Like any piece of marketing, when it comes to video content, we need to measure what success looks like. But, when it comes to video content, those metrics can be a little more difficult to spot.
Many would say to just measure likes, follows, and comments but those are what we call, “vanity metrics”. Vanity metrics don’t really have much meaning outside of social media. They may impress others, but often don’t translate into sales. Many realize this when they reach 100k+ followers, but are only making 1-2 sales of a product each month. It takes more than “likes” to make a difference for a business. So, what SHOULD you be looking for?
Here’s a list of 4 KPIs you should be using when it comes to video, how to measure each one, and what it might mean if that KPI is low.
1. Time spent watching a video.
Time spent watching a video (AKA video engagement) is very important to be able to see how well your video content is received by your audience. When people watch through content completely, we know that it is of high interest to them and likely resonates with them. If this number is low (Less than 60%), it can mean a few different things.
- The video may be too long for where they are in your funnel.
- The video may not be interesting or entertaining enough for them.
To measure this KPI, there are a few tools available including Wistia and Vimeo Pro. You’ll be given precise analytics and know the exact point people stop watching your video.
2. Conversion clicks
For conversion clicks, you look to see if people are doing what you want them to do after watching the video? Unless your goal is awareness, you’re almost always going to have some kind of small ask (follow or like) or big ask (sign-up or buy). Whatever that goal is, it should be tracked and measured over time.
Conversion rates vary by the industry and the type of ask, so It’s tough to say exactly what’s low here, but if you notice that conversion rates are low, it could mean one of the following.
- Your “ask”, maybe too big for the moment.
- Maybe it’s not interesting or entertaining enough for them.
- Maybe your “ask” isn’t clear enough.
To measure your conversion rate, simply keep track of web traffic flow. How many people are converting to a page after visiting the page with your video on it?
3. Sales growth
An easy one is sales growth. How much of a difference are you experiencing in sales compared to last quarter and compared to this time last year?
If this number is low, some possible reasons may be:
- You’re not using enough video content. One video isn’t as likely to influence noticeable change as several may.
- Maybe it’s not interesting or entertaining enough for them. (notice a trend here ????)
4. Organic Traffic
If using video outside of your site like social media or a guest post, you can measure organic traffic to your site or a specific page to see if your content is working on that platform. If your organic traffic isn’t much higher than usual, then here are some potential causes:
- Your content may not have a clear call to action to get them to your site.
- Maybe it’s not interesting or entert… you get the idea
The common denominator with all KPIs for video is that it’s an absolute must that your content is informative and/or entertaining. It has to add value to someone’s life for them to be inspired to take even the smallest of actions.
