Video marketing: conquering the web with images
Over the years, communication has become one of the most powerful marketing tools, think of the effect a commercial has, for decades it has been a tool that enters homes and has evolved with the evolution of platforms.
In fact, the figures on video marketing on the Internet constantly show how much this tool needs to be integrated into an attractive digital communication strategy. As an attractive, accessible and viral medium, video is a solid conversion tool.
Do you want to understand the pros and cons of video communication? Are you planning to start but don't know where to begin?
That's what the appvizer team is here for.
Three, two, one..... action!
Why choose video marketing?
©Digital Creatives
It is the most attractive content
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a well-made video is more likely to engage Internet users.
This success is based, firstly, on saving time: Internet users prefer the quick viewing of a video to the longer reading of an article.
On the other hand, audiovisual production encourages creativity and storytelling: entertainment, educational, promotional content..... convey emotions, enhance your brand identity, and generate more engagement.
Increase your notoriety on social networks
Video is the most shared content format on social networks. In fact, the average engagement rate for a video on Facebook is 6%, compared to 4.8% for a post with a photo, and 3.3% for a post with a link2. (Source: wearesocial.com)
Communicating through video on social media is therefore promoting the virality of its content, and thus its notoriety among the public and its visibility on the web.
Generate more conversions
For once, the figures speak for themselves: email campaigns containing videos register 2-4 times more CTR and loyalty increases by 35% (Source: Social media easy)
By making the message more readable and attractive, the use of video as a communication medium therefore has a very positive impact on the consumer and their purchasing intentions. Furthermore, this format increases your credibility with potential customers, clients and users: a customer success story or video demonstration are formats that are more likely to convince the user.
Improves the natural referencing of your site
Google promotes the results of its YouTube video platform. As a result, a web page with a video is much more likely to end up on the first page of results.
In addition, due to more attractive content, Internet users spend more time on pages containing videos. This increases their popularity in the eyes of Google.
💡 To optimise the natural referencing of your videos on YouTube, we recommend that you :
- specify the name of the video file
- choose a title that includes your keyword
- edit the description
- enter the category
- place tags
- insert transcripts and subtitles
- put in place CTAs to encourage interaction,
- form a playlist with several videos.
It is mobile-friendly
The smartphone is the most popular screen, much more popular than the computer.
On mobile phones, video has become the most popular format over time, because it is the one that is easiest to interact with. In fact, the Internet user only has to turn his or her smartphone to enjoy a full-screen view. The assimilation of information is more enjoyable than reading it on a mobile phone.
Encourages innovation in communication
Augmented reality, artificial intelligence, 360° video..... Thanks to technical advances in recent years, video has become the playground on which to express creativity and produce innovative content that Internet users can share.
As an example of a Renault video ad, simply click and drag on the video image to get a 360° view of the cockpit:
How to develop a video marketing strategy?
The advantages identified above have convinced you of the importance of digital video communication, but you do not know where to start?
To guide you, we specify here the key steps of a good video marketing strategy:
Define your objectives
Video can be used for different purposes, depending on the structure and development strategy of your company:
- communicate a new image
- increase awareness of your brand
- provide a response in the context of crisis communication
- generate more visitors to your website
- spread the use of software, services, etc.
In any case, aim precisely and remain effective. No need to look at millions of hits. Focus on the essentials: sending the right message to the right people.
But how do you identify the right people?
Define your audience
Segmentation remains common in all marketing activities. It is the sine qua non for taking relevant actions and achieving concrete results. And, of course, video is no exception.
We therefore advise you to define your target profiles and people in advance. Also take an interest in the customer journey in order to identify the most appropriate time to receive your video message.
By doing this exercise, you can identify distribution channels and social platforms that are popular with your audience.
Choose appropriate distribution channels
Understanding the customer journey of your personas then allows you to identify the best distribution channels among the many possibilities offered by the Internet:
- YouTube obviously remains The platform for hosting and disseminating videos . All from Google, will also serve your ambitions in terms of natural referencing.
- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram..... and all social networks in general have the power to spread your main channel, to produce virality and to expand the field of distribution of your content at lightning speed.
- Finally, remember the excellent open and click-through rates generated by the presence of a video in your email campaigns.
Determining the Right Format for the Right Message
Here again, there are no specific rules. It all depends on what you have to say and the means of implementation at your disposal.
However, there are many video formats. Here are some examples:
- the tutorial: accompanies users and seduces them with its pedagogical vocation
- live: creates engagement by encouraging Internet users to react directly
- the teaser: keeps your community alert to new products or events
- animation motion design: disseminates information in a playful and graphic manner, etc.
Also observe these few recommendations:
- Always focus on quality. Framing and sound recording must be flawless. And sometimes it is better to sacrifice some of your ambitions if you do not have the means to realise them.
- Choose short formats. Internet users are increasingly in a hurry. They therefore prefer concise videos with a strong, concise message.
- Think mobile friendly. With the increasing use of smartphones, ask yourself a number of questions. Should you favour verticality, which is better suited to mobile phones? Is your message comprehensible without sound? This last question is particularly important: users are encouraged to watch their videos in situations (public transport, waiting rooms, etc.) where sound can be a barrier.
- Take care of the tone. To enhance the customer experience, your videos will be even more powerful if you convey emotions, e.g. with humour.
Define a production and distribution schedule
As with any publishing strategy, it is essential to know what your direction is.
To do this, we recommend that you build a schedule in which the following elements are included:
- your objective
- the stage of the customer journey where the video will be used
- the format and channel of the broadcast
- the content
- the dates of filming
- the publication dates
Evaluate results
Finally, always evaluate your results to identify areas for improvement in your future campaigns. Determine the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to watch for each video. These should be defined according to your objectives, but I will mention a few examples:
- the number of views,
- the number of shares,
- the number of likes or mentions,
- the opening rate of your emails with videos and the number of clicks,
- the number of clicks on a call to action at the end of the video,
- the number of contacts generated by your videos, etc.
With all these tips, do you feel ready to launch your first video campaign?
Then comes a question: communication agency or not?
Communication agencies
Given the size of the project involved in the creation of marketing videos, you wonder whether you can use a specialised agency?
Actually, it all depends on the skills you have in-house:
- You have no marketing experts: use a communications agency to benefit from customised support on marketing strategy and content production.
- You have an integrated marketing team in your organisation and a large budget: you can afford the services of a video communication agency or an audiovisual production agency. This type of agency follows your brief and manages video production from A to Z.
- Your marketing team wants to control the entire video production chain and its production costs: you can train one person to do the filming, with a minimum of equipment. Some software is also becoming essential to save time, be more productive and achieve economies of scale.
Have you chosen the last option? Now let us describe in detail the hardware and software that will help you get started.
Hardware and software to create your videos
Internet video communication requires you to choose solutions in line with your financial means. Here we present the essential hardware and software to make your video marketing a success, regardless of your budget.
What equipment should I use to create videos?
To get started, you don't need to gear up like a big Hollywood production. However, here is the minimum equipment we recommend you buy
- a state-of-the-art smartphone or HD camera
- a memory card with ample storage space
- a tripod, with a smartphone adapter if you use one, to stabilise the image naturally
- a stabiliser, or gimbal, to compensate movement for dynamic shots
- a lapel, omnidirectional or boom microphone
- artificial lighting on an indoor shooting stand, consisting of light boxes for bright lighting or umbrellas for softer lighting
- a black background, or green if you want to superimpose the videos
And, of course, add the various software packages that you will use during editing and post-production.
Which software should I use to create videos?
First of all, you can use some of the editing software offered with Windows or available for free on Mac OS via the Apple Store, such as iMovie.
More experienced people with ambitious projects will turn to Adobe products: Adobe Première for video editing and Adobe After Effects for special effects.
On the other hand, if you are a beginner, here are some programmes that should interest you.
Animoto
Animoto allows you to create your own videos even without technical skills. You film with your smartphone and load the video sequences (filmed sequences) into the software for use. You can also create a video from A to Z, thanks to the numerous video templates and animations you can customise. Here is an example:
Among its features:
- Stock containing images, video music
- Voice-over
- Direct video sharing
Animoto
Lumen5
Lumen5 wants to make video creation fast and accessible to all. Its promise? It allows you to create a video in 5 minutes or less. All this without the need for editing or production knowledge.
Want a try?
Among its main functionalities
- Highlights keywords
- Your brand logo
- Different formats
Lumen5
Create a dynamic image through video marketing!
As you will have realised, video is the essential tool to integrate into your marketing plan. Its diversity of formats, as well as its ability to capture attention and evoke emotions, make it the preferred communication medium of most audiences.
It is up to you to imagine the staging that will excite your audience and generate sales.
And good news, you don't need to be the new Spielberg or spend a ton of money to achieve a level of quality that is sufficiently appealing to Internet users. Software publishers have, in fact, fully realised the importance of developing tools that are accessible to as many people as possible, even without technical expertise.
Your creativity no longer has any limits.
Article translated from Italian