How To Do Great Video Marketing For Selling Online Courses

Video marketing is one of the best ways to promote your online courses. If you want to gain more audience, win the trust and make higher profits, then show how great of a coach you are with videos.   
 

Why is video marketing working best? Because you make it personal by showing yourself. However, in this competitive industry, there are certain criteria for making good videos in order for the marketing strategy to truly work. 

So, if you are ready, let’s start!  
 

Why start video marketing?

Before we start, let’s look at the main reasons we should start video marketing.  
 

• Statistics. According to some basic statistics, video marketing increase brand awareness by 70%, traffic by 51%, and sales by 34%. 
• More exposure and engagement. Users nowadays prefer videos over text format. Videos, especially short ones, are easier to watch and comprehend. Plus, if a coach knows how to use body language and voice intonations, they will also appeal to more trustworthy and professional. 
• A personal way to engage your audience. When the audience sees your face, they understand that you are a real person who has real expertise in some area and is ready to share it.  
   

These are three primary reasons that should be enough for you to realize the vitality and effectiveness of video marketing.  
 

5 types of videos for the online course business

Video marketing nowadays is a fully occupied and diversified part of the marketing strategy. There are multiple types of videos one can create for an online curse business. Let’s take a look at the Top 5 of them. 

Talking Head Videos 

The first type of video you can use for marketing purposes is the - TALKING HEAD video. There are a few reasons why those usually work best.  
 

• First of all, talking head videos make you a real human being. In this era of digitizing everything, people miss the human connection. Therefore, when you show yourself in the video, they not only realize that you are real, but it also contributes to the increase of the trust factor towards you.  
   
• Secondly, people instantly grab your body language, facial expressions, and voice intonation manner, and it becomes clear do they want to purchase and will they be satisfied with your teaching style or not. So, you can take advantage of this and work a bit on your voice and body language to attract more clients.  
   

Also, talking head videos can be used not only for marketing videos but generally for pre-recorded courses. Of course, you will need to add a few presentations and other materials, but when you talk right in front of the camera using correct oral communication techniques, the user feels like you are talking to them.  
 

So, simply by shooting this kind of video, you personalize users' experience.  
 

Here are some tips on how to create a good talking head videos: 
 

• No destruction in the background; remember that you are the main focus. 
• Pay attention to lighting. 
• Avoid noisy places because audio guarantees 50% of the video's success.
• Use two cameras and shoot from different angles; thus, when editing a video, you can show parts of it from different angles and make the video more dynamic.  
   

Explainer Video/Guide 

Another type of video that creators can use for online course business is Explainer video guides or, in short, how-tos. However, these kinds of videos are better used for instructions on the website or YouTube rather than for marketing.  
 

Those are also extremely vital because by explaining how to do simple stuff on your website, you enhance the overall user experience. Therefore, your client won’t have to spend extra time trying to figure out how to complete simple actions.  
 

Here are some tips on how to create good explainer videos:

• Start strong in order to draw viewers' attention 
• Determine the goal of the video and write a script 
• Make sure to answer all the possible questions viewers might have 
• Be attentive to details and explain each of them 
• Use presentations, graphics, or screen recordings  
   

Thus, following all the above-mentioned tips, you will be able to create amazing videos and how-to tutorials. 

Whiteboard Videos 

Whiteboard videos today are one of the most powerful ways to share knowledge and are also used for marketing. The style of those videos is based on the recreation of a real-life whiteboard experience where someone explains the materials using whiteboards. Of course, whiteboard animations are more advanced and look multiple times better. Also, get an overview of video conferencing API that can enhance the collaborative aspects of these videos, allowing real-time discussions and interactions to take place.
 

So, if you want to keep your audience engaged and offer something different, consider whiteboard animation videos. Here are some tips on how to make a really good one: 
 

• Powerful storytelling is the key. 
• Create animated characters that you will use in other videos as well as elements of your personal branding 
• Follow the traditions: white background, black marker, and animated hand as if it draws everything.
• Add some basic colors - blue, red, yellow - if you want to draw attention to specific details.
• Read your script before starting to make the animation. Your script may seem perfect, but when you read it out loud, you will definitely stumble across a few things you might want to change, thus making the final product even better.  
   

About the last Pro tip on how to create a good whiteboard animation video for the course or marketing purposes, I will talk in a separate paragraph. Basically, the last tip is to choose the correct software. Choose quality over the price; this is an investment and not a cost. If you want to be credible, you should provide high-quality whiteboard animations.  
 

One of the best software is Doodly, to which you can get lifetime access by paying only 67$. 

Screenrecording Videos 

This type of video is more valuable inside the course itself rather than for marketing. However, they can be used for marketing purposes as well. Let’s say you are showcasing your website’s features and available courses. Then, you can screen record everything. Afterward, with the help of animations, show where and what is located. The purpose of such videos is to showcase and persuade potential clients that your e-learning platform offers enough materials and benefits for them.  
 

So, basically, that type of video can help you to create a “tutorial” that showcases the benefits of your website. Therefore, you can use it for marketing, e.g., publishing on YouTube and attach to an email campaign. 

Animated Videos & Animated Characters 

Those are one of the most appealing types of videos for marketing. Why? Because animated videos combine amazing storytelling with an incredible visual design that catches the user's attention. Of course, there are a few downsides, such as costs and extra time required; however, if you shoot the right video with a good scenario, it will definitely help you to meet your marketing goals.  
 

I will recommend you to create a unique character, either on Renderforest that makes animations easier to create or in a blender (if you are aware of the app, then definitely go with this one). After the creation of a unique animated character, you can use it for your branding on genera and not only for one single marketing video. 

Why will it be beneficial? Because the animated character you use is a promotional strategy, overall branding will speak for your brand, and users will associate it with the character. Therefore, you will automatically have a unique selling point. Besides, cute animated characters possibly will affect people's empathy levels as you are giving your brand a whole personality.  
 

So, with simple animated characters and animated videos, you can create powerful and memorable marketing campaigns.  
 

7 steps to create a great video marketing strategy 

You can create a truly good video marketing strategy even though the competition is high. Instead of being afraid of the competitors, learn from them. And develop a unique selling point that will differentiate you from them. Now we are going to take a look at the main 7 steps you have to take if you want to create a good and, most importantly, working video marketing strategy.  
 

Step 1 - Understand who you are creating it for 

If you want to create a working strategy, you have to know who you are creating it for. Basically, who is your audience, and what is your niche? Of course, your industry is course creation and e-learning, but what niche? If it is programming, lifestyle, or Data Science, in either case, your target is completely different from one another.  
 

When you are clear with the niche, validate your idea next. Search the forums, ask existing audiences what type of videos they would like to see, do surveys, and experiment with the content.  
 

Define the needs & wants of your target market, potential issues they might face, and pain points in order to be able to create videos on demand. Also, base your strategy on your goals. 

How to Identify your audience? 

• Market research. First things first, conduct market research to understand the overall industry's trends. 
• Analyze your customer base. If you already have a customer base, then use them as a focus group, carry out interviews, and collect feedback in order to get a more clear vision of further steps. 
• Analyze competitors. As I have mentioned a bit earlier, take a look at your competitor's courses and audiences, and try to figure out what are there selling points and strategies are. One tool that can be quite helpful is Semrush. 
• Create buyer personas. Your target audience consists of specific segments of clients; make an approximately perfect buyer persona for each segment. Target personas' information should include age, demographics, interests & hobbies, and income levels.  
   

Step 2 - Define Goals 

Do you have a clear objective in mind? If not, that is not alright, because it will not work. If you want your marketing strategy to work out, define clear & SMART goals. Also, make sure that you have both short-term and long-term goals.  
 

All of your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-specific. There are poorly formulated and good goals; let’s take a look at an example.  
 

Poorly formulated Goal example - I want an increase in sales. 
 

Good formulated goal example: The company needs a 30% increase in sales for the X product line/course/service, 500 new leads, and 50 customers in the next six months. 

How to define your marketing goals?

• Identify the amount of revenue you plan to gain from inbound marketing. 
• How many sales do you need? When the amount of expected and desired revenue is clear, your next step is to understand how much sales you need to achieve the goal. 
• Identify a number of opportunities, SQLs (sales qualified leads), and MQLs (marketing qualified leads) that you will need. Not all your leads are going to be passed to the sales team and become opportunities; set a number, e.g., 50%. 
• Understand how much traffic you need to your website’s landing pages to generate leads and continue working with them through various marketing campaigns. 
• What is your budget? It is also quite vital to understand that you will have a specific budget for marketing, and everything you plan to do should fit in it and bring a return on investment.  
   

Step 3 - Plan content ahead 

Having content ready ahead of time and a content plan for the next month is the most critical step you have to take. Planned ahead content will help you throughout the way. First of all, you will have topics and won’t need to waste any more time coming up with the new ones for a while. Secondly, you will be able to post regularly and be consistent, which is one of the main factors of growth. 

How do you plan content ahead?

• Brainstorm ideas
• Write all the ideas down and exclude those that are not connected to the fulfillment of your goals. 
• Establish deadlines and schedule the content  
   

TIP: Always have a few videos ready ahead of time just in case of emergencies. 

Step 4 - Consider video budget 

Make sure you have enough budget to fulfill your ideas and make wise investments. For example, in order to shoot videos for the courses, you will need: 
 

• A good quality, high-resolution camera, or one of the latest models of smartphones 
• Good editing software, which is most likely going to be paid 
• A platform that best fits your format, e.g., Uteach, because it also offers affordable and flexible pricing plans 
• Marketing budget  
   

So, equipment, technicalities, marketing, and even a space where you will shoot the video (probably going to be rented in some loft) all of those will add up to the costs. Subsequently, make sure that you did some research and did not just buy the most expensive items because it will arise opportunity costs that may negatively affect your business. There are many high-quality products in the affordable price range, so take your time, consider your budget, opportunity costs, and expected return on investment, and then make your investments.  
 

Also, please remember, while shooting the video, AVOID NOISY BACKGROUNDS, they can be very disturbing.  
 

Step 5 - Use Professional Equipment 

To get a video of professional quality, you need to use professional equipment. There are a few types of equipment you may require.  
 

• Recording equipment. So, first, you need things to record your video with. That is a camera, of course, and a microphone. You may require a tripod, but really, if you are doing basic angles, you can balance your camera on a pile of books. The camera, though, should be a good one, not the professional expensive video camera but the one that has at least a flip-out screen, autofocus, and HD quality to the recording. For example, Panasonic Lumix G100 is a good camera for beginners. When getting a microphone, you have to make sure that it can get integrated with your other equipment. Beginners prefer microphones with USB connectors (e.g., Blue Microphones Yeti USB), and a microphone with a very crisp voice. XLR plug microphones are of better quality, but they require additional equipment.  
• Editing equipment. For editing purposes, you will need a laptop or a working PC. You probably already have a computer of a sort, but if you don’t, make sure that it has big RAM and ROM capacity. If your working laptop doesn’t have much storage space, get a hard drive (there are many, and most of them work well). If your computer doesn’t have a powerful enough processor, you need to get a new computer. A processor is essential to video editing. Mac Air will be just enough for you; when it comes to Windows-based computers, look for brands like HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc.  
   

Additional equipment. Professional quality comes in little detail. You must pay attention to aesthetics and to how your audience perceives your videos. They should be non-distracting. Think about what can distract your viewers: the picture and the sound.  
 

Let’s start with the sound because it’s easier. All you need to get (apart from a good microphone) is sound-isolating panels that are quite cheap and easy to install. This simple thing will increase the quality of your creation rapidly. For the picture, you need a non-distracting background. If you have a blank wall in your house and you can’t spare to get a studio, we recommend investing in a green screen.

Step 6 -  Edit the Video & Publish 

Now once and for all, when your video course is ready piece by piece, it is time to construct the overall product. Take your time, choose the best editing software with enough functionality and start editing.  
 

Here are some tips for you to edit and publish a successful course:

• Reduce noise if there is any 
• Do not put too many animations. 
• Add presentations to the videos to make the material more visually comprehensive.
• Make use of whiteboard animations.
• Add a warm-up game to make the course interactive if possible. 
• When you publish the course, add a quiz attached. 
• Add additional materials such as e-books, articles, and reading materials, so that students will better comprehend the course.
• Write SEO-optimized descriptions and meta titles for the course. 
• Share the published course where you can, and start the marketing campaigns. 

Step 7 - Track & Test 

Your final step in creating a video course will be to track & test everything. After your course is published, ads are activated, and you are actively generating leads through various marketing campaigns and testing your product's overall performance. If you do everything correctly, it will succeed; however, even if it fails, do not give up. With failure, collect all the possible areas that you can improve next time and make a list of mistakes to avoid. This will teach you how to become better every single time. And if you're not patient enough you can always create performance-based marketing to get the good results quickly.
 

Also, besides tracking and testing, if you do not want to publish the course, invest money & time, then test it; in that case, just do pre-selling. In our article, you can read everything about it. 

Characteristics of video hosting platforms & social media

A video hosting platform is a software that is designed to provide a place for video-hosting and live-streaming video content in one place. YouTube, for example, is one of the most popular video-hosting platforms nowadays. But there are others — there are many, and it’s hard to choose. Worry not, we will help you. A professional video hosting platform should include monetization, privacy methods, user support, and branding. There are platforms that focus specifically on video hosting. But, more general things for video hosting. 
 

People spend a lot of time watching videos, and they spend even more time scrolling on social media. Right now, short-video content is taking over social media. Video marketing is especially effective on social media because most people (including you) already have social media accounts, understand how it works — and already have an audience. 
 

• Video Analytics. You need to see how people interact with your videos. It includes how many people interact with your videos (views, likes/dislikes, comments), what kind of people do (age, country) to know whether you have reached your target audience, etc. This is crucial for putting changes to your strategies for more effective video marketing. 
   
• Security. You don’t want your content to be attacked and leaked, do you? Or are your credit card numbers and email passwords being abused against you? Cool, make sure your video hosting platform is secure. You can look for CDN, for example. Also, make sure to read its privacy policy in order to know how the platform interacts with your private information. 
   
• Social sharing. If you want your videos to get more views, you have to provide opportunities to share them well. Most of our online communication happens on social media, so a feature that allows your users to share your videos on social media would be helpful, and not just “copy this link” way. It has to be direct “Share on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/etc.”. 
   
• Custom Thumbnails. There is nothing sadder than your users seeing a random picture of you from an unflattering angle as your video thumbnail. First, that is humiliating. Second, it probably doesn’t communicate the main point of your video. Custom thumbnails are extremely important because people first look at the thumbnail and only then at the title of the video when they are choosing whether to spend time on it or not. Make sure that your platform of choice has that option. 
   
• Multi-Level user access. What’s more fun than sponsorships? Not only different bigger businesses can support you, but your audience. For donations, you can share extra content with them or allow them to see your videos earlier.  A professional video-hosting platform should allow that — having layers of user access to your content. 
   
• Live-streams. Depending on the type of your content and your business in general, you may need the function of live streams. They can be used for answering your audience's questions or showing the process of your business in life. More than that, you would need the feature of live-stream recording. You can cut long live streams into shorter videos for further developing your content in case you’re out of ideas or in a rush. 
   
• Mobile video hosting. Very often, people watch videos not on their PCs or laptops but on phones and tablets, as they are more mobile and are suited for such tasks. Hence, a good video-hosting platform should have the function of mobile video hosting.  
   

3 Social Media Platforms for Video Hosting 
 

• TikTok. TikTok has definitely taken over the world. It’s popular; the algorithms are very precise and easy to use. Not only does it let you host videos of different lengths with thumbnails and create live streams, but it also has the embedded function of video editing. 
   
• Instagram. The main benefit of Instagram is that it is one of the most used platforms lately, and it now has Reels. By multitasking, you can promote your reels with your account and your account with your reels. Double marketing. Check it out! 
   
• Facebook Watch. You’d be surprised to know how many daily users Facebook Watch has — 140 million people (and 720M monthly). You probably have a Facebook account already (who doesn’t at this point?), so you don’t even need luck to find your audience, especially when so many people are there.

Tools & Software for creating videos

As we discussed the features of a good video hosting platform, it is time to talk about how to choose a platform for video creation. There are many different ones, so it’s quite hard to choose. Of course, the choice is always yours because only you know what you need for your unique business scheme. So we will just provide five platforms that you may find worthy. 
 

As we discussed the features of a good video hosting platform, it is time to talk about how to choose a platform for video creation. There are many different ones, so it’s quite hard to choose. Of course, the choice is always yours because only you know what you need for your unique business scheme. So we will just provide five platforms that you may find worthy.

5 tools for video creation for Windows and Mac users

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is a platform that is available on both Windows and Mac. It provides you with professional editing tools and even 3D editing. It is powerful, it is professional, and it gets constantly updated. Needless to say, it’s great for anyone. The only downside is that it is a subscription-based program, although it has a free seven-day trial.

Final Cut Pro

Another industry-standard video editing tool is Final Cut Pro which is sadly only suitable only for Mac users. But, if you are one, you’re lucky. Unlike Premiere Pro, it is not subscription-based and more intuitive, although it is quite expensive. But, the features it provides are very wide; they include both the basic and advanced features of a video editor. 
 

iMovie

A Mac program that is more suitable for beginners with thin wallets is iMovie. It has excellent audio editing tools and comes ready with your mac, and provides you with basic features that a beginner will need. Needless to say, it is user-friendly. iMovie doesn’t have many advanced features, but that’s not a downside since those can distract and intimidate beginners.  
 

DaVinci Resolve Studio

When you already have built up some experience, you can transition to DaVinci Resolve. It is a very professional platform with many intricate advanced features like GPU rendering acceleration. It’s quite complex, so we advise you to use DaVinci only after you are familiar enough with the process of video editing. 

Corel VideoStudio Ultimate

We discussed a few platforms that are available only for Mac users. Well, this one is only available for Windows users. And, it’s great for beginners. Although it is user-friendly and has many basic functions, it also provides you with advanced features. It’s relatively cheap and easy to work with, so we recommend this highly. 
 

Sell online courses now.

Now it is your time to start selling online courses right away. However, what is the best platform to start with and succeed? Once and for all, I can say that it is - Uteach.  
 

With Uteach, you will be able to create a professional e-learning website in under 2 minutes. Besides, Uteach is the first-ever platform that allows you to hold end-to-end live sessions and use various video conferencing integrations.  
 

Why Uteach? Because it is also powerful automation that will automate most of the routine tasks and save an incredible deal of your time, bringing a return on investment. Also, with Uteach, you can have control over every area of your website from one simple, easy-to-use dashboard. When I said every, I meant it - marketing campaign, email notifications, SEO optimization, blog, drag & drop website & page builder, and of course, payments!  
 

Save your time, your money & energy, and monetize your knowledge by becoming a business owner and being on top of your industry.  
 

Uteach is with you every step of the way. 

Get Started Now