Were you one of the 102-million Americans that gathered a couple of weeks ago to watch the Super Bowl? The Super Bowl has become the single biggest television event of the year, not only in the number of viewers but also in the amount of money spent on advertising. People now watch it for the commercials just as much as—if not more than—the game itself.
The good news is that you don’t have to have a Coca-Cola or Volkswagen budget to broadcast your business and produce high quality, meaningful targeted content that resonates with your target market. You have to ensure your marketing is unique to your brand and, above all, memorable. After all, great advertising is simply combining the art of persuasion with the science of storytelling and a solid marketing strategy to tie it all together. So, if you’re interested in using video to market your brand, here are a few questions to consider before you start.
What’s the purpose of video marketing for your brand?
Unless you’re looking to create the next infomercial, video marketing should be more than a self-promotional sales pitch. Instead, the key is to focus on educating, entertaining, and inspiring viewers with memorable content. In order to develop video content that resonates with your customers, it’s essential to understand who your target audience is and what drives them to take action, such as visiting your website, entering your sales funnel or sharing your videos on social media.
Where will you promote your videos?
Before the internet, brands created video for one platform—television. Fast-forward to the present day, and the possibilities for video marketing are almost endless. While that can be overwhelming, a good place to start is to use video alongside your social media strategy. According to a recent report, four of the top six channels on which global consumers watch videos are on social media. Learn which social media channels have a proven impact on your business or industry and utilize those.
Which part of your story will you tell?
The most successful brands focus more on their story and less on the details of what they’re selling. Anheuser-Busch connected with viewers by telling the story of their commitment to use sustainable and renewable energy. Google summoned a box of tissues with a tear-jerking story of an older gentleman using Google Assistant to keep the memory of his late wife alive. For Nike, it was the story of Colin Kaepernick to promote the importance of taking a stand for what you believe. In short, research is continuously finding that consumers feel a stronger emotional connection and loyalty to companies driven by purpose. Figure out what makes your brand unique and tell that story.
What type of video formats will you develop?
Once you understand your target viewer and the story behind your brand, it’s time to figure out what types of video will have the most impact. Some brands may opt for overall brand storytelling along with customer testimonials or use instructional how-to videos to connect with audiences.
Who will create and launch your video marketing strategy?
Who you choose to build your video marketing strategy can be arguably as important as the video itself. Some brands will partner with bloggers or influencers to avoid having to make their videos; others might develop their own content. However, to maintain a certain level of quality, most brands will work with an agency that specializes in video development and distribution. Depending on the agency you choose, they can help you harness the best strategy for your specific audience, recommend the best digital platforms for marketing your product or service, as well as produce the video content.
In a time when the majority of people consume information from a screen, it’s vital for brands to consider their video marketing strategy. While this type of marketing isn’t new, how ubiquitous video has become on digital and social platforms is something that continues to grow and is central for reaching consumers. It’s become the Super Bowl of marketing your story.