marketing Advice for Franchise Brands | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The ever-increasing competition among franchisors to get an edge on one another has led to some innovative marketing campaigns and initiatives. Amidst this backdrop, video marketing has become a vital component for many brands precisely because it can be utilized in so many ways. But it’s also created a complication of sorts — where to deploy video that best serves a wide variety of brand-related challenges.

    If you’re a franchisor who hasn’t yet developed a comprehensive video marketing strategy, there are three primary areas where you should concentrate your efforts: franchise development and sales, recruiting and training. Below is some advice on video usage for each of these important categories.

    Related: 5 Reasons Why You Need Video in Your Marketing Strategy (With the Stats to Prove It)

    Videos that increase franchise development and sales

    The last of the three areas of brand marketing with the highest value for video is sales development. And one of the best ways to communicate the social proof of your brand involves testimonial-style videos. Done right, what you’re actually selling is the full vision that the brand has to offer. Not just the “who,” “what” and “where” of your business model, but also the “why.” If you need to boost your sales outreach efforts, use testimonials that feature successful franchise owners who were once uncertain entrepreneurs — just like the target market you’re hoping to reach.

    To boost franchise development efforts, use testimonials that get real. Feature real people sharing real experiences that include the real ways in which their lives have changed for the better. Be specific! Communicate actual experiences that demonstrate the freedom and flexibility that comes with franchise ownership — especially your ownership prospects. Testimonials that feature the CEO in his office, sharing the details of your brand’s opportunity are great. That’s what most people expect to see.

    But you also need a second kind of testimonial — one that’s set amidst an on-location filming site. Imagine a first-person testimonial video that features a successful franchisee in their own backyard with their happy kids playing in the background. Now that could be anyone, including the viewer, who’s likely imagining themselves as a franchisee in your system while they watch.

    Videos that benefit recruiting

    Franchisors, whether an emerging brand or those who have already hit the magic 50-unit milestone, have a continuous need to fill their sales pipeline with high-quality prospects. New franchisees are the lifeblood of the brand, and each new unit awarded strengthens the system as a whole. And video can also be instrumental in helping franchisors recruit these prospects. If you’re going to deploy video for internal and external recruiting, the key is to feature content that showcases your company culture. Make your key differentiators the star of the show by featuring the aspects of your business model worth investigating.

    Shoot videos that demonstrate how existing franchise owners feel about working with the brand, highlighting the types of things that keep them excited about getting up each and every day. Video that provides social proof becomes believable in the viewer’s eyes. They’ll soon understand why the brand has changed other people’s lives for the better. And naturally, they’ll want that for themselves as well.

    Related: Connecting With Your Target Audience Through Video

    Videos that benefit training

    A great deal of franchisors take their comprehensive training programs seriously. This is the period in which you’re communicating how to own and operate your franchise opportunity to a captive audience. So, captivate them! Use engaging and entertaining (read: not boring) videos to introduce your business model to new owners.

    Studies have long since determined that we learn best through visual mediums, but newer information reveals that we also retain much more of the material we’re presented than with written guides and manuals. Instructional videos — especially those related to job safety — are vital aspects of the business model to communicate with new franchisees. And nothing gets the point across about workplace hazards and best practices for safety on the job than training videos.

    Related: Why Video May Be the Most Effective Format When It Comes to Training New Franchisees

    Hopefully, this information has been a helpful guide for deploying video that will enhance your overall brand marketing efforts. If you’re unsure where to begin, simply think about the three areas where video can have the biggest impact: franchise development and sales, recruiting and training. When it comes to your brand’s value proposition, the “who,” “what” and “where” are certainly important features. But visual storytelling is what best demonstrates that all-important “why” that you’re trying to communicate to your desired target market.

    After all, there’s no reason to keep that answer all to yourself — it’s an aspect of your business model that you should be sharing with the rest of the world!

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    Trevor Rappleye

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  • 7 Short-Form Video Mistakes to Avoid in Your Marketing Strategy | Entrepreneur

    7 Short-Form Video Mistakes to Avoid in Your Marketing Strategy | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Over the past few years, short-form video has become one of the most engaging and fastest-growing content types across social media platforms.

    TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels have all seen meteoric growth, garnering billions of users. According to Statista, Shorts alone boasts 30 billion views daily and 1.5 billion monthly active users in 2023.

    Consequently, vertical short-form video has immense potential for digital marketers and businesses alike, and many now incorporate it into their strategies.

    However, there are several typical pitfalls you need to dodge to leverage the full power of vertical video. Here are the seven most common short-form video mistakes to avoid in your marketing strategy.

    1. Expecting instant results

    First off, it’s essential to keep your expectations realistic. While short-form video often gets high engagement and can go viral, don’t expect your follower count to explode overnight.

    In the vast majority of cases, growing a following through short-form content still takes time, effort, and consistency. Especially if you don’t have an existing baseline activity on your Instagram profile or YouTube channel, the Reels and Shorts algorithm can be torpid.

    An awareness of this is crucial when setting milestones for your marketing strategy, helping you draw up realistic plans and preventing disappointment.

    Related: Top 5 Not-So-Obvious Social Media Marketing Mistakes You Must Avoid

    2. Neglecting (brand) consistency

    As mentioned already, consistency is key when creating short-form content, especially if you’re setting up new profiles.

    This doesn’t just mean regularly uploading new clips. It also means producing content with consistent quality and branding.

    The quality of your videography is key for engagement. And consistent branding — everything from editing style to logos and caption fonts — determines how memorable and recognizable your clips are.

    When drawing up your short-form strategy, investing time and resources in these branding aspects in advance is well worth it in the long run.

    3. Posting irrelevant clips

    The next major pitfall for your short-form strategy is the type of content you produce.

    Ultimately, your aim is to increase brand awareness, highlight your expertise and your products — and to convert viewers into customers.

    That means your content has to be relevant to these goals.

    Let’s say you are a graphic design agency. There is little point in putting efforts into reproducing TikTok dances or engaging in challenges.

    Instead, focus on making your business relatable — e.g., “A day in the life of a graphic designer” — or showcasing your skills with hacks, demos and how-tos.

    Related: 8 Ways to Avoid Common Video Marketing Mistakes

    4. Making content too long and complex

    Short-form content on some platforms can run up to 2 minutes and 30 seconds. If you’re not used to producing clips like this, it can be tempting to exploit this limit to the fullest.

    In most cases, this is a mistake.

    While it is possible to make longer videos, shorter ones are still more successful. According to information TikTok shared with select creators in 2022, later reported by WIRED, approximately 25% of the most successful videos on the platform are between 21 and 34 seconds long.

    For Instagram Reels, the recommended duration is even shorter, with some industry experts putting it at a mere 7 to 15 seconds.

    The bottom line? Keep your content short and zesty.

    That means reducing the complexity of your message and the number of ideas you can communicate in a single clip. In most cases, focusing on bringing across one central idea is best.

    Another implication of this short recommended video length is that it’s essential to put extra effort into your hook. The first few seconds of your video have to immediately captivate your viewers’ attention — they have to pack visual panache and the promise of information and entertainment.

    5. Losing track of your target audience

    Another common mistake many businesses make when integrating short-form content into their marketing strategy is losing track of their target audience.

    Your marketing strategy should already be based around a clearly defined target audience and buyer personas. Short-form video content is no different.

    However, there are several adjustments you need to make. Short-form content is particularly popular among younger audiences, Gen Z and Millennials in particular. According to data released by Kepios in early 2023, the vast majority of TikTok’s above-18 ad audience is composed of people aged 18-24 (39%) and those aged 25-34 (32%).

    While older generations are slowly catching on to the use of short-form content, especially on Instagram and YouTube, the typical vertical video viewer is under 35. How you present your business needs to be adjusted for that.

    6. Not including captions

    On the technical side, a common shortcoming of short-form video content published by businesses is the lack of captions. It is a distinguishing feature of platforms like Shorts, Reels and TikTok that many viewers prefer to watch content on mute.

    According to recent statistics, 69% of viewers watch videos without sound, especially when in public. Consequently, they tend to scroll past clips that lack captions.

    In addition, well-designed captions with appropriate fonts, backgrounds, and colors can act as additional visual incentives and boost your overall engagement.

    Related: Add Captions to Your TikTok and Instagram Videos and Gain More Reach

    7. Forgetting your call to action

    Finally, one of the most common mistakes in short-form video for business purposes is to forget your call to action (CTA).

    Just getting viewers to watch your video is not the endgame. It’s to get them to take a particular action — to check out your services, start a trial, subscribe to your newsletter, follow your accounts, buy your products.

    That’s why including a CTA is essential, even in the shortest of your videos. You can include it in your script, captions, overlay, copy and comments. But you need to include it.

    The bottom line

    Short-form content on Reels, TikTok and Shorts has immense potential for boosting your business’ visibility.

    However, to succeed, you need to avoid the most common mistakes many businesses make when integrating vertical clips into their digital marketing strategy.

    By circumventing the pitfalls above, you’ll be able to elevate your brand using short-form content and avoid frustration along the way.

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    Hasan Saleem

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  • How to Maximize Each Stage of Your Franchise Sales Funnel Using Video | Entrepreneur

    How to Maximize Each Stage of Your Franchise Sales Funnel Using Video | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Over the past decade, selling franchises has become an extremely competitive business, and any advantage that one brand can develop, cultivate and deploy can make or break annual sales goals. Now more than ever, video marketing and production is beginning to fill that void. According to an internal survey from Franchise IQ, 87% of its customers indicated that the use of video — especially testimonials — was an important factor in their decision to purchase a franchise opportunity. Why is that? Because videos create lasting impressions in the minds of current and future customers.

    For franchisors, the full version of the sales funnel is an important aspect of the brand’s marketing program and initiatives. From a comprehensive standpoint, it’s important to deploy resources that have a profound effect during every stage, including the top, middle and bottom of the funnel. Visuals — whether in print or video — are an incredibly powerful tool for conveying information and creating a connection with potential customers and franchisees —which isn’t surprising considering people spend a third of their time online watching videos.

    Here, we’ll look at the specific type of video content that can help franchisors maximize their sales funnel potential at each stage of the buyer’s journey. As you’ll see, video just happens to be one aspect of the marketing mix that can be initialized in all three sectors. Here’s how:

    Related: Connecting With Your Target Audience Through Video

    Top of the funnel videos

    At the top end of your franchise sales funnel, the most valuable type of video simply introduces customers and prospects to your brand. Videos featuring the brand’s CEO or founder are great for this purpose because they give viewers an understanding of who is behind the company while creating a personal connection. But the C-suite is by no means the only recommended option for spokespersons. It can also be effective to feature current franchisees that have developed and maintained a successful operation under the brand’s watchful eye.

    Additionally, this stage is also an opportunity to create videos that respond to the most common objections prospects may have about a particular franchise opportunity. Lastly, for the top end of the funnel, it’s recommended that brands develop videos that cover the many different candidate personas, for the purpose of establishing a personal connection with prospective franchisees. Ultimately, the top of the funnel is where brands should showcase their story, explained in simple terms that are easy to comprehend and evaluate.

    Middle of the funnel Videos

    As for the middle of your sales funnel, this is a great opportunity to focus on building trust between the franchisors and potential candidates. This is precisely where franchisee testimonial videos come into play. How so? Because this is the moment to demonstrate how real entrepreneurs have benefitted from becoming part of your growing franchise family.

    The middle of the funnel can also be a suitable time to feature videos that reveal the actual level of support candidates can expect from the brand. These videos can be extremely convincing because they show exactly whom the prospective owners will be working with on a day-to-day basis once they themselves become owners.

    Another effective middle of the funnel video includes the popular “day-in-the-life” montages, featuring typical routines at the office — or home office if it’s a remote-based concept. This is an opportunity for candidates to get a sense of what their own lives might be like as owners of the brand.

    One caveat here: Don’t skimp on the storytelling aspect of this stage. You don’t exactly want a movie-length segment, but it’s important for people to see something that truly reflects franchise ownership with the brand. Done right, this video can really paint a picture, convincing a candidate that they, too, can succeed as a franchise owner and enjoy a better life and future.

    Related: Why Franchise Brands Need to Start Utilizing Video Marketing

    Bottom of the funnel videos

    When it comes to the bottom of your sales funnel, this is the time to create hype about the impending discovery day. Why is this important? Because it’s the literal crossroads where potential candidates make their final decision on whether or not to join your growing franchise family!

    What might a good hype video look like? A great way to approach this stage is a video that demonstrates all there is to learn about being a part of the franchise family — especially the nitty gritty details like systems and operations. Quick jump cuts of interrelated scenes can not only be effective but entertaining as well!

    To close out examples of good bottom of the funnel videos, it’s important to round out the whole experience. Make sure your potential customers know they’ll soon be welcomed into the franchise family. A great example is a quick “sizzle-style” highlight reel highlighting all of the corporate employees working as a team. A “welcome to the family” montage might just be the emotional closer you need to get that candidate to sign on the dotted line.

    More and more, video content is proving its worth as an effective tool for engaging customers and increasing conversions. It can be a vital part of any marketing strategy, but it’s proven exceptionally effective for franchisors. By taking a comprehensive approach that breaks down the type of videos you should be creating at each of the three sales funnel stages, you can be sure that your strategy is well thought out and well planned. Video is indeed a powerful medium. It’s quite an effective way to demonstrate to prospects that they aren’t just buying into a concept — they’re buying into a family that cares about their success as an entrepreneurial small business owner.

    Related: How to Create a Digital Marketing Funnel

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    Trevor Rappleye

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  • This Tool Can Elevate Your Video Marketing and Enhance Web Conferences and Your Social Media Strategy | Entrepreneur

    This Tool Can Elevate Your Video Marketing and Enhance Web Conferences and Your Social Media Strategy | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Whether you’re an eCommerce shop or want to establish your business’s web presence, you may want videos to be a major component of your content creation strategy. Viewers are up to 85% more likely to purchase a product after watching a product video, and there’s even a tool to simplify the whole process.

    The Pivo Pod Lite is a smartphone mount that’s equipped with advanced motion tracking, and it was featured at CES 2023. Record candid videos for social media or live demonstrations for your website, but first, you have to get this compact gadget for just $69.99. The sale ends March 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

    Cut the dull, static shots from your video strategy. The Pivo Pod uses advanced body and face tracking to keep you centered in the frame the whole time. Show off the most exciting items in your shop while your camera follows along.

    You can even add some style to your videos. Choose from 12+ creative modes to bring your content to life. For example, use the Many Me mode so three copies of you can show off everything your products can do all on one screen. And 50/50 splits the video screen down the middle, which is excellent for comparisons with your competitors, and some of the other effects offer fun and fresh ways to stand out online.

    Use the Pivo Pod in the office during web conferences. To stay centered while giving a video presentation, pop your phone onto the Pod and watch it follow your every movement.

    Level up your marketing or enhance how you web conference. Get the Pivo Pod Lite on sale for $69.99 (reg. $79.99) until March 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • How to Leverage Trending Sounds to Go Viral on Social Media | Entrepreneur

    How to Leverage Trending Sounds to Go Viral on Social Media | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    With the rise of short-form content across TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram reels, this is the perfect way to build an audience and any niche in 2023. Over the past six months, I’ve been testing out different ways to apply trends using short videos. I did this for two reasons:

    1. I created software that spots trends for TikTok and other platforms. If I was going to show people how to go viral by using these trends, I must do it myself first.

    2. To expand my own personal brand

    So far, my results have been excellent. Specifically, on Instagram, I’ve been able to reach over 50 million people by leveraging trends with reels. I’ve also been able to see a great deal of success on other social media platforms as well.

    Other organic methods work just as well as focusing on short-form content, but today we are going to be focusing on why you should add short-form content to your social media strategy and how to use trending sounds to amplify it.

    Before we get started, let’s first answer this question:

    Related: 3 Ways Your Brand Can Go Viral on TikTok

    Why are social media trends so powerful?

    Social media trends are a powerful phenomenon that can shape public opinion and even create sweeping changes in how people think, act and interact. Whether it’s the #MeToo movement, giving voice to those who have faced sexual harassment or #BlackLivesMatter, highlighting racial oppression, social media trends have been used as a platform for collective action.

    The power of social media trends lies primarily in their ability to reach a massive audience in an incredibly short amount of time. Trends often spread like wildfire, with users from all over the world engaging with and sharing content within minutes of its release. This is especially true when popular figures like celebrities or influencers get involved. By leveraging their large following, they can amplify the trend exponentially and help shape public opinion on an issue.

    Be consistent

    It’s important to understand that trends and using trending sounds won’t guarantee a viral video. Each day during the week, I have the opportunity to consult with content creators across different niches. Some of these creators are just starting out, and others have multiple million followers across all platforms.

    The common mistake I see when hopping on these calls is that people think that applying trends to your content creation strategy will guarantee a viral video. Because of this mindset, I’ll see many people post three to four videos that leverage a rising trend and stop posting content, wondering why their videos haven’t popped off yet.

    Yes, using trending sounds is a way to get more viral content, but posting consistently is more important. Yes, you have some creators who are able to hit a home run on the first try, but the reality is that’s not going to work for everyone.

    Social media is a numbers game. We only use trends to better put the odds in our favor. I would rather you post content consistently without using any trending sounds than post a handful of trendy videos and stop posting altogether. That way, you would see significantly better results in the long run.

    Consistency does not only apply to social media. Consistency is a powerful tool that can help you reach your goals in life. It allows you to focus on the small steps leading up to larger successes rather than tackling everything at once. Consistency also helps keep you motivated and encourages good habits. When it comes to achieving success, consistency is key!

    Related: 3 Social Media Hacks to Help Your Content Go Viral

    Be relevant

    The last important step for using trending sounds to go viral with short-form content is to make sure that the audio you’re using is relevant to what you’re showing within your video.

    The algorithms are not dumb. People are not dumb either. Both the algorithm and the people watching your content love authenticity. This includes:

    Being authentic with your content while leveraging trending sounds makes it easier for multiple videos to go viral if one does happen to pop off.

    Using trending sounds is a great way to go viral, but it is just one of three things needed to go viral on TikTok, Instagram reels and YouTube shorts. Be sure you add consistency and relevancy. Those two things are arguably more important than applying trends. If you combine all three in your content creation strategy, you will see some fantastic results.

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    Dejon Brooks

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  • Strategies to Optimize Returns in Franchise Digital Marketing

    Strategies to Optimize Returns in Franchise Digital Marketing

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Return on Investment (ROI). It’s what every brand wants from its franchise digital marketing dollar — money that’s often begrudgingly spent even though most brand leaders know they need to budget for it. Still, doing so isn’t like allocating money for research and development or human resources, where cost can be more easily measured against return. Now more than ever, digital marketing is a nuanced tool that can add tremendous value to a brand name.

    For the same reason, it can leave investors feeling like they aren’t getting their money’s worth. So, how do you measure its value? What criteria do you use, and how focused should you be in determining your franchise’s digital marketing ROI? Well, a lot depends on, well, a lot.

    The right partnership

    Getting a good read on your franchise marketing ROI should always start with establishing a clear and consistent baseline against which it can be measured. It should account for external factors that may impact a campaign’s success, like weather, seasonal trends, economic pressures (think pandemic) and more. Perhaps most importantly, it should consider the skill and experience of the person or the team doing its monitoring and measuring.

    These days, most consumers take their time before purchasing, partly because there are many ways that decisions can be influenced. The digital landscape is increasingly fragmented, and the buyer’s journey doesn’t always start at A and end at Z. A buyer’s digital experience is virtually limitless, which is why it’s essential that your team measures ROI holistically, not just channel — or platform-specifically — and that means it’s essential to partner with marketers who can see the big picture and help you see it, too.

    Related: The Importance of Seeing the Big Picture

    Think about it: we all rely on the advice of experts — accountants, plumbers, lawyers — and you should seek out a digital marketer with the same intention as a doctor or mechanic, as someone who can help you understand a complex scenario and guide you through choices. Good franchise digital marketing integrates many efforts — content, paid advertising, social media, SEO, and more — and experienced franchise digital marketers know that ROI should be measured using a predetermined set of key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics that reflect your objectives. Common franchise development KPIs include cost per lead, click-through rate, organic traffic and more. An experienced franchise digital marketer can help you determine which KPIs are best to focus on, given your brand’s history and goals.

    Emerging vs. established brands

    Identifying what KPIs to focus on as a franchisor will very much depend on whether your brand is an emerging one — new to the industry with a lot to prove — or an established one with a reputation, one that’s either served you well or hasn’t (and here’s where reputation management is critical. An experienced digital marketing agency can help you with that, too!). All franchisors measure success by the number of franchises they sell each year. Still, an emerging brand may have other criteria they’ll use in addition to sales, like whether or not they’ve articulated their story and purpose effectively, whether they’ve reached the best and broadest audience possible, and how clearly they’ve outlined their value against that of the competition. This will mean adopting a long-view marketing strategy that may take more time to measure.

    Related: Can’t Rush a Good Thing: Effective Franchise Digital Marketing Takes Time

    Conversely, an established brand with a good reputation will likely have very different goals that are a subset of the ultimate goal, which is to sell franchises. They may want to reach new personas, like multi-unit owners or veterans, the market for a specific territory or region, or focus on a particular competitive advantage. These goals are more precise and, therefore, may be more easily measured; they might also be more quickly realized because marketing strategies can be highly tailored to meet them. For brands suffering from poor reputation management or a history of dissatisfied customers, marketing efforts will take on a completely different tone and objective, one that looks to reestablish trust and reiterate worth, neither of which can happen overnight.

    The lifetime value of your brand

    As someone who’s been in the franchise marketing sphere for a decade, it’s my experience that whether you’re a franchisor or a franchisee, ultimately, the real return on investment depends on how you view your marketing dollar in the first place: is it an expense meant to deliver results quickly, or an investment, one made for long-term growth? You’d be wise to approach it from the latter perspective.

    All your marketing efforts should add to your brand’s equity or its lifetime value — the place it has in the hearts and minds of consumers and the public, people who include potential franchisees — and that almost always takes time to establish. Most investors want to align with brands they can believe in and trust, in other words, brands that have worth beyond what can be measured by KPIs and ROIs. A brand’s worth is built over time — often years — through creating awareness, articulating culture and values, delivering on promises, and encouraging loyalty; again, this means taking a long-view approach to your marketing strategies and determining ROI.

    Related: How to Vet Franchisors and Predict Your ROI on a Franchise Business

    Taking a long view is especially important in franchising because it’s set up to reward patience financially. Hefty one-time franchise fees paid by new investors and ongoing monthly royalties (typically 5-8% of gross sales and the real bread and butter of a franchise brand) can add up and contribute tremendously to brand value. Every franchise that is sold adds to a brand’s inherent worth, and that growth can only happen if you commit your marketing dollars to work over time. Franchisees, too, should view their local marketing efforts as an investment in their presumably long future, one that’s meant to slowly and steadily grow their presence and value.

    In the end, ROI should always be gauged against the cost of not creating a budget for regular and comprehensive digital marketing. Your brand doesn’t exist in a vacuum and can’t grow unless you do what others want: believe and invest in it.

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    Stephen Galligan

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  • 9 Ways Memes Can Change Your Business

    9 Ways Memes Can Change Your Business

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The so-called “creator economy” spans a hugely diverse field with products including dance videos on TikTok, crocheted doilies on Etsy and eye-popping memes on iFunny. It is becoming a formidable force. In 2021 alone, the creator economy raised a record $1.3 billion in funding, underscoring the investment community’s vote of confidence in its future. Fast forward to 2022, and memes are clearly no longer just for laughs.

    The sector’s trailblazers — behemoths like Meta and more specialized entertainment tech players like FunCorp, whose team I was privileged to join in 2021 — were fortunate to be at the forefront of many industry changes, including the explosion of memes into pop culture.

    Related: The Secret to Building Brand Devotion is Not a Loyalty Program. Here’s What Customer’s Really Want.

    Innovative players across industries are harnessing their power to build communities and inspire strong sentiment around their brand for the benefit of the business. Here are some exciting new ways in which memes can help you achieve your strategic objectives, both as they relate to your customers and your teams:

    1. Reach a younger audience. Memes don’t have a target age, but if you are keen to grab a larger part of the younger demographic, they might be the most effective medium of short-form communication. Approximately 54% of Gen-Zs, 41% of Millennials, and 21% of Gen-Xers look for new memes every day, according to GlobalWebIndex data, while 75% of users aged 13-36 regularly share memes. Considering these stats, using memes to help your corporate messages reach younger customers and potential partners seems like a no-brainer.
    2. Mount a low-cost marketing campaign. When done right, a meme that takes a limited budget to create can leverage the power of social media to go viral, which means your meme marketing campaign has the potential to go viral as well. Companies across sectors, from grocery delivery players to luxury retailers, are already using this to their advantage, with Gucci‘s meme-based ad campaign “#TFWGucci” (“That Feeling When Gucci”) representing one of the company’s highest engaging ad campaign, generating over 21,000 comments and 2 million likes. Apps like Yepp have built-in editing tools that simplify meme creation, even for a novice, helping take the art of meme-making into the mainstream.
    3. Increase engagement with your social media page. If you enjoy memes, you know the internet gets flooded with clever takes on trending news. You can keep track of popular memes and share the ones that are topical and well-aligned with your corporate image to fuel greater engagement with your audience online. A recent research report highlighted the benefits of this strategy, revealing that while millennials generally eschew commercial and sponsored content, 84% of them are influenced by user-generated content, including memes on company pages.
    4. Help your brand stand out. Given the short-form nature of meme content and its punchy messaging style and visuals, memes can stay in your memory long after you’ve clicked on them. There is a way to leverage this by incorporating memes into your branding, ensuring better brand recall than other communication formats. It’s a crowded space, and memes help break through the wall of indifference and capture consumer attention. One company nailing this is Barkbox, a company selling dog toy subscription boxes. Barkbox has racked up an impressive 1.8 million followers on its Instagram page by almost exclusively sharing memes. It now surpasses the follower count of the country’s largest pet retailer — PetSmart — by a cool 1 million people.
    5. Build brand loyalty. While traditional marketing may alienate some consumers by being overly aspirational (think beach body ads, reels for the latest diet supplements), memes tend to unite people by reminding them that they are not alone in their thoughts and feelings. In doing so, memes become a powerful tool for community-building, helping foster a sense of belonging among consumers that translates into brand loyalty.
    6. Align your onboarding with your workplace culture. Starting a new job can be a daunting experience, and deciphering the work culture at your new office can be difficult. If you pride yourself on fostering a unique working environment far from the stuffy, hierarchical offices of the past, then using memes to welcome new employees might be a good way to highlight this. Memes, when chosen appropriately, can help your new team members understand the new workplace better and easily fit into it.
    7. Encourage team building. Memes have the power to inspire strong feelings, which laugh-out-loud content tends to do. While memes are most often used for external marketing in business, corporate culture gurus are now also looking to memes, seeking more ways to unite and inspire employees. Creating work channels for sharing your favorite memes or holding corporate competitions for the best meme created by employees on a particular topic of relevance can be an unusual and fun way to encourage team building. And they can certainly help spice up a presentation when used effectively.
    8. Spice up internal communications. Deploying a mix of topical memes in internal communications can help you drive your key points home and even inject some fun into the driest of topics. It is great to hear the crowd break down into genuine laughter during an internal new product presentation or a weekly team meeting, and memes are a quick and simple way to achieve this, inserting a bit of fun into the everyday. Thinking beyond internal comms, corporate and investor presentations might benefit from memes in the same way as well.
    9. Help break up monotonous tasks. Not every job can always be exciting, as monotonous tasks are often a necessary part of a job and cannot be avoided. At the same time, feeling engaged is a key component of employee satisfaction and retention. Consider making small changes for big impacts, like inserting a “meme of the day” into your team’s workflow or even ask the team to suggest their own suitable memes for a bit of fun and to encourage social interactions to help break up the monotony of some tedious tasks that cannot be cut from the work routine.

    Related: How to Use Memes To Transform Your Marketing Strategy

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    Max Kraynov

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