http://www.forbes.com/sites/drewhendricks/2014/10/16/6-tools-to-jump-start-your-video-content-marketing/#6e194fc240d9

Content marketing is more than a trend. It’s here to stay. The only thing that seems to have changed as the technique has evolved is the media through which marketers reach out to customers. Content marketing has moved from social media and blogs to video and infographics, appealing to many consumers’ visual nature.

One factor motivating the trend is YouTube’s continued popularity, with the video-sharing site having been called the second most popular search engine. Each month, YouTube processes more than three million searches, delivering up clips of cute cats, TV episodes, and much more. Marketers, realizing the potential audience for video-based social sharing, have begun to find ways to use video as part of their content marketing plan. But creating professional-quality videos isn’t an easy task for an amateur videographer. Here are a few tools that can help your small business improve its video content marketing.

Powtoon

This do-it-yourself tool lets you create animated videos that can serve as product demos or explain your product or service. The site is popular for its intuitive interface, which guides you through each step of creating your video. The free version comes with a watermark, but watermark-free versions start at $18 per export when a minimum of five exports are purchased. Free plans allow for videos of up to five minutes in non-HD quality with no download allowed.

Wideo

Wideo promises to you’ll not only find its tool easy but fun, as well. The app comes with a selection of templates that can be customized to deliver your message or you can create one from scratch. You can pull your own logos and graphics into the video you’re creating to make it seem as though you paid a professional to put it together. A lite version with limited features allows you to create videos of up to 45 seconds for free.

Stupeflix

Stupeflix is designed to pull your videos, online content, presentations, and other media into one place, creating a video that tells a story. The free app is more of a slideshow creation tool than a video maker, but videos can be easily exported to YouTube from the app. You can use audio and sound effects that are preloaded into the app or upload your own.

Screenr

For businesses that can demonstrate a product or service on a computer, Screenr is a great option. The free software records your screen and provides a link that can be shared on social media or websites. For ongoing content marketing, a business could record quick tips and share them on a regular basis on social media, giving customers a reason to keep clicking over. This solution is ideal for software and app development companies or businesses that are trying to promote an app for its products or services.

Wistia

Once you have a video you’re ready to upload, Wistia will provide the analytics you need to measure performance. Wistia uses heatmaps to show where customers stopped watching, where they skipped forward, and where they flipped back to re-watch a portion of the presentation. You can also upload videos, which are presented in an unbranded player that can be customized to the color that best reflects your brand. The free version includes heat maps and an unbranded player, with advanced features like email collection and viewer history tracking available in plans that start at $25 per month.

Content Creation

While this isn’t a software-based tool, the most important weapon in your video content marketing arsenal. Whether you’re uploading your video to YouTube or posting it on social media, your description will include the call to action that will result in sales. It will also provide text to interact with search engine algorithms, giving you the boost in search engine rankings you’re seeking. For longer videos, consider including a transcript beneath the video when you post it on your website. This not only gives guests the option of reading instead of watching, it also adds content to your site.

As part of a successful content marketing strategy, video is a great way to connect with consumers. With professional videographers charging such high rates, these DIY tools will allow small businesses to create videos while staying on budget.