The latest neuroscience studies from the University of Parma provide some clues as to why video marketing strategies are so effective (The University of Parma? Founded 1117 AD in Italy, one of the oldest Universities in the world…). Apparently, the high engagement factor of 'moving pictures' in video is a result of some increased neural activity in the brain caused by the video, releasing dopamine, enabling an amplifying of understanding and comprehension of that information. Wow. Compare this to the static letters, words and sentences on a page, and I think you get the picture. Very little dopamine potential there (I always knew there was a scientific explanation…just knew it).

Combine that with today's information overload and the fact that we all must be very good at evaluating information quickly. When you search online, if you can't figure out what a page is about quickly, you're off to the the next page. In many cases, a short 1-3 minute video can hold a visitors attention and explain a very complex concept that never would have happened with the written word.

Think about it this way. We spend all this time, money and elbow grease to nail our SEO strategy, getting visitors to our site, but we don't create the engagement factor for them to hang around to discover the awesomeness of what we offer. It just doesn't make sense. That's where video comes in.

While the written word can be highly effective, video is the more preferred mode for research, communication or entertainment especially in an increasingly fast paced business world. For inbound marketers focused on solid conversion marketing campaigns, what comprises a good video marketing strategy?

Here are three simple tips to consider:

1. Interactive video transcription

An ideal video marketing strategy must be able to attract both humans and machines, creating a good balance between customer experience maximization and search engine optimization. This is the function of interactive video transcription. Simply put, it is a transcript of the words being spoken in the video in the form of captions or subtitles. Listening to the words being spoken and reading the matching words significantly increase material retention. The interactive transcripts help in:

· Engaging viewers as they get to navigate through the video, going to parts that sound vague for better understanding or repeating significant messages for emphasis while getting information in a flawless manner.

· Making long presentations more bearable for viewers through chaptering, as in long seminars and trainings.

· Making your video more searchable by the search engines especially with the use of relevant keywords.

2. Video that is shareable

While YouTube is great for personal presentations, it lacks the needed share capabilities and analytics necessary for measuring its performance. It is also slow loading and contains advertisements that drive off viewers from your web page. To make your video marketing strategy shareable, use a video hosting provider that enables social media share buttons with their player.

Develop a power house video marketing strategy by looking for a reliable video hosting company who can provide these features:

a. Fast loading - No one has the patience to wait for videos to load.

b. No advertisements - Pop-ups and other advertisements distract, irritate and drive viewers away. The video hosting company you choose should be able to provide the service you need just for your content. Also make sure that there are no links that are directed to other people’s videos or links that take viewers away from your site.

c. Inbound Video Analytics – You must be able to track your viewers and identify the most engaged ones that lead to sign-ups or sales to make your video marketing strategy truly effective for your business. This can be done through identity tagging. What do viewers watch, rewatch or skip? See if the service provider has heatmaps. Will you be able to evaluate video performance over time? Ask your video hosting provider.

d. SEO-feature – The video marketing strategy you want to develop should be geared toward making your video views boost your website’s SEO ranking, not somebody else’s. Features like SEO Video Site Maps are key. Unlike YouTube videos, your video should be able to keep traffic directed to your website, also showing up in video search results associated with your site, not YouTube.

e. Customizable – Get a video hosting provider that gives you complete control of functions, look and feel. Adding a video interactive transcription feature, clickable call-to-action buttons, social sharing buttons and branding features all add to a strong video marketing strategy.

3. The three E’s of video marketing

An Inbound Video Marketing strategy is all about delivering the best experience for your viewers. After all, satisfied viewers create traffic that boost SEO and ultimately sales. As such, craft a video that is:

· educational to provide new information, knowledge and explanations to difficult concepts for your viewers

· engaging to catch the interest of your viewers and fully occupy their attention

· entertaining by adding humor and creativity to your presentation

The best video marketing strategy is customer-centric and when customers are satisfied and delighted, everything else will follow – traffic, SEO, leads, conversions, sales, revenues and profits. Now, get out there and shoot some more engaging video!