Yoav Vilner, CEO at Ranky, is a regular blogger at Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, TheNextWeb, VentureBeat and more.
Video marketing is a trend that’s only gaining more momentum with each passing day. With the spring 2015 launch and ensuing explosion of Meerkat bringing live video streaming to Twitter, as well as predictions estimating that online video users will number 1.5 billion by next year, the inclusion of video marketing for your company seems to guarantee the fast track to online success, engagement, and conversion.
Big name brands have the funds and resources to hire big name ad agencies to handle the various channels of user visibility, including but not limited to video content. If your budget doesn’t quite match up to those of established competitors, you’re in luck: for as little as $5, you can find amateur or professional talent to produce video marketing content with Fiverr. It’s a good time to be in freelancing these days, as creative communication between client and producer has never been easier. If you’re so inclined, you can also keep track of your work in progress with a collaborative video tool like LookAt to ensure that your vision aligns with the output of your chosen freelancer.
So, the road to video marketing production seems easy enough, right? Before delving into this new venture head first, consider the following motivations for video marketing as well as successful examples accompanying each path:
To educate.
There have been a ton of advancements in videos since the dated ones they’d force you to watch on VHS in grade school. Educational videos produced by companies can range anywhere from offering customers an inside look on their corporate culture, to highlighting facts and figures associated with their industry, to demonstrating the how’s and what’s of the company’s activity.
Take, for instance, Dawn dishwashing liquid’s humanitarian-minded ad in the aftermath of 2010’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill. They introduced a major social issue of the time, and showed in detail how their product is helping ameliorate the harm imposed upon the Gulf’s native wildlife. (Also worth taking note: cute animals will pretty much always be a sure win in your video marketing campaigns.) They simultaneously vocalized the financial contribution Dawn would make to the relief efforts, positioning them not only ahead of the competition in their industry but also as a forerunner in corporate responsibility nationwide. This type of video makes the customer think about the larger picture, and increases likelihood for sales by appealing to our senses of compassion and goodwill.
To sell.
Pretty much everyone is selling something these days, and video is a great resource to amplify your sales tactics. There are numerous ways to heighten your brand’s content with video marketing, introducing valuable content for the user’s benefit. This includes but certainly is not limited to showing your product used in real life, providing a 3D (rather than static) view of your offerings, and creating a story around the services your company provides.
The explainer video by Andrew Follett at Video Brewery is a great (as well as meta) example of how videos can make your website, product, or service come to life. Follett pulls out all the stops to curate a fun and engaging multilayered audiovisual experience, all in under 60 seconds. He uses an animated graph, a simulated screenshot and pinboards, caricatures, and voiceover to communicate the capabilities of his company’s service, as well as simultaneously making the case for video marketing as a promotional tool on the whole. He also subtly includes sketches of the range of devices (desktop computer, tablet, mobile) on which these videos can be streamed. Finally, emphasis was placed on the value of sharing these videos, not only on the video platform and personal site themselves but also through email, social networks, and real-life presentations.
To entertain.
Q: Why do people go to the movies? A: For entertainment, of course!
Keep in mind that videos call for creativity and personality; use these factors to your advantage when crafting a marketing video for your company. Give your viewers the information needed, and then some: showing the human side of your brand will almost always facilitate a more loyal fanbase and greater enthusiasm for your product or service. Marketing videos focusing on the entertainment factor tend to be the most free, fun, and memorable of the three motivations listed, yet that doesn’t mean that educational how-to’s and videos with the primary goal of selling can’t fall into this category.
An oldie but a goodie, the 2012 viral promotional video from Dollar Shave Club has been lauded as one of the greatest startup marketing videos of all time. CEO and video star Michael Dubin keeps character throughout the entire 90 second clip, no matter the preposterousness of what he’s saying (the F-bomb) or doing (throwing a package at a stuffed bear for easy home delivery).
The video includes such obvious tropes as a cute baby doing something un-babylike (shaving a grown man’s head) and a concluding dance party with dollar bills flying in the air. He alludes to the money machine behind celebrity endorsements, noting that the money spent on big-name razors aren’t granted fully to the product itself, thus elevating his razors in line with known brands regardless of the difference in price. The video concludes with my personal favorite takeaway, a silly pun that concisely communicates their product and its benefits in one fell swoop: “SHAVE TIME. SHAVE MONEY.” In all sincerity, this company had me at F-bomb: personality just works.
Essentially, your company will take on video marketing in order to stimulate growth for your brand. No matter the route you take, your video content will have to be useful and enjoyable for users. In order to expand your reach, these videos must have carry the desire for social sharing or else your production will be largely for naught.
So… what are you waiting for? Post your video listing on Fiverr to get your company’s name out there, expand your reach, and keep your customers engaged and connected.
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