Psst, online marketers: it’s time to get serious about video. With social media increasingly focused on the use of visuals, there’s just no escaping the allure of that Play button.
The proof is in the statistical pudding. According to data gathered by HighQ in 2015, a whopping 52% of marketing professionals say that video brings the best ROI when it comes to content marketing. So, what’s holding your brand back? If you need some ideas for your very first video, try one of these six tips and get ready for your company’s close-up.
1. Tell a Bold Brand Story
One of the most rewarding things about video is how simple it is to tell a brand’s story. With a decent camera, some basic editing software, and a compelling tale, the possibilities are endless. Use your storytelling skills to explain how your brand came to be, and set up a compilation of customer interviews to shed some light on just how awesome your organization is. Tapping into emotions can make your video debut memorable, while humor will help you get those coveted shares.
Incorporating comedy can shoot your videos to viral fame. Although Old Spice is nearly impossible to beat in that respect, the brand’s fruitful video campaign is an excellent example to follow. Old Spice’s blend of audience targeting, quirkiness, and creativity makes their long-standing video marketing strategy an Internet win.
2. Solve a Problem
If your online community has a question, answer it clearly in a video. Explaining something visually or talking it out in front of a camera provides a solution that is easy to absorb, and is a unique way to reach your audience. You don’t have to make a budget-busting blockbuster to solve a problem and get those shares. Sometimes short and sweet Q&A videos are all it takes to satisfy confused community members.
3. Humanize Your Brand
Customers love to see the people (and the office) behind the curtain. It puts faces to names and shows that there are human beings making that well-oiled machine work. Post a short video tour of your office and let your employees say hi to the online community. Pinning it to the top of your Facebook and Twitter pages is a great way to introduce your company to future customers, too.
4. Tap into Brand Advocates
Got a few loud and proud brand advocates floating around the Internet? Time to utilize them to the fullest with video reviews. Work with the customers and advocates who have established followings to create video testimonials about your products, features, or brand as a whole. Those little snippets are perfect for sharing on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. They even make awesome, informative additions to your website’s product pages.
5. Hold a Contest or Giveaway
People love free stuff. There’s no denying that contests and giveaways can be very successful ways for brands to bring the crowds and foster engagement on social media pages. With the addition of video content to a contest or giveaway, your brand can really pack a punch. Use the video to explain the rules of your contest, or to show off the prizes in an enticing way.
Powerhouse brand Doritos is notorious for requesting ad submissions from football fans, offering a hefty cash prize and a chance at Super Bowl fame. While you may not have $1,000,000 to give away, you can still rouse emotion and inspire contest participation with an epic video.
6. Promote Products and Features
Whether they’re considering which model to buy or they simply want an in-depth explanation of features, videos are a great way to show off your products to customers. You can also use videos to tease upcoming product releases and garner interest. With the proper long-tail keywords tacked onto your videos, you’ll even give your search rankings a helpful boost ahead of product releases.