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Based on a study from one of the world leading video companies, more than 90% of businesses agree that how-to videos boost user comprehension of products.  In fact, many researchers find video to be the most invaluable form of content for marketing on small business websites.  To be effective, your target audience needs to see it and the message must be precise.  Take into consideration these factors before venturing into video marketing.

 

These days, video marketers get carried away with filming concepts.  They tend to seek out exotic sites for filming and hire the latest upcoming musician to be the face of their campaign.  Not to say that hiring a famous person to help increase awareness for your product is wrong but never go overboard and forget vital aspects of your brand.  Instead, be creative in an open-minded manner as it increases the possibility of coming up with a unique way of selling your products.

 

Some people think longer videos get results but research shows ads with a length of 15 seconds are about 75% more effective than those with a length of 30 seconds.  This is likely due to the fact that viewers value their time and short videos often leave out irrelevant information.  Rather than telling your whole story in one video, try creating a series of videos that presents the information in stages and it will keep the viewer interested.

The first place where a majority of entrepreneurs put their videos is on small business websites.  With video marketing, the goal is to showcase your videos to as many potential customers as possible so seek out every possible outlet.  Post on social channels that support video such as Facebook and YouTube.  But, don’t forget to link back to small business websites or your investment in video may not generate the outcome you had in mind.

In business, there are some tasks where outsourcing is a better option than traditional employment with regard to convenience.  It saves both money and time, all while increasing your chances of receiving high-quality work as you can easily change who is your outsource partner.  As expected, not every outsource partner will be a good match for your business.  The main objective is to learn how to evaluate an outsourcing company with regard to them delivering great results.

 

Obviously, the outsourcing firm needs to be knowledgeable about your field to be able to complete the tasks effectively.  To assess their experience, inquire about the projects they have completed that are relevant to your niche.  Inquire about the procedures they intend to use to manage your projects, monitor results, and resolve any issues that might emerge in the future.  Also, ask about the qualifications of their members who will be assigned to your tasks.

 

Before you choose an outsource partner, request to see testimonials from present and past customers about the quality of work others received.  It is very common to encounter challenges during this type of work agreement so ask others if they experienced any problems.  Based on your industry, you could request to see work samples as well.  For instance, if you want an Indianapolis website design, ask for samples of the websites they have designed.

 

Communication is extremely important for a flawless experience when outsourcing work despite the Indianapolis website design you use.  At the start, outline your expectations and find out how you’ll be reaching their team.  Will it be via email, phone, or some other channel?

If you’re in different time zones, ask how they intend to eliminate communication gaps as that can present issues.  While searching for an outsourcing partner, remember to reflect on the costs and choose fixed prices as they are easier to work with on a budget!

In 2017, business owners across the country faced several challenges that ranged from financial matters to maintaining small business websites.  Despite these challenges, their resourcefulness resulted in numerous success stories at the end of the year.

Now, in 2018, you have an opportunity to benefit from the specific lessons that were costly for some business people last year and apply it to your business.  The following are technological and strategic tips to help you take your small business to the next level.

 

While running your business, you might be tempted to handle all tasks despite the time it requires.  But, did you know that taking on more responsibilities than you can handle could overwhelm you and reduce your overall productivity?
Based on one report, almost 50% of businesses spend excess money and time trying to settle on matters regarding technology.  This is normally attributed to people lacking the background it takes to make technology-related decisions.  Therefore, make sure you have a tech-savvy member in your team so you can gain valuable IT solutions without wasting time.  You don’t have to hire an IT expert immediately, that might cause you to incur extensive costs but a technology advisor is usually helpful and affordable.

 

In 2017, businesses realized the extent of just how much damage can be caused by hackers.  Even major institutions like the CIA were affected.  Today, the trend is for most businesses to embrace ecommerce which entails web-based payments and gives hackers another reason to try and access your system.
Rather than waiting for a problem to arise and then react, consider boosting the security of your small business websites and online payment system.  Additionally, you need to think about setting up cloud storage to safeguard your data.  An important takeaway from 2017 for small business owners should be to back-up data regardless of the protection you have in place for your business.