Digital Marketing
Video
What we will cover
Video production for your business should be forming part of your digital marketing strategy now.
Just because social media could make your video go viral, it doesn’t mean that people will automatically decide to share it. Sharing takes effort and if social science has taught us anything about humans, it’s that we need a good reason to exert ourselves.
This post is all about how to maximise the chances of your audience interacting with you and getting better video engagement. Otherwise, your video will be little more than a vanity project.
Emotion Drives Video Engagement
If you remember one thing from this article, let it be the following:
Good videos are driven by emotion and backed by fact.
And as the fake news phenomenon has demonstrated, the last part of that phrase is somewhat optional. So whether you make them laugh, cry, shout or scream, aim to move your audience.
Storyboard your Production
Stories connect us on an emotional level. They include a narrative, characters, themes and action. Not only are storyboards great organisational tools, they also remind us, on a subconscious level, that we are always creating a story.
Stick to one Point
Although you’ve probably had enough of Brexit, the recent EU election results perfectly illustrate this key to video engagement. When it comes to gaining attention, clear, simple messages win every time. When storyboarding your next video, write down your key message on a big sheet of paper and ensure every frame of the action supports that one message.
Take your Opportunities
Video is an amazingly rich and versatile form of media yet so many businesses fail to make the most of its all-seeing eye. Everything that appears in a video, from the clothes on your back to the post-video credits should earn their right to be in your production. If something isn’t contributing to either your key message or your branding then what is it doing in front of the camera?
Be Audience Appropriate
If you want an example of what understanding your audience looks like, watch the CBBC show ‘Horrible Histories.’ The producers clearly understand that children (and the kids inside all of us) respond to music, rhyme, larger than life characters and a healthy dose of blood, bogies and poo. That doesn’t stop them from imparting an impressive amount of historical knowledge in each episode.
Use Humour – but be Careful!
Humour is a bit of a double-edged sword in video productions. If anything is going to overcome the effort threshold it will be a video that makes us laugh. The trouble is that what makes one person laugh might leave somebody else completely unmoved. Worse still, humour has the ability to offend so stay clear of controversial areas or you could find yourself in hot water.
Be Positive
Although fear-based marketing can work, especially for a short-term campaign, it is normally best avoided. The human mind is an odd place and it is easy to create an unwanted link between your brand and negative qualities like misery and fear.
In contrast, by producing warm, friendly and upbeat videos on a regular basis, viewers will begin to associate that glowing, fuzzy feeling with your brand.
Ask People to Share
All pieces of content should have a clear call-to-action and video is no exception. If you regularly watch YouTube videos, you will be familiar with the way in which the creators almost always ask their viewers to like, subscribe and click the notifications icon. Many of them go to great lengths to describe and point out the relevant buttons or areas of the screen.
If you’ve yet to dabble in the world of video marketing, Vu Online would be happy to help you get your feet wet. Find out more on our Video Production services page.
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