Video Content - Marketing for the Modern Brand
As I consider the journey which the internet has taken, I believe one of the most powerful advances has been the ease of video access in our digital world. Thinking back to my grandparents as children, to see a video of any sort they had to physically go to a movie theater, well before the advent of television. In stark contrast, my children today have access to literally billions of videos across a variety of websites. Everything from entertainment to engineering is available in our digital age, something prior generations couldn’t fathom.
Similar to other forms of marketing, the boom of video content creates both an opportunity and a challenge for brands. Consumers have grown to expect what you produce to be high-quality, easily accessible and provide value to their online experience. For those brands who have mastered video content, they will gain market share; brands that flounder will likely lose it, especially amongst a younger demographic. Factor in statistics from Cisco that shows that 80% of global internet traffic will be video-related, and its clear video is a thriving part of any marketing plan. Below we will review some key concepts to video marketing.
The Best & The Worst
Video is somewhat unique that it can be both an ad and organic content for your brand - and if done well, perhaps both. Geico currently has a #BestOfGEICO ad series, and the “Hump Day” spot was voted as the best. If you have never seen the commercial, take a look at it below. It is engaging, humorous, and makes my kids laugh every time. It has very little sales language at the back of the video and instead positions Geico as a fun brand. These types of videos are ads, to be sure - but they are different in how they capture our attention.
For every one video like this, I’d bet a hundred are mediocre at best - and a portion of those are simply awful. If you’re new to digital video, I’d recommend spending the money with a professional video team. It can make the difference in separating your brand from the countless other videos in your community
Ads vs. Content
Video is a powerful tool for anyone marketing a brand. We retain far more information after watching a video than we do reading static text. With the growth of video, some brands have gone all-in on video advertising across the internet. Results have varied, but most have found substantial success with digital video ads for their brand. Factor in the relatively untapped area of social media video ads, and there is no doubt that video marketing carries a huge benefit to any marketer.
I’ve mentioned this a few times on my blog before - I am a big fan of pairing paid advertising with organic content. For one, digital video production comes with a hefty price tag in relation to other display ads, so putting your marketing alone in video ads isn’t ideal. I feel that all brands should create content of their own, which helps to engage their customers and potential clients learn more about the character of the brand - and ultimately, to drive greater sales. Brand trust has continued to grow in today’s culture, and one of the best ways to drive trust is to invite consumers into your organization. If you think about the brands you trust, the reason for that trust is deeper than their logo and marketing. The days of placing a single ad and expecting massive sales - without cleaning up your online presence - are largely over. Consumers will research your company in depth before they pick up the phone or fill out a form to be contacted.
What does this mean for your business? Create video content, and share it with the world. Anyone can shoot video with a smartphone today, but if you want your brand to stand out, purchase higher-quality equipment or hire a videographer. Creating videos that share your culture, the “why” behind your product, or a big problem in the world you aim to solve gives consumers two minutes of introduction to you and builds trust. Do you have an employee who loves to work for you? Create a video about why your business is such a great place to work, and why they are passionate to work with customers. Solved a problem in everyday life? Create a whiteboard video demonstrating how your product solves that problem. While the purpose of these videos is to share in an organic way (social media, website, etc.) they are also versatile, and can easily be turned into online ads.
Do’s and Dont’s
I have seen a little bit of everything in my marketing career when it comes to videos. I have seen videos that are excellent and moving, which want me to engage with the brand even more. When done well, videos are compelling with their audience. Most of the time, however, videos are sub-par for a few reasons (and at their worst, cringe-worthy). Here are a few tips with your brand’s video:
Do:
Make your videos beautiful: Your content should be well-edited, musically-inclined and ideally, shot with a great camera. It’s fairly simple to use video editing software and has a high return for your time.
Tell your story: Have a purpose behind your video, and a goal behind its production. You may not be a Hollywood director, but you can create a basic script & storyboard which will help your video. In other words, don’t wing it.
Keep it short: Unless you have a compelling reason for a 15 minute video, keep it short. Ads should be no longer than 30 seconds (and ideally closer to 15). Videos for your site or social should be no longer than 2 minutes for a normal video, such as a whiteboard.
Don’t
TV Spot: Don’t take the same footage you used with your TV ad and upload it to your social media account. TV and social media audiences use video for completely separate reasons, and your video will be largely ignored if it’s used on the wrong platform. There may be a case to use your TV ad in a sponsored social media post, but only if it’s a quality video.
Avoid being too “sales-y”: The digital age has made us generally more resistant to ads, and this, unfortunately, applies to your digital video ad as well. Avoid any sort of gimmicks or sales pushes - “Act now!” “Huge sale, this week only!” “Don’t miss out!” Digital video audiences usually do not respond well at all to these types of videos and look for the “skip” button as fast as possible.
Quality over quantity: Focus on having a higher level of content over mass-producing videos, even if this comes at the expense of how often you use the ad or post to your social media. Don’t be the type of ad to make it on the next “10 worst video ads” list circulating the internet. Post quality video as often as is sustainable.
Next Steps
No matter your level of marketing skill, video can give any brand an advantage. Not sure where to go from here? Feel free to contact us to learn more about video marketing, guilt-free.