5 things you can do today to improve video engagement

If a picture is worth 1000 words then certainly a minute of video must be worth... let's see:
30 pictures in second of video multiplied by 60 seconds of video multiplied by 1000 words =
1.8 Million words!

Ok, ok.   I think we can all agree that 1 million words of poorly written fan-fiction is worth a lot less than the collected works of Shakespeare (which amount to a total of 884,647 words).   It's about quality.  Words matter, and so does the quality of your video.
Let's get down to it.   5 things you can do to improve video engagement today.

# 1: Keep your video short
A typical video advertisement should last no more than 30 seconds.  Engagement drops significantly after 30 seconds, even if your video is just over 30 seconds.  Aim for 10 - 30 seconds in length.

# 2: Deliver the goods up front
You've got 10 seconds to engage the viewer or you may lose them.  10 seconds.  Avoid intro screens and we proudly present screens.  Get right to the point.  If there is something you really want viewers to see, put it in one of the first shots.

# 3: Always include a call to action
Give your video viewers a reason to click.  Maybe you simply provide your contact information, or perhaps instead you provide a coupon or special offer code.  Whatever it is, it should lead to a special landing page so you can track metrics and leads.

# 4: Know your goals
Make sure your partner does too. Use the best formats, features, and functionality to achieve your goals. If completed views are most important, a shorter video is better, if click through and engagement are paramount, a longer video does the job more effectively. Your video partner should be able to guide you with what works best.

# 5: Optimize, optimize, optimize
No matter your goal, be sure your digital partner is optimizing towards it. I can't stress enough that your digital video advertising partner needs to know and understand your goal completely. Without understanding, you wont get the results you want.
BONUS : Keep it real.
When optimizing towards a specific goal understand that some metrics be negatively affected. Don't freak out. Keep your eye on your goal, not extraneous metrics.