The benefits of creating a video series

Video series

Video seriesBusiness videos are normally created to solve a content problem, this might be to answer a question, to demonstrate or provide other additional information. The nature of this type of video means that it is a single production, with no follow up or related videos to watch next. There is nothing wrong with this approach, especially if the video contains all the information needed, and is of sensible length (see my last blog post on video length). But what about if you have more to say? How and why would you consider a video series?

First of all, you need to consider your target audience and where the majority will be searching and watching your videos.

If this is YouTube then its fairly straightforward, YouTube supports (and encourages) playlists, linking videos using annotations and other features designed for a series of videos. Also consider that each video can be optimised for a specific set of search terms, making it far more relevant than ‘cover-all’ videos to both people and search engines alike. Your series can grow over time and your viewers and subscribers can be continuously engaged as new content is launched.

If your content is hosted within your own web pages, then dividing your content over multiple videos is usually beneficial. Bite sized information is still preferable as this allows for accurate placement, focussed viewing and easier content updates. If your website is well optimised, then your videos also stand a better chance of ranking well, as long as you have separated them onto different web pages.

Next, how are you going to divide out your content? If you are making a blog style series, then you are probably going to have a different topic for each video. If you only have one big topic you will need to plan your series in advance to create a workable structure. Ideally you don’t want to keep repeating yourself, however you cannot always assume the viewer has watched a previous video.

Finally whats your end goal? A series of videos will be a lot of work to plan, shoot and edit. You will also need to promote them and engage with comments on YouTube and your website. Your commitment should all be for a defined purpose. Are you looking to promote your expertise and become known as an expert, are you trying to build an audience for a future project or are you simply sharing information because you need to satisfy a content demand with your own customers?

Most successful videos, especially ones on YouTube are part of a series. They are interlinked and traffic is driven from one to the next. It has been proven that multiple videos perform far better than single videos in search results as YouTube playlists and channels can rank in their own right. And for the viewer, the choice to choose a relevant video is what keeps them engaged with your content rather than that of your competitors.