How to make video an essential part of your marketing strategy
Looking to get started with video marketing? Discover the best ways to build it into your content strategy.
97% of marketers say video content has helped increase understanding of their product or service, and 76% say it increases sales. It’s no wonder the demand for video content is growing.
As consumers, we’re constantly surrounded by video, especially on social media. The average person admits to watching 1.5 hours of video content in a typical day. If your business isn’t creating and sharing videos, you’re being left behind.
We always recommend involving an expert on video in your marketing campaigns, adverts and demonstration videos. But even if hours of professionally curated video isn’t an option yet, there are plenty of ways to get started on incorporating video into your marketing strategy.
Today, we’re talking about:
Despite the overwhelming growth in video marketing, many companies still fail to invest their budget in video for a number of reasons. Those we spoke to cite various reasons as to why they haven’t made the leap.
Internal resistance plays a huge role, but the fact is that most of the reasons or excuses we hear are myths. Let's walk through some of these misunderstandings about using video and shed some light on the most common untruths.
“But video is too expensive”
Creating a successful online video from scratch involves lots of different elements all coming together - writing, storyboarding, shooting, editing, marketing and so on. But you don't need to have a Hollywood budget to get a video looking like a Hollywood movie.
The industry has moved on; equipment is cheaper, crew are multi-skilled and, of course, the internet has disrupted everything. The entry price for video is way, way lower than it used to be.
If you’re concerned about spending tens of thousands of pounds on production and promotion, rest assured that’s not necessary. We have a streamlined video production process, making it possible for you to produce video content to suit your needs and your budget.
When calculating budgets, think about how much you paid for your website. Or how much you pay for traditional marketing or time spent managing multiple social media channels. You’ll be pleasantly surprised about how far your budget can go with online video and how much return you get from a product that works 24/7 to a global audience.
No budget but want to start using video? Why not shoot something on your mobile phone. Experiment, play around, find stories, and see what your audience likes.
“But video is too complex and time consuming”
Professional-looking video that gets shared and liked has been created with time and care. Anything that stands out and helps differentiate you is worth investing in and video is no different.
We take the time to understand your business, your marketing goals and your audience. We peel back layers of complexity to get to the core of your messaging and keep it simple.
We have a structured approach, common techniques to work from and professionals on hand to guide you through the journey. If you're stuck for ideas or not sure how to bring it all to life visually, our writing team will do that for you.
If you're worried about how you will come across on camera, we’ll coach you to give a performance you’re proud of.
If you're unsure of what style or tone to adopt we’ll work through examples of content you like and help you lock down a style that fits your brand.
“But video doesn't give me a return on investment”
The ROI that comes from good video production is one of the strongest of any marketing tool. Successful video content comes from having a goal, knowing your audience and using the medium creatively. When those things come together you get a real impact - your audience understands more about your products and services, you see an increase in traffic to and more time spent on your site, more leads and talking points from videos your customers have enjoyed, increase in trust and brand awareness.
Online video gives you lots of useful insight from viewing data - how many people viewed your video, when and where they viewed it, for how long, who shared it and, of course, lots of comments and feedback to interact with. YouTube is the world's second largest search engine and Facebook users are watching 1 billion videos per day!
“No one will see or find my video”
Many businesses believe that no one will find, let alone watch their online videos. This belief stems from organisations that put a lot of effort into making their video but not into marketing it. We help you optimize all these aspects and work with you to promote and distribute your video to the correct channels.
With solid content concepts, a compelling script and calls to action, combined with skilled filming, editing, and distribution, your video marketing should receive traffic the minute it’s posted and that traffic will grow over time.
Much of the apprehension that exists around video production and marketing is unfounded. In the right hands video marketing is a powerful tool, integrating video into your marketing budget is perhaps the smartest thing you can do for your business this year.
Begin with your strategic aim in mind. Video reaches your audience like no other medium can, but just like any other medium you should always start with the question - what do I want this video to do?
You may want to enhance brand awareness, drive SEO or promote a new product or service. The clearer and more focused you are about what you want to achieve, the better the end results… and the person behind the camera will love you for it.
With your goal decided, you can then settle on what type of video best fits the bill, each with its own peculiarities and strengths.
How-to videos
Gone are the days of trawling through thick instructions manuals; the best way to showcase your product or service is through video.
We process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, meaning how-to video demonstrations are the best way to ensure your business stays front of mind with existing and potential customers.
Particularly if it's something technical like an app or software, a well-researched item like a pram for a new baby, or something that needs putting together, such as DIY furniture or camping equipment. Mountain Warehouse, for example, have a series of videos on putting up a tent on their YouTube channel.
Animation is another fantastic way of getting across even the most complex instructions. Watch our Facebook Live video on how animation can help showcase your business.
Testimonials
These are a great way to share real insights into your product or service, from someone who has actually used it. You can ask your customer a few questions about the product, and film their comments to use either on your website or on social media. This is much more visually engaging than simply dotting written testimonial quotes around your site.
These can be filmed either professionally, on a digital camera, or even on your smartphone if you’re in the earlier stages of marketing. You can then use editing software - we like iMovie (for iPhone and Mac) Lightworks (for Windows) and Camtasia - to chop it down into the best bits.
Once exported, you can choose to embed video testimonials on your website, in blog posts or even share them on social media. Short, snackable videos are best for social media - usually under a minute is best.
Behind the scenes
Having a behind-the-scenes video on YouTube is perfect for establishments like restaurants, cafes, spas and hotels who want to share their venues, enabling potential customers to get a feel for the place. This real estate company have done this to good effect on their YouTube channel.
They use a 360-degree camera to show the restaurant at every angle. This allows customers to get a feel for how spacious it is, the atmosphere and little details before making the decision to visit the site. This technique can be particularly helpful for party and wedding venues or holiday destinations.
Another technique you can use is a ‘behind the scenes’ video which helps to showcase an environment in more detail and helps people to understand the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
This can be particularly helpful for an artistic venue like an art gallery or theatre, but equally, any sort of maker - people love seeing how things are made or gaining insights into the crafting process.
Disney UK do this by giving viewers a behind the scenes glimpse at a day in the life setting up a West End musical, Aladdin.
This video makes the viewer feel more connected with the company and, in turn, more likely to purchase a ticket.
Company history
Having a video on your company history is great for recruitment; attracting talent by showing what a great company you are to work for.
It can show the evolution of your business - how far it’s come and where it’s going. An example of this is a video made by John Deere tractors.
It shows the journey since its foundation in 1923 to present day.
The video demonstrates how much they’ve evolved and grown, showing viewers they’re dedicated to a plan and are a long-standing reliable business, something which is attractive to potential recruits.
Similarly, if you are a completely new brand, kicking off your marketing activity with a strong introductory video can be a great way to make a memorable impression on potential customers. It’ll give you something to put on your website and share across social media, too.
Updating your customers
Have you added a new feature to your software? Brought out an entirely new product? Opened a new branch to your business? Video can help make the announcement and spread the word among your customer base.
There are many ways of doing this - you could create a short advertisement for the update, a demonstration video, or even an animation announcing the new product or service. All of these make excellent content to share on social media, too.
Sharing expertise
Much like thought leadership-style blog posts, videos which allow you or your company to share advice, tips or expert opinions are an excellent way to elevate your brand’s reputation and presence within the market.
Being generous with your knowledge not only shows you’re an expert in your field, it also places you above the competition. Using video to do this will make you stand out, especially if you work in a crowded industry.
Go live
Various platforms offer an easy, free way to share engaging video content with your followers: live video.
Live video content gets prioritised on social media feeds, with platforms like Facebook giving them an algorithm boost, meaning your live videos are likely to be seen by more people than a regular text post.
You could film a discussion between a couple of your team members on a current topic which is relevant to your business, a Q&A with you or the company’s founder, or a simple chat about the company. Viewers are able to leave questions and comments in the usual comment box, in real time as you are filming.
Ok, so far so good. You’ve convinced your boss to get with the times. You’ve set a clear goal and matched that goal to the right type of video to get the job done. You’re ready to roll.
Hold up! Not so fast now.
From a strategic point of view, the actual process of making your videos might seem like an afterthought, but planning ahead of time can save enormous headaches later.
Before you get to the fun bit, the filming, consider these helpful video marketing tips to keep things fun when shooting day rolls around.
“I don’t need to rehearse”
You know your subject inside out, so you don’t need to prep, right? Wrong!
Even if you’ve written the script yourself, you’ll still need to read it out loud a few times. It makes all the difference, when you read something out loud compared to reading it in your head. You’ll probably find yourself crossing bits out and simplifying it much more.
And does the tone sound right? How’s your intonation – does it emphasise the right parts of the message? Are you racing through it before realising you should relax more and slow down?
Once you can bet your livelihood on it all sounding good and flowing together, rehearse it a couple more times – ideally in front of someone. Not only you’ll hear their outsider’s perspective, but you’ll also feel more prepared and confident on the day.
“I’m at the location! …Wait, what the hell is going on!?”
You’re professional, so you’re leaving for the location with extra time to spare. And thank heavens you did!
You found the filming location, but there seems to be a day-long seminar in the room you’re meant to be filming in. And no one around is the right person to help you. How long will it take to sort this?
As with every meeting and event, leave yourself a chunk of time to get there and check everything’s in order. You don’t need any last-minute stress just before filming!
Similarly, things can go awry later on.
Thinking about scheduling some meetings after the shoot? Better think twice!
There are about a thousand things that can go wrong, each of them adding extra time. Are you that confident you won’t fluff your lines? Filming often overruns; how will you juggle your meetings then?
Instead, consider leaving the afternoon or day clear to make sure everything can be wrapped up without problems. Any twitchiness will show on camera, and you don’t want that.
“I’ll nail it in the first take”
One last check in the mirror, another sip of water and you’re clearing your throat, ready to start filming. After all, it’s like talking to someone – but with a screen instead of eyes. But then you see the take you just did, and you flinch. You’ve sped through the first section, started playing with your ring somewhere down the middle, and to make things worse, you keep dropping “ums” and “wells” throughout the whole thing.
So you film another take. But now you’re painfully aware of your mistakes and kicking yourself for not rehearsing beforehand.
Film or record yourself in advance to pick up on those little details. You’ll have time to correct them, get more confident and comfortable, plus you’ll save videographer’s time – and so your money!
“I’ll wear the same thing I’d wear to the office”
Not putting any more thought into your outfit than you normally do? Well, you might get lucky but…
How does it complement the room or environment you’ll be in? That red top will have a serious squabble with the scarlet sofa you’ll be sitting on, but you’ll become one with the wall behind you if you wear the beige shirt. And that jazzy tie will take all the attention off what you’re saying.
Pick the kind of outfit that makes not only you look good, but also the room. When you watch the video back, everything needs to be aesthetically balanced and come together. And if you’re filming more than one video on the same day, don’t forget to bring extra outfits!
Now let’s talk lapel mics. For men, these can usually be discreetly attached to shirts and ties, but for women it can often present more problems. A darker top can help, as can a scarf or a blouse, rather than anything too light and silky.
Another tip for women - watch the jewellery! While you’re busy concentrating on saying the right thing at the right time, it’s easy to miss that your bangles are clattering against the table while you gesticulate.
“There’s no need to focus on every single detail”
“Let’s take a closeup of you working by the window for the B-roll”, says the video guy. You sit up straight and follow an imaginary point on the screen in full focus, thinking how professional it’ll look.
You know the drill by now – let’s have a look at the take.
In your otherwise beautiful shot, there are two teenage zanies throwing a shoe around, just outside your window. Oh joy.
Pay strong attention to the smallest, seemingly irrelevant detail. How are the papers and books stacked in the background? Are there any confidential documents that should be put away? And what about your immediate surroundings – does the branded notepad on the desk feel forced?
Film making is all about the fine details, nailing them now gives your editor more to work with and produces a much stronger end product.
Kick off your video strategy with Sookio
Whether you need fully-fledged corporate video production or a video training workshop for your in-house team, we’re here to help you out!
From initial idea all the way through to final reporting, we have the in-house team, knowledge, and expertise you need to drive your business forward when it comes to video marketing.
Want to get started on your video marketing journey? Chat to Sookio about your next project.