Social media marketing expert Larry Kim recaps here some of the most notable shifts in the video industry. These newsworthy stories demonstrate a larger trend: platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter are making video even more accessible and prevalent in their user experience. And when 90% of users say that product videos are helpful in the decision process, marketers should take note.
If you’re using video in your marketing outreach, you can leverage the power of branded links to increase brand impressions, reinforce your call to action (CTA), and drive more clicks.
Branded links are shortened URLs created using your brand name or other relevant terms that associate your business with those links. These links are produced when you use a URL shortener such as BL.INK to shorten long, forgettable URLs. Instead of a random, meaningless link such as bit.ly/1Gc6Sm, your link can look like this: my.brand/is-great.
To have a branded link, first, you need to have a branded domain to use for linking. BL.INK makes it easy to search for available domains right within the platform. Need help thinking of a short domain for your brand? Check out our blog post on tips for selecting the perfect short domain to use for branded links. Once you’ve got a domain, you can use it in BL.INK and start creating branded links instantly.
Branded links are more memorable because they use real words (not forgettable strings of characters). The link itself can convey marketing messages and CTAs. Because they’re meaningful (and short), they’re easy to remember – exactly what you want in a digital marketing campaign.
Tell your audience where you want them to go, by using simple words with meaning. Which is easier to say?
Option #2, right?
Branded links are “speakable:” your video caster can say the words without requiring text-over onscreen (branded links are also ideal for use with smart speakers), and your audience is more likely to remember them, even if they don’t click the link immediately.
Most important, branded links are likely to generate more clicks; a recent survey confirmed that 60-80% of users prefer short links that include meaningful, real words.
When you produce and upload a video, that content is set in stone. But what if you need to change where your link goes? With BL.INK, you can change the destination URL of any branded link. No more sending viewers to outdated pages!
Have a popular video that directs users to a product that has sold out? No problem. Just log into BL.INK and update the link destination to a similar product. This way if your video drives traffic to your site, you still have an opportunity to convert a viewer into a customer, and maximize your video marketing ROI.
Video will continue to evolve and become an even more prevalent form of marketing. If you’re a YouTuber, a live-video maverick, or a marketer just getting started with video, leverage the power of short links in your video content by signing up for a 21-day free trial BL.INK account today.