Video Marketing Explained
It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, have we then stopped to think how valuable a video could be? A custom-made video to create awareness, to advertise or to even inform does what plain text is not capable of doing. For this reason, a video stands to benefit us by reaching a larger audience when it comes to marketing.
In marketing, videos are used for several purposes including:
- Fostering a working relationship with the client
- Company brand promotion
- Products promotion
- Customer sensitization of new products you are about to introduce into the market
- Informing your clients about your discounted products
The Nitty-Gritties of Video Marketing
The graphics design department of a company creates short and informative clips of the company and its products or services. This is used to push the agenda of the company in their quest to market their products or services to their customers.
To know how successful the undertaking was, they analyze the data from the clip. This could be direct responses from customers, conversations going on social media regarding information communicated by the clip and finally the health of the company’s sales.
To have a working and a successful video marketing strategy, your team ought to:
1. Allocate resources
A budget needs to be set aside for the graphics design department if you are to have quality output. If a graphics design team is not present, you can create one and hire professionals, or you can contract an existing graphics design company. Your budget should cover equipment like powerful computers, HD video cameras, editing software and a responsive website.
2. Make a Video to tell your story
From the clips the team has taken, brainstorm on which story of the company you want to tell and how you want to tell it. Afterward, settle on the clips that tell your story best.
3. Make sure the video is engaging
Make your audience want to watch the clip for at the last minute. Telling your story is not enough if the audience loses interest along the way and dismisses the video. Find ways to make the video enjoyable and at the same time not forgetting your main aim which is to market the company.
4. Short and informative
It is not clearly defined how long a marketing video should be. Although from past experiences different people have had, they recommend having a short clip which covers everything and is captivating enough to keep the audience watching.
5. Push your content to the public
Get your videos published on different platforms. Have them on your website, all of your social media platforms; upload them to YouTube and also on different television stations. Make sure that you have all of your employees and other stakeholders help push the video by sharing the video on social platforms they are in and are comfortable doing so.
6. Employ data mining and analyzing techniques
Have your IT department help with this. Big data analysis helps make sense of data that has been collected on different platforms then use the data to get a feel of how the market is responding. With these results, you will be able to know where to improve on.
Advantages of Video Marketing
Video marketing has quite some advantages:
1. Creates a connection with your clients and other audience
A video familiarizes the audience with company. This helps build trust in the company as well as their products and services. In a nutshell, a video gives your customers a chance to know you better.
2. Marketing videos help bring traffic to your website
Videos help build backlinks on your websites which in turn increases your website’s SEO ratings. When your audience clicks and shares the marketing video you have posted, this boosts your Google ranking. Having good traffic will bring business whereby bigger companies will want to advertise with you to get a share of your audience. Build your brand loyalty and monetise your following by offering your own custom merchandise (using print-on-demand technology).
3. The video, being a visual aid helps retain information
Research has confirmed that we retain 10% of what we hear which is after three days but with visual information, we tend to retain 65% of the information passed after three days. This goes to show how powerful and effective video marketing is. You are sure of customer retention by what you communicate to them.
Virtual Reality in a Glimpse
Some of us may never visit space or even have the guts to either scuba dive or even take that leap to a bungee jump. Not to worry though, going by the current trends in virtual reality, you might be able to experience all these and even more without even leaving your home. Virtual reality simulates parts of our world and even other imaginary worlds using computers and sensory equipment.
In the business world, virtual reality (VR) can be used in team building meetings where a virtual world is simulated to you as the employee, and you are required to use your strength to help the other team members achieve a common goal. Virtual reality can be used to stir up the leader in you by having a problem you are facing or a decision you are supposed to make simulated in an environment then you are guided by a professional through the situation to help you come up with ways to solve that issue. This will build confidence within you in leading the others.
Future of Virtual Reality in Video Marketing
This is not about the future anymore, it is happening now, and you better get on board. Many companies are currently using immersive videos, i.e., a combination of virtual reality and 360-degree video in their marketing endeavors. Virtual reality ads and marketing videos have shown to elicit emotions and also engage the user for longer periods.
With the increasing advancements in technology, this is the space to watch when it comes to digital marketing and advertising.
