It’s no surprise that 4 out of 5 marketers report video as positively affecting their business. While YouTube is the largest video distribution platform in the world, the abundance of content present can make it difficult for some brands to get their videos seen by users. According to YouTube, the platform receives over one billion monthly visitors and receives 100 hours of new content uploaded every minute. That’s a lot of noise to rise above for brands trying to get their name seen. Though YouTube may be the biggest player in the game, it’s not the only one.

Vine & Instagram

Both Vine and Instagram have become wildly successful, specifically in the past year, since Google’s Hummingbird began to show favor towards quality content. Short form videos, like the kind supported by Vine and Instagram, have proven to be an effective marketing tool for brands in multiple industries. Condensing content into 6 or 12-second videos, while adding a little creativity, can work wonders for brands seeking exposure and new customer acquisition. As a bonus, these two social media platforms were built for sharing, which further promotes content across the web.

Facebook

As the most popular social media platform, Facebook boasts over a billion users and has been a valuable marketing outlet for the past decade. With the launch of video auto-play in news feeds, Facebook is another prime location for branded video content. Savvy marketers use branded Facebook pages as a supplement to posting video content on YouTube and have achieved positive results. Like Vine and Instagram, Facebook encourages users to share top notch content.

Vimeo

Vimeo, one of the largest video sharing sites around, is another great place for video marketing content to live. With some viewers reporting better video quality on Vimeo, it has essentially become YouTube’s largest competitor. Unlike YouTube, Vimeo does not pollute video content with advertisements. Instead, marketers are able to upload and share captivating videos without unnecessary distractions.

Video Blogs

In addition to traditional blogs, video blogs provide brands with a unique way to stay connected with their target audience. By creating a branded video and maintaining an active video blog, brands are able to address specific customer questions and concerns, provide a behind-the-scenes look at operations and inject stories into video content.

Microsites

Though not as popular as social media and Vimeo, microsites are another good place to post branded video content. Does your company want to use video to promote a seasonal sale or provide customers with a holiday greeting? Do you want to target a new market or gain additional traffic with the creation of a microsite? Regardless of your brand’s goals, adding video content to a microsite will help increase interest, engagement, and brand awareness.

The Takeaway

For video marketers, variety is the name of the game. In order to increase brand awareness, stretch your video marketing budget and receive maximum return on investment. Publishing video content in different locations across the web is a smart move. Next time you are thinking to “post and forget” a video on YouTube, take a minute to review available alternatives for video distribution.

  • What other platforms are beneficial for video marketers?