21 Mar WHY AMBITIOUS BRANDS
LOVE VIDEO
The versatility of video is unquestionable. An essential part of any marketing activity as the perfect vehicle to build awareness, lift emotions and drive sales.
No wonder ambitious brands love the power of video.
In fact, according to the annual video marketing study conducted by Wyzowl, the majority of marketers attribute increased understanding of their product, increased awareness, and increased sales to the effectiveness of video.
Better still – video turns up in all shapes and sizes. Each is able to smash a specific objective, from Understanding, Awareness and Endorsement – to Testimonials, Explanations, Demonstrations or good old fashioned Desire building video.
The good news is there’s a video for pretty much anything you can think of. To help when considering your next marketing activity – here are the top ten forms of video created in 2022.
Explainer Videos. The most popular video format of last year was the trusty ‘explainer’. Prospective customers (B2C and B2B) want as much relevant information about you before they make any tentative steps towards an actual purchase. A good explainer instantly gets to the heart of a product. Outlines the relevant points, indicates why it is a superior choice, answers all the obvious queries and overcomes the common obstacles before illuminating the benefits. Do this in under 2 minutes and you’re onto a winner. This is true for highly complex financial models all the way through to simple water filters.
Social Media Videos. We all know that social media is an essential tool. However, it is also veracious in its appetite for a continual flow of video and other interesting content. No surprise then, that 71% of all videos produced in 2022 were specifically for social platforms. The aim for video in this context is to be ‘thumb-stopping’. This is achieved by being ‘entertaining, educational and/or informative’. Trick is to replicate this form of video daily, weekly, monthly.
Presentation Videos. Knowing how easy it is to use video to entertain a crowd – it’s clear why video is used in presentation meetings. A great way to inject some ‘energy’ or to set the ‘mood’ in ways untenable by a presenter and a Powerpoint 🙂 From a sizzle-reel that conveys a concept, to an infographic that unbundles a complex business opportunity, to an address from an overseas CEO. Video mainlines emotion directly into any situation. Powerful stuff.
Testimonial Videos. First hand endorsement provides instant credibility. A packaged form of ‘word-of-mouth’ harnessed to be spread far and wide. Unscripted, real-looking, unstaged responses work the hardest. A sniff of a prepared response and your video will fall flat and do the opposite of what you intended. You’ll lose cred and put yourself at a disadvantage. When folk talk about ‘authenticity’. This is what they mean.
Advertising Videos. Yep. Good old fashioned ads. Carefully constructed comms that pack a commercial punch in 6, 15, 30 and even 60 seconds. Single-minded slingshots that nail the most compelling and competitive aspect of a product. Almost half (46%) of marketing videos created last year can be categorised as advertising.
Product Demonstration Videos. From the unboxing, to the first use. To how to clean or maintain. Demonstrations remove the need for a ‘User’s Manual’. Whoever looked at those anyway? Far easier to flick on a demo video to get to grips with any new product. Very much an ‘After-Sales’ experience, but one that will help the user get the most from their new purchase. Great opportunity to cross-sell ancillary, complementary products at the same time as being helpful ; )
Training Videos. Obvious when you think about it. Now that companies operate a mixed model of working from home and office – being able to train staff is no longer straightforward. Be it refinements in SAP. New methods of timekeeping. Or to get to grips with a new CRM process. Training videos enable a controlled conveyance of information and instruction. The beauty is, the video can be used multiple times across multiple groups of employers without the physical need to replicate the presentation.
Videographics. Much like ‘infographics’ but far more dynamic. The ability to distil statistical data into visual representations is an artform that has the ability to reveal the hidden meaning behind a wall of numbers. Some (me in particular) more readily grasp the information when depicted this way. It allows the interpretation of data to flow more readily. Funny how some brains are wired, but this can be really powerful when wanting to illustrate the importance of a data based insight.
Customer Service Videos. When we are not visiting ‘bricks n mortar’ stores as frequently as we once did, there is a risk that the ‘customer service experience’ begins to wane. A friendly video designed to welcome shoppers to your digital environment is a smart bridge between the two realities. Such videos are even more receptive when used to explain a ‘service shortcoming’ such as being out of stock on certain line items. A video of a company representative, kindly and sincerely apologising for any inconvenience, goes a long way of assuring shoppers that you have their interests at heart.
Behind the Scenes. Bringing shoppers into ‘the tent’ or the ‘inner circle’ can be quite a treat. Not for every shopper of course, but for those with a desire to understand more than the regular shopper, being given a ‘sneak peak’ at how the next line of fashion is decided on, or what inspired the latest app development, or to a brief explanation behind a new product development – each give greater reason for the shopper to feel ‘connected’ and in so becoming, feel that the product is an essential part of their life. Pretty powerful right.
Viva la video. That’s why ambitious brands love video.
P2 Content Creators
The Video Creation Experts