If we combine written content and images, what do you think the chances of it being shared online over video are? Zero. That’s right, not only is video more likely to be shared over text and images, the chances of it happening are 1200%. We’re going to take you through what to do if you want a successful video marketing campaign, and what not to do.

DO: Engage and Entertain

The average human processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, so why not engage your audience with video? There are a few ways to do this, but storytelling is high on the list. We’re hardwired to engage in storytelling. Delivering a story that reflects your brand rather than selling your product encourages your audience to relate to you. Allow viewers to get smitten with your strong narrative. Be authentic and transparent in your message. That way, your audience will learn from you and trust you. ‘How to’ videos are king–back in 2015 ‘how to’ searches had grown by 70 percent on YouTube.

DO: Offer Subtitles

Text and video make an incredible team. Viewers have acclimatized to reading text with video and written content in the form of captions serves a crucial purpose: accessibility. Think about the last time you were bored to tears in that meeting or nodding off during a teleconference. The one thing that can keep you awake is a video, but it’s better to watch on silent. This is where captions are invaluable.

DO: Review Video Analytics Data

Above anything else, you need to be able to measure your video’s performance. You can’t improve something you can’t analyze. Reviewing data (for views, completion rates, shares, embeds, and influence on profits) allows you to fine-tune your strategy, adjust your campaign and create more opportunities to move viewers through your conversion process.

DO: Have a Call to Action

A common mistake people make when creating video is forgetting to include a call to action. Make sure your call to action is clear and include your contact information or website. Prompt viewers to do something with a metaphoric handshake at the end of the video.

DO Share Your Video

It isn’t good enough just to produce the video. You need to distribute it through social media. Views of branded video content on have increased by 99 percent on YouTube and on Facebook by 258 percent.

With Facebook monopolizing the largest audience of any social network with more than 2.07 billion monthly users, and YouTube still the world’s second largest search engine, you would have to be living under a rock not to realize video on social media is growing at an explosive rate.

Now for what NOT to do…

DON’T: Forget to Think about Video Length

Length is an important factor in engaging your audience. According to Wistia, videos that are two minutes or less are more engaging. Of course, it also depends on the platform. A two-minute video on Facebook or YouTube has the capacity to capture a large audience, but you would need to shorten it for Instagram or Twitter. Just be sure to capture your audience’s attention immediately.

DON’T: Be a Salesperson

Be sure to steer clear of the sales pitch. Your goal is to establish trust and you can’t if you’re prattling about the latest promotion. Once you’ve gained like-ability and built your reputation, go for the sale, but make it subtle. You don’t want to be that pushy salesperson who just won’t quit.

DON’T: Use Poor Quality Videos

It’s important to pay close attention to having a good quality video because it reflects your brand and image. While you don’t need to spend a fortune, look for someone with the skills and knowledge to shoot professional footage for a visually entertaining and engaging video. Poor quality videos are likely to get overlooked or turn viewers off before they even reach the five-second mark.

Wrap-Up

Now that you have the scoop on what to do and what not to do, there’s nothing to stop you positioning your strategy on better footing to achieve success. You won’t regret it.