Does your company embrace video? It should.

Now is the time to innovate and invigorate your brand with video. The cornerstone of your 2019 marketing strategy must involve video content. That was a key takeaway of the BCW’s Tompkins Mahopac Bank Power Breakfast held this week at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains.

In case you missed it, here are some key takeaways:

Holly Alexander, President of TopSpin Communications, said: “The first question I always ask is, ‘What is your goal?’ Whether it’s driving website traffic, increasing visibility, boosting sales revenues – there are so many ways to create videos you always have to go back to what are your goals and how do you measure success.”

She added that there are many different types of videos, and that you must think about where you will post the video because it will dictate the formatting and sizing of the video. For instance, Instagram videos are square, whereas YouTube and LinkedIn are horizontal. She listed the following types of videos to consider: branding, demo, event, expert interviews, educational, explainer, case studies and testimonials, live stream, and personalized messages.

David Hoffman, Founder of Search Smart Marketing, said: “Video helps you be found. Aside from Google, YouTube is the largest search engine. You have to be there to be found. It’s an inside look at your business. It differentiates you from your competitors and puts a face to your business.”

What are the keys to getting found? Hoffman says be sure to write transcripts of your videos so that Google can index them; use proper categories and keywords; write strong headlines; think about what people are searching for and write enticing headlines and copy that help solve problems or answer questions.

“Not everything is going to go viral, and you don’t need it to. It needs to be relevant to the audience you want to reach,” he added.

Donvil Collins, CEO of VeeKast, said: “Be clear on your objectives. Capturing the attention of your audience should be the first priority. In the first few seconds of your video, you have to make me care.”

The attention of people today is declining, he added. Statistics show that if someone lands on a website and there is no video, 80 percent of the people are gone.

“Any kind of video is better than no video. Even grabbing a video on your phone,” he said.

And the old saying is true – content is king! Just be sure to avoid “distractions” such as poor audio and bad lighting that will distract viewers from the content of the video.

The panel was moderated by Sara James, Senior Vice President of Membership and Programs of the Business Council of Westchester.For more information about upcoming events and networking opportunities, visit thebcw.org.