Now, more than ever, consumers want advertisers to speak WITH them, not AT them. A disconnect has formed between advertisers and consumers, because…
consumers feel as though brands aren’t really listening to them
that brands don’t really understand them
that brands aren’t willing to adapt their products/services based on consumer feedback
So, the way in which companies approach commercials and marketing videos has to shift. This is illustrated well in a short video that we posted to this blog last year, entitled The Break Up. Based on this change in attitude and behaviors, marketers and video producers have to be more focused on providing viewers with an experience. Tell them a story. The old marketing strategy (shove your product front-and-center and brag about how awesome it is) isn’t effective in drawing viewers in. Don’t misunderstand: There’s still a place for showcasing all that a product or service can do for a consumer, but companies have to be a bit more creative in how that message is communicated.
Even before YouTube, BMW was already buying into this strategy by creating a series of short films, starring Clive Owen as The Driver. Each episode featured Clive Owen driving a BMW vehicle, but the car wasn’t the focus of the story. The car was simply IN the story. If you had taken the BMW out and put any other car in, each episode still would have worked. There’s a reason why ancient philosophers, prophets, and teachers used parables to instruct; it’s because people learn and retain information best through stories. Think about how you can utilize storytelling techniques in your own videos to market your company, products, and services.
Southwestern Consulting is a company committed to developing sales leaders through business coaching services. They were ready to produce an updated testimonial video and hired us to produce a new video with a more professional, polished look. We spent a day shooting five different Southwestern clients and edited their comments into a cohesive overview of the positive impact a business coach can have on an individual’s career.
Engagement is the buzz word in the social media marketing world right now. I’ve even posted articles on this site pertaining to the importance of marketers creating content that will engage an audience. As online video grows, so does the need for marketers, advertisers, and video producers to measure a consumer’s interaction with those ads. According to eMarketer (as reported by Daisy Whitney in her August 16th episode of The New Media Minute), one-third of all online display advertising will consist of video by 2014, so there is a lot riding on the effectiveness of those videos. Marketers define video ad engagement in several different ways. In The New Media Minute, Daisy Whitney highlights a few of these:
Time spent watching the video
Interactivity with the video (i.e. “clicking”)
Purchase intent
Sharing or commenting on a video
Funny, emotionally touching, informative video content
With video continually on the rise, the pressure is on to ensure that your videos stand out. So, what are some ways to boost engagement rates? According to eMarketer, advertisers will need to so a little research:
Find out where people are watching video.
Look at where a viewer goes next, after watching a video. This is a good indication of whether the consumer is wanting to learn more about a product or service featured in the video.
Analyze time spent watching each video, and count the number of viewing sessions (i.e. Do viewers come back to watch the video again?)
Pay close attention to the demographics of the viewers to make sure that videos are reaching the right audience.
Create branded videos that connect emotionally with customers and provide useful information about products and services.
Knowing the viewing habits of consumers and learning about where your demographic hangs out online will provide you with the assurance that the video content you create is targeted appropriately and distributed to the right websites.
Brands are really starting to embrace interactive video content, which gives viewers options of what they would like to see while the video plays. It’s an excellent way to boost consumer engagement, while increasing the amount of time a potential customer spends with one particular brand. Video producers and marketers are not only interested in video views, but also on completed video views. Recently, Coca-Cola Germany released this interactive video for Sprite Zero. It features a skateboarder launching himself off of a ramp and doing tricks while in mid-air. However, viewers have control over which tricks they want to see. By using keyboard keys 4 through 9, viewers can skip certain tricks, replay others, and create a customized sequence. It’s interesting to note that the producers chose to minimize branding, because, “[We] wanted the focus to be on the content and interactivity.” So, how can you incorporate this kind of video content into your marketing efforts to draw your potential customers into learning more about your products and services?
I was listening to a recent episode of the Duct Tape Marketing podcast, featuring Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Media. In this particular discussion, Kerpen made some excellent points about the value of storytelling in a brand’s marketing strategy. I’ve written articles on this blog before, centered on the aspect of storytelling and the power it has over an audience, but I wanted to recap some of Kerpen’s points. The whole of Kerpen’s discussion with host John Jantsch centered on how brands can utilize marketing tools, strategies, etc. to achieve the ultimate goal of “likeability.”
The best way to use social media tools to strengthen relationships is to share stories. Open up and tell people who you are. Be personal.
Stories personalize a brand better than any marketing tactic.
Imagine the social media landscape was a cocktail party. How would you capture the attention of those at the party? You wouldn’t show up with a slick marketing campaign and broadcast it out to everyone you meet. Rather, you would tell interesting stories to engage. You want the other guests to like what you have to say.
Every business has a story to tell; stories about how the company was founded, obstacles that certain employees have overcome, successes and failures, etc.
These stories can be shared with pictures, with web video, with blog posts and tweets.
Stories are what people want to talk about.
One last point that was made that I thought was worth repeating is, “It’s hard NOT to like someone, once you know their story.”
I’ve always been a strong advocate for storytelling, because in every video we at Red Fox Media produce, the goal is to share some kind of story with the audience. It’s natural to want to use video to convey basic facts about a company, product, or service. But it’s more challenging to weave those facts into a story that will engage and entertain. Consider this testimonial video we produced for an oral surgery clinic, or this promotional video for the Hoover City Schools. In each video, the necessary marketing facts were conveyed, but that information was presented using stories as a foundation. We will always welcome the opportunity to tell your story.
