LinkedIn and Tumblr: Tips for Effective Video Marketing

We've all heard the hype: Make use of every internet angle to obtain maximum social equity. This means commanding as much ownership of the Internet marketplace as possible by using every social media platform appropriate for a brand's video or product.

This is the art of becoming ubiquitous as a brand. When marketing video, there are more networks to rely on than just YouTube, Twitter, and Vine. Some marketers see this as unchartered territory, but what they fail to realize is that other platforms can be just as effective, if not more.

LinkedIn and Tumblr are two examples. Conversion rates are often more easily obtained with the targeted user on these platforms, even though both sites might still be relatively obscure to a company's digital marketing funnel.

Both LinkedIn and Tumblr offer tremendous interactivity potential -- the basis for sharing and social media impact. The trick? Know how each platform is used. Know the audience. Know the audience's comfort zone and how they interact. Find a niche and run with it. The payoff is high with targeted leads.

LinkedIn is a great networking tool to contact the movers and shakers in a specific industry. HubSpot reported that LinkedIn is 277 percent more effective than Facebook and Twitter at generating leads. There are some newcomers to the business/executive space like BranchOut and Twylah, but LinkedIn still has the lion's share of the pie. BranchOut tries to mimic the LinkedIn marketplace, while Twylah harnesses the power of the Twitter model.

Video Marketing Success on Tumblr

Tumblr began as a micro-blogging platform. Recently acquired by Yahoo, it has gained more clout. Its sense of immediacy is appealing to visitors, much like Pinterest and Instagram, allowing fast posting, sharing, and interaction. Posts on Tumblr are generally shared through a re-blogging feature.

To take advantage of Tumblr, be keenly aware of what is popular with users. New or smaller businesses must be aggressive and intuitive in securing followers using lots of self-promotion to gain prominence. Keep in mind, Tumblr lacks a traditional commenting section. Structure a video marketing campaign accordingly.

Carly Fauth, head of marketing and outreach at finance blog Money Crashers, handles video marketing campaigns on many platforms. She lists her keys to success on Tumblr:

• Keep videos brief unless it is creative. Research shows the average consumer tunes out of a video around 30 or 40 seconds. If content is creative and compelling, the video can be 10 minutes or longer.


• Determine the most effective length for the target viewer. Focus heavily on compelling content.


• If there is a lot to say, break video up into multiple, separate videos.


• Don't make videos overly promotional or laden with strong sales pitches. Viewers tune out.


• Mention the name of the company, a brief description of what it does at the beginning and at the end of the video.


• Post a personalized video of the company's team to put a face to the company. This is effective at improving revenues.


• A video marketing message should feature what sets the business apart from the competition.


• Post how-to videos using company products. For instance, a hardware store could post a video on home improvement.


• Create a consistent schedule by posting new videos weekly or monthly. This gives a business multiple opportunities to promote itself. It also gives viewers a better introduction into a company's products and benefits.


• When content is difficult to create, consider running a customer contest. Choose the top three videos of customers actually using the company's products. Post these.


• Images tend to be more popular on Tumblr. Post a few screenshots or thumbnails of a video on the Tumblr page to gain traction.


• To increase exposure, post a link to the video on other social media accounts.


• Monitor all social media accounts for comments about the video. Respond to each and every one of them.

Video Marketing Success on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the business alternative to Facebook. Job seekers, business executives, and companies use the platform to gain the most exposure by expanding their network of business contacts. Similar interests and skill sets attract. Members join interest groups and network with people who share the same interests or are in the same industry.

J.J DiGeronimo, a technology executive with Purposeful Woman, offers these tips for marketing on LinkedIn:

• Know the target audience, then join groups that attract that audience.


• Create videos that address a specific problem in less than four minutes.


• Make sure videos are interesting and keep the viewer's attention. The highest SEO rankings are gained when people don't just click and leave.


• Use calls-to-action that encourage viewers to like the video and request more information.


• Post the video with a catchy title in target LinkedIn groups. The title needs to captivate viewers and create a need to watch.


• Blog about the video and link to it from other social media platforms.


• Partner with similar industry initiatives. Share video posts and blogs to like-minded groups.


• Ask people to comment and repost the video.


• Watch the analytics to understand how people are relating to the video.


• Ask people to subscribe to the video channel.

Gary Stringer, internet marketing manager with AccuraCast, runs LinkedIn campaigns for health cash plan provider Paycare. He says LinkedIn has provided Paycare the "perfect opportunity to find appropriate decision makers in organizations they want to reach. The trick is finding the decision makers and targeting them on LinkedIn." He adds that video ad previews have been "far more effective" than text only ads. This Paycare ad (right) grabs the audience by mentioning a job function in the ad text.

Stringer says a savvy LinkedIn marketer knows the audience, user expectations, and limitations:

• Don't expect click-through rates to be as high on LinkedIn as they are on platforms like Google AdWords or YouTube. A click-through rate (CTR) of 0.3 percent is good on LinkedIn.


• Video ads on LinkedIn are more effective at driving leads, although they may not have stronger CTRs than text ads.


• Make the most of LinkedIn's targeting platform. Select job functions and people most likely to be interested in the company's products or services.

Social media marketing offers a wealth of opportunity for the savvy marketer, and LinkedIn and Tumblr can expand social equity. It's all about knowing the social media platform and tailoring the message to fit viewer expectations and interests.

Social network image via Shutterstock.

Shelley M. Johnson's article first appeared on OnlineVideo.net