As a PR pro, you know that finding new ways to engage and excite your target audience is absolutely essential to achieving long-term success. Yes, press releases still work, but that doesn’t mean you should rely solely on them to spread your message. With a smart, multi-channel PR approach, you’ll give yourself a better chance of getting your news noticed and shared, maximizing exposure for your brand.

One of the channels that should be a staple in distributing your content is video. The simple fact is that videos are engaging and interesting in a way that press releases, blog posts, white papers, email newsletters, and other forms of content simply aren’t. That’s not a knock on those other types of content – they all can be incredibly valuable – but by its very nature, video content has the potential to be much more appealing and easier to consume.

Just think about how often you watch videos. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t watch at least one video on YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, or even Vine. Consider this – YouTube attracts more than 1 billion unique visitors each month. Over 6 billion hours of video are watched on YouTube every month. People love video.

And the great thing about video is that you can use it in so many different ways to support your PR efforts. Videos can be used for:

• Video press releases
• Announcements from a company spokesperson
• Product launches/reveals
• Testimonials
• Crisis response
• Interviews
• Event coverage
• Repurposing existing content in a new format

A Few Keys to Success

Make no mistake – implementing video into your PR campaign isn’t going to be easy, nor will it be an automatic slam dunk. It takes a smart strategy and a good understanding of how to leverage video in the most effective way for your brand.

Here are a few short tips to help you get the most from your video content:

• Keep videos short and to the point
• Make your videos entertaining, engaging, and emotionally compelling
• Make it easy to share your videos

Have you used video in your PR campaigns? Share your experiences by commenting below. 

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download your free copy of 7 Cheap PR Tactics for Success in Any Economy here: http://www.ereleases.com/7cheaptactics.html