What makes videos such a hot commodity for marketers? They’re dynamic. They’re prioritized by the trendiest social media platforms. And they’re shareable.
With so many benefits, video has quickly become a powerful tool to attract customers.
Take Cadbury’s recent Australian Flavour Match campaign, for instance. To introduce consumers to its newest milk chocolate offering, the brand created personalized videos featuring cocoa lovers’ Facebook profile images. The result? Nine out of 10 people watched every second of the customized videos they received.
To be sure, video has proven to be a remarkably effective way for agencies to help clients compete and improve engagement at every stage of the customer journey. Almost three-quarters of marketing professionals say video’s ROI beats out other content’s returns, and 93% of companies point to video as a top reason for higher customer acquisition rates. But the key to making the most of video lies in understanding when and where to use it.
Video Content Marketing and the Customer Journey
Knowing the buyer’s mindset at key touchpoints is the key to conversion-producing video. It also allows you to construct clients’ marketing campaigns from a customer-centric frame of reference, which Aetna’s former CMO says is critical for success in contemporary brand marketing.
Stepping into the buyers’ shoes throughout their journey requires understanding what video content they want when they want it — and giving them exactly that. For instance, consumers just learning about your client might appreciate a video explaining how their product solves pain points. Consumers close to making a purchase, however, might prefer to watch testimonial videos.
Google research shows that 68% of people said they turned to YouTube before buying something. Similarly, almost half checked out videos online before heading to a brick-and-mortar store to see the item in real life. Clearly, video is an effective tool in pushing people toward conversion.
Ultimately, your clients’ video marketing efforts will be more successful when you tailor video content to their consumers’ “at the moment” mindsets. Really, there’s no limit of video types to match each buying journey touchpoint. You just have to experiment and test a variety of videos. At the same time, remember to follow some of these best practices:
Aim for Out-Of-The-Box Thinking
Don’t feel the need to copy your clients’ competitors or follow industry trends when it comes to creating and producing videos. Audiences gravitate toward content that feels unique. It’s often better to be a trendsetter than a follower, particularly if your clients are in a highly competitive sector. Not all your videos will create buzz or publicity, but you never know when one will become a contender for a best-of-the-best marketing video list.
Play Around With Platforms for Video
These days, there are tons of places to share video content, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok. It’s quite possible that the content you create for your clients will be much more successful on one platform than on another, so try a variety of distribution options instead of sticking to what you assume will work. Be sure to track the eyeballs you get for each video type on each site. The more data you gather upfront, the more informed your client’s future video placements will be.
Show Your “Real Life” Side
Does it seem trite to say, “Be genuine?” Authenticity is important, yet it’s easier said than done. The more transparent you enable your clients to be with their audiences, the more connected those audiences will feel to your clients’ companies. People value authenticity when it comes to choosing a brand. Unguarded videos can help your clients showcase their values and the heart behind their products or services.
Video has become a game-changer in the world of marketing. To help your clients make the most of this medium, think like a customer. When you do, you’ll produce dynamic content that’s watchable, shareable, and — if you’re lucky — someday viral.
