Did you know…
The equivalent of 100 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube each minute (Source).
There’s no doubt about it: content is king, especially when that content involves video.
So how can you maximize videos on your sites to increase engagement socially? Simple additions can add character and excitement to your clips.
Add Annotations
YouTube is so great because of it’s simplicity and shareability. But it also offers built-in editing tools to enhance your already uploaded videos. One such tool is annotations.
Annotations are built-in “commentary” that pop-up when users watch your videos. YouTube offers 4 types of annotations: speech bubbles, spotlights, notes, titles, and labels.
To add an annotation to a video, the video must already be loaded into your account. Once this is done,
Step One
Click the arrow next to Upload at the top of any YouTube page:
Step Two
Select “Video Manager”
Step Three
Beside the video you wish to edit, click the down arrow to the right of the Edit button and select “Annotations”
Step Four
Select “Add annotation”
Your annotations can be different sizes, colours, fonts, and positions, and you are able to choose when they appear and disappear in the video using the “Start” and “End” buttons. Links may also be added to your annotations, if desired.
Step Five
Click “Publish” when you are finished your annotations. Your annotations will now be visible for viewers when they click on the video.
Tour Operators: Use this opportunity to showcase individual tours to your clients, and make the video more entertaining and personal by adding speech bubble annotations showing clients’ thoughts or quotes during the trip, and encourage sharing the video on your social sites.
Destinations: Use the spotlight or note annotations to draw attention to specific areas viewed in your videos. These annotations may reveal further details about the area than would have been noticed by just watching the video itself, or offer links to similar content located elsewhere.
This Australia tourism video is short, but manages to show a lot. To maximize the 30 seconds even further, annotations have been added linking to similar videos that viewers may be interested in.
Notice how the annotations are short, not in the centre of the video, and only last for a couple of seconds. These characteristics encourage more clicks from viewers, as they are less disruptive to the video itself.
Travel Agents: encourage your clients to upload videos from their recent trips and include their own annotations to personalize the experience in a fun way to show to future clients.
Here’s how and when annotations appear within videos:
Add audio tracks
Music is an easy way to garner attention and emotion from your audience. There is a tool within YouTube that you may use to legally add music to your videos.
How to use AudioSwap
Just like adding Annotations, go to your Video Manager page, locate the video you wish to edit, and click the down arrow beside the Edit button, except this time, select Audio.
You can select tracks and preview them, as well as customize when they appear in the video, similar to annotations.
YouTube offers an extensive library of music to choose from that will leave users free from copyright issues. Choose one that matches the atmosphere and mood of your video to really ramp up the effectiveness.
Destinations: try to find music that is indigenous to the area. This will let viewers feel even closer to the destination long before they arrive.
India has a campaign of short videos featuring the same audio track with different visuals to showcase the many features that India has to offer:
Tour Operators: use music that is simple, yet supports and enhances the stunning visuals offered by your videos.
Discover Canada Tours uses classical music to encourage viewers to really take in what they are looking at, and they definitely increase interest of an already beautiful area!
(Source)
By adding annotations and audio to your videos, it is possible for you to make them say even more.
What other tools have you used to enhance your videos online?
Related Articles:
How to add Video to your LinkedIn Profile
7 Secrets to Video Virality – WestJet Christmas Miracle and Tourism
Written in cooperation with Ruby Murphy.
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About the author, Catherine J. Heeg
Catherine Heeg is a travel, hospitality and tourism industry thought leader. As President of Customized Management Solutions and an international speaker and trainer she delivers customized interactive social media, marketing and communication workshops and webinars. Customized social marketing strategy design and coaching keep her driving results for the tourism, travel and hospitality industry.