Video marketing is an intense business. From video production to video distribution, it keeps you on your toes for new ideas and better ways to communicate with your audience.
You have to stay relevant through your content constantly and consistently to keep up with the competition. (There’s a new tongue twister for you).
If you’re already investing in video production to stay ahead of the game, you’re on the right track because 77% of marketers believe that video has successfully helped them achieve their business objectives.
Contact us if you want in on the action.
But the show doesn’t stop there as video distribution is a whole different ball game.
For the most part, the shelf life of digital content is short. New content keeps uploading to digital platforms and before you know it the video that you put your heart and soul into falls behind.
You may even end up wondering whether all the time, effort, and money that you put into video production was worth it.
When that happens, it’s important to realize that the problem might not be that you don’t have remarkable video content. It may just be that you’re not milking it as you should be.
Entrepreneur and speaker Gary Vaynerchuk has come up with a distribution strategy as a part of a reverse pyramid model to help marketers make the most out of their content. By adopting it, you can increase the worth and extend the life of your content.
The process is so simple that it makes you face-palm and wonder why you didn’t think of it before.
This blog post is a guide on how to apply the GaryVee Content Model to your video distribution strategy and adopt effective practices.
Here’s a quick glance at what the model looks like and how it can be applied to video content in particular:
The GaryVee Content Model for video distribution
1. Create pillar content
When you’re trying to create long-lasting content, you have to start from the top. Right from the strategy and production phase, you have to come up with the type of video content that keeps on giving.
The GaryVee content model is based on an inverted pyramid and relies on creating long-form pillar content. A pillar piece covers a topic comprehensively from all possible angles.
While short-form videos are meant to engage the audience and quickly solve a problem, long from videos are primarily meant to educate. That is not to say that they shouldn’t be engaging.
Long-form videos create a deeper level of engagement with the audience that sticks with them beyond the duration of the video.
The key to creating pillar videos is to structure it so that it can be broken down into smaller pieces and used multiple times.
If you put in the right effort to make this a killer piece of content you set yourself up for scores of opportunities for new content pieces.
Here are the different types of long form, pillar video content you can benefit from:
Webinars
Webinars are online events usually meant for educational purposes. This is a space where you answer your industry’s burning questions, cater to your audiences’ FAQs, or teach some skills.
A major purpose of holding webinars is to demonstrate your knowledge of the field and build deeper connections.
Webinars can be recorded for future use. They also offer a survey feature where you can get the opinion of your audience about a certain product or topic there and then. You can then convert the survey stats into short videos!
If you’re new to this type of content, then check out this video:
Live video
Live streaming videos have been embraced by social platforms like Facebook and Instagram as they allow businesses and marketers to have more impromptu, casual, and human interaction with their audience.
It’s almost like having a long Skype call with your buddies.
You can easily record your live streams and further use them in the future.
Here’s a recent live stream from Ad Age:
Related: Best Cameras for Live Streaming on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch
Interviews
MotionCue’s CEO Osama Khabab is of the view that long from content is beneficial for the brands that are built around their founder’s persona.
Keeping that in mind, it makes sense to have a significant amount of content that tells the CEOs’, story, their vision and offers a lot of context to their work. This is why CEO or founder interviews make great pillar video content.
Watch Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky share his origin story in this in-depth interview.
However, interviews can also be about other people who are the lifeblood of the company. Culture videos for instance offer insight into an organization by featuring people from different departments, product experts, etc.
Related: How to Make Engaging Culture Videos
Keynotes
Keynote speakers at a conference or an event can be people with success stories, industry experts, celebrities, or any other kind of inspirational person that the audience wants to hear from.
Keynote addresses are usually used to market and generate audience interest in an event.
If you or any person from your organization is invited as a keynote speaker it’s an opportunity for you to tell an in-depth brand story, motivate, and influence the audience.
Video footage of these addresses can turn into remarkable pieces of content.
GaryVee himself has delivered scores of keynote addresses over the years and capitalized on them later. Here’s an example:
Vlogs
Vlogs are all the rage right now. If you’re an independent marketer, an agency, or a business, you should definitely be leveraging video content as vlogs.
Since people don’t like to read much these days, vlogs offer you an opportunity to verbally expand on topics discussed in your written blogs. Vlog content can range from how-to tutorials, testimonials, interviews, and event coverage.
Creative Entrepreneur uses his vlog on YouTube to help creative individuals take control of their lives and income.
Video series
Serialized content does wonders for your memorability and it gets more opportunities to get indexed on search engines.
You can shoot the videos all at once and post them in increments on your YouTube Channel or send them out as a part of an email campaign. Your options are unlimited.
Check out how Moz turned the recordings from its conference in 2016 into a series of videos.
Related: Short Form vs Long Form Video for Business
2. Initial distribution
Following the GaryVee content model, it’s time to put your pillar content in front of the right audience and maximize its reach.
Original content distribution
The first step is to choose a video-hosting platform and upload the whole of your pillar video content on there. The most common video hosting services are YouTube and Vimeo as they get the most search engine rankings.
Alternatively, you can embed videos directly on your website or blog.
You can then create social posts for Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, etc. and link them to the original video.
Read in-depth: The Best Video Distribution Platforms and Channels in 2020
Reduce it to micro-content
This is the part where you break down your original video into smaller bits that can be used for engagement purposes.
If you understand the needs of your audience and what resonates with them this should be a fairly easy process.
For instance, if you create a video guide on the basics of using Adobe After Effects you can easily extract short videos explaining certain features like compositing or using scripts.
Just make sure to link your micro-content back to your pillar content to catalyze the indexing process.
Reuse on social platforms
The GaryVee content model is big on reusing content.
The micro-videos can then be posted as new content on your social platforms. You can make use of Instagram and Snapchat stories or post them on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
While creating and posting micro-content remember that these will be hosted on your social platform so you need to be mindful of different posting requirements of each platform.
Also, consider the fact that different kinds of audiences use different social platforms. If you run a B2B organization you may have more relevant engagement on LinkedIn than on Instagram.
It’s all about knowing your audience and understanding their content needs.
Related: Social Media Video Trends to Stay on Top of in 2020
3. Second phase distribution
Listen to community feedback
Don’t just post a pillar video and forget about it. Pay close attention to the comments section and you’ll get great ideas for more video content.
If you keep a close eye and ear on your audience engagement and feedback, they’ll pretty much tell you what they liked.
GaryVee had the ingenious idea of asking his YouTube followers to timestamp the part of his videos that had an impact on them. This way he created a self-serving content machine.
Reuse on social platforms
If you already know what part of your long-form content is striking chords with your audience, why not give it more eyeballs on social media?
This is the second phase of creating a micro-content that is powered by community feedback. Go ahead and make full use of it!
All of the new micro-content is supposed to be linked back to your original content. This gives you great SEO cred through indexing.
Moreover, your reused micro-videos can become viral pieces themselves giving you loads of engagement, SEO, and hopefully, conversions.
Recycle by applying audience insight
Your audience can bring their own insight and interpretations to your video content. People often share personal anecdotes and bring alternative perspectives to the comment sections.
Also, keep track of the thoughts people share while re-sharing your content. If you listen carefully, it can help you put a new spin on things and create a seemingly new stream of content.
Use the caption section to add a different context to your micro-videos. Recycling for the win!
4. And repeat.
Once you get the hang of the GaryVee content model for video distribution, just keep on repeating the process from the top.
Break down and flip your pillar video content until there is no more room for recycling. Repeat this process across multiple video campaigns and you will amplify your video content sustainability.
Types of micro-video content with platform specifications
Each piece of micro-content you create becomes a vehicle for engagement in itself bringing in a whole new set of audiences.
So, don’t be afraid to extend your reach across multiple social platforms.
Here’s a quick guide for types of short-form video content that will help you make the most of the GaryVee content model.
1. Facebook videos
According to our survey, 71% of marketers have shared brand videos on Facebook. Out of these, 72% believe it helped their business.
The fact that videos play automatically on Facebook and you can watch them without the sound on with captions skyrockets the potential for audience engagement.
Here are some considerations before you post short-form videos on Facebook:
- Maximum video length: 240 minutes
- File size: 10 GB.
- Dimensions: 1280px x 720px
- Aspect ratio square: 1:1, Vertical: 4:5
Related: 5 Must-Dos for Facebook Video Marketing To Gain Engagement
2. Instagram feed videos
Instagram is promotion central and 68% of marketers share brand videos on Instagram. It’s where influencers thrive and brands level up.
So, make sure your micro-videos pop up on your audience’s feed as well.
Here’s a guide on how to create stellar Insta video content from GaryVee himself. Some posting requirements include:
- Maximum video length: 1 minute
- File size: 4 GB
- Dimensions: Square 600px x 600px, Horizontal 600px x 315px, Vertical 600px x 750 px
- Aspect ratio: Square 1:1, Horizontal: 1.9:1, Vertical: 4:5
Related: How to Get More Instagram Video Views
3. Instagram stories
Initially built on the same idea as Snapchat stories, Instagram stories have yielded a life of their own. This is a great opportunity to give your micro-content more visibility on Instagram.
It also allows you to link back to your pillar content or your Instagram Feed helping you index some more. You can learn team GaryVee’s top 10 tips for posting Instagram Stories here.
- Quick spec check for Insta Stories:
- Maximum video length: 15 seconds (unlimited stories)
- File size: 4 GB
- Dimensions: 1080px x 1920px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
Related: How to Appear on the Instagram Explore Page Using Videos
4. Snapchat stories
Gen Zers and millennials are almost constantly on Snapchat. This gives modern businesses and marketers new possibilities to cater to a younger audience.
The micro-content created for Insta stories can be re-shared on Snapchat stories and vice versa. But first, ensure the following:
- Maximum video length: 180 seconds
- File size: 1 GB
- Dimensions: 1080px x 1920px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
Learn how your business can make use of the “Discover” feature on Snapchat to maximize audience engagement.
5. Twitter videos
Businesses engage with each other and their customers via Twitter. The Twitter tribes are great at making content go viral.
If you can quickly solve a problem or answer a question via your micro-content you multiply your chances of getting reshares.
The Twitter community also loves its GIFs. So, don’t hesitate to get creative and repurpose your long-form content into GIFs. These can also be linked back to your original content.
Here’s how you can incorporate Twitter videos into your content strategy. Spec check:
- Maximum video length: 2 minutes 20 seconds
- File size: 1 GB
- Dimensions: Square: 1200px x 1200px (recommended)
- Aspect ratio: Portrait between 1:1 and 2:1
6. LinkedIn native video
LinkedIn is the platform to post your micro-videos if you are a B2B operation. The audience on LinkedIn is there to be educated, to look for solutions for their industry-related problems, and to ask questions. Your short-form videos might just be what they’re looking for.
Here’s all you need to know about LinkedIn videos and a checklist before you post:
- Maximum video length: 30 minutes
- File size: 200 MB
- Dimensions: Square: 1920 x 1920, Landscape 1920 x 1080, Vertical 1080 x 1920
- Aspect ratio: 16:9, 1:1, 9:16
Read in-depth: Here’s Why LinkedIn Native Videos Are Great for Businesses
Now you’ve got all the ammo you need to prolong the life of your video content and set up an impactful distribution strategy that drives results.
While you and your content team take a breather from constant content creation, don’t forget to thank GaryVee for sharing his tricks of the trade!
Are you applying the GaryVee Content Model to your video marketing? Or do you plan on embracing this awesome distribution process this year?
Share your thoughts with us on LinkedIn. And if you’re looking to have videos made for your business, feel free to contact us!
