youtube

What Does It Really Mean Series: Video Marketing

In the last of our “What Does It Really Mean?” series, I’d like to explore the term Video Marketing. Although you may not be familiar with the term Video Marketing, you’ve no doubt come across video while interacting on social media platforms, using mobile apps or watching television. Video is everywhere and becoming more popular by the day! A Cisco study predicts that by 2019 video will represent 80% of all Internet traffic.

What is video marketing and what can it be used for?

Of all the terms we’ve delved into in this series, Video Marketing is the simplest to explain. It means using video to promote or market your brand, product or service. Video Marketing is incredibly versatile and it can be used very effectively on your website, social media channels and YouTube for many things including:

Promoting your brand
Product demonstrations/information
Testimonials
How- to videos
Corporate training
Live stream events
Entertainment
And more

What are the benefits of Video Marketing?

There is an abundance of data proving that Video Marketing can raise awareness of your brand/products/services, promote your company, drive sales and/or engage your customers.

Video is an SEO gold mine, helping build backlinks to your site, boosting likes and shares (which can affect search rankings), and driving traffic to your site (Content Marketing Institute)
Adding a video to your website can increase the chance of a front page Google result by 53 times (Comscore)
Almost 75% of marketers agreed that video is key to driving conversions (Demand Metric survey)
After watching a video, customers are 64%-85% more likely to make a purchase
Some statistics indicate that on Facebook, a video post offers a whopping 135% greater reach than a post with a photo (Demand Metric survey)
Email subject lines that include the word “video” see a 19% increase in openrates, and a 65% boost in click-throughs (Content Marketing Institute)
Marketers who are using video are seeing 49% faster growth in revenue (Aberdeen Research)

Are major brands using Video Marketing?

Absolutely! Major brands worldwide have jumped on the video bandwagon. A well-planned, well-executed Video Marketing campaign is a great way to showcase your brand, differentiate you from your competition and help you build an emotional connection with your audience in 60 seconds or less.

Brands including Nike, Hotels.com, Airbnb, Under Armour, Coca Cola and Toyota are just a few that have embraced Video Marketing with a passion. In fact, major brands are not only creating their own YouTube channels but 61 of the top 100 brands now embed YouTube videos on their websites (Content Marketing Institute). Some brands are combining professionally produced content with user-generated content like candid reaction videos. The results both engage and entertain, and that’s the goal.

Should you be using Video Marketing?

Video marketing is so effective that I recommend that every marketing campaign incorporates video into the mix. However, this is not as simple as point and shoot. A badly done video is worse than no video at all. Although user-generated video can be used with professional video in a campaign, it should not be used on its own. Producing a video requires a professional expertise that’s not typically found in-house.

Our production arm, CreativeWorks Productions, is a full-service video production company with well-seasoned producers, and a highly skilled crew with decades of experience working on video productions for private companies to public ones such as the CBC, CTV, Rogers, and Alliance Atlantis. Contact the professionals at CreativeWorks Marketing today to discuss how we can integrate Video Marketing into your marketing and deliver professional results.

Top 10 Marketing Mishaps – A Play Back

This week I’d like to share with you this entertaining short video from WatchMojo that counts down their top 10 worst marketing mistakes in history.

I hope that this video provides a humourous look back and serves as a reminder that we don’t always get it “right” and that even the “big guys,” “the untouchables” and “the big kahunas” like McDonalds, Coke and Ford get it wrong sometimes, too!

Consider that when you’re a big brand like these guys and you get it wrong… everyone is watching!

How many of these mishaps do you remember? Does it help bring perspective to your own mistakes? I look forward to hearing from you in the comments below.

Online Video: It’s Not Only Video Production – It’s Marketing

As our plugged-in business world is becoming far more receptive to video messages, and online video is entering marketing’s mainstream, it’s natural to feel a little daunted about using video for the first time.

As the owner of a marketing agency with a full service video production company, and over 13 international video awards, I receive a daily deluge of questions from my clients who are thinking about using video in their marketing, but have concerns about jumping into this medium.

From low-cost do-it-yourself video blogs, to polished corporate overviews, there are certainly more options available today, but beware: The notion “you get what you pay for” still applies. Businesses today would benefit from understanding more about what they are paying for, and the value it brings to their business.

Below, I’ve provided you with answers to the questions that many of my clients are asking, in the hopes that they will allay your trepidations about using video in your marketing plans.

How can a video help my company?

Video is a powerful tool for reaching your audience, whether you’re selling a product, a service or a new concept. With a combined visual and verbal message, your message is 70% more memorable on video than it is in print alone.

Can I produce the video myself, or do I need professional help?

You could certainly apply the do-it-yourself approach, using basic consumer video equipment and self-taught talent. (Think YouTube.) The benefits are speed and low costs, but the risks could be huge, as the results often look amateurish. This may erode credibility and brand messaging.

When it comes to video, particularly online video, I strongly recommend hiring a video production company, ideally one attached to a marketing agency. No, this is not shameless self-promotion; it is the truth. Video is a marketing tool and so you’ll need to consult with a marketing agency. Most video production companies are focused on producing videos, but not on helping you set the video’s objectives, position its message, and ultimately achieve your marketing ROI.

If your video production company simply shoots video without understanding the broader context, your video message may miss the point, and your video will not give meet your marketing objectives and ROI. See next question for more details on the process.

When hiring a professional marketing agency with a video production arm, look at their past work to make sure it is compatible with what you want. Ask them to give you details of their involvement in the video. Make sure they know your industry, and understand marketing. Ask them to share with you how your video will help you accomplish your specific marketing goals and objectives. Note: You are looking for a concrete answer here, not a broad stroke “it will increase brand awareness” type of answer.

What is the process for creating a video?

First, be sure you know what you are trying to accomplish. One of the biggest reasons a project falls short of expectations is that the client can’t decide what they want, and keeps moving the target during production. This adds cost, and erodes quality.

Before you can produce the video, you’ll need to clarify what you want to accomplish, and determine what resources you have available to you. You’ll also need to know your unique selling proposition, your target audience, your marketing goals and objectives, how and where your audience will view this video, and how you will measure the ROI.

Some questions to consider might include: do you want to increase credibility, build your brand, attract new clients or recruit new staff? What marker decides success? Who should be profiled in the video? Do they need media training?

Once the marketing purpose has been established, and you have a general direction, there are three basic stages to completing your video:

Pre-production: Deciding on the locations and on camera talent, writing scripts, creating a shot list, arranging for the appropriate equipment, camera, and site logistics and clearances
Production: This is actually shooting the video.
Post-production: This involves the editing of the video, including motion graphics, special FX, onscreen text, adding in other visuals images or footage and a soundtrack.

How long does it take to produce a video?

In general, the process can take anywhere from 2 to 12 weeks, depending on the complexity of your production.

Should you use video as a method to support your marketing? Absolutely, but make sure you consult with a marketing professional who actually produces video. You only have one chance to make a lasting, first impression. This has never been as true as it is today, with online video.

So… how much will a video cost? And how are these costs determined? I have dedicated next week’s blog to answering those questions regarding budget-related costs associated with video production.

Do you have any questions about using video in your marketing? Have you used, or are you considering using video in your online marketing campaigns? Please share your questions and stories about producing video in the comments below.

Why do we all need advice?

We all want it and need it, but as small to medium-sized business owners we may need it most of all, but are more likely to steer clear of it.

The fact is all of us, regardless of what you do for a living, have some level of expertise on that topic. You don’t have to look far for evidence of this – there are columnists whose opinion matters; reality TV shows where we see individuals sing to the best of their ability or perform some talent; in social media blogs like this one, or FaceBook posts or LinkedIn profiles, and even how-to videos on YouTube – we find experts. For business owners, there are expert associations, Boards of Trade, or peer advisory boards like The Alternative Board. There are quite literally thousands upon thousands of experts giving advice on everything from soup to nuts.

Do you really need an advisor?

Unless you really do know everything, then yes, you do need an advisor. From Prime Ministers to the Queen of England, we all need to consult with a person we feel knows more than we do on a certain topic, or can at the very least, offer us insights and a good ear for us to walk through an approach or plan we’ve been considering. As business owners, we all need help to strengthen an area of our business whether that is marketing, employment hiring practices, or operations and management.

Having an advisor is NOT admitting defeat, it’s substantiating your value: knowing what you do well at and what you want to improve on are two of the pillars of success.

How do you find the right advisor for your business?

The answer to this question is found by asking yourself a few pointed questions: what do you need advice on? How would that advice help you in your business and what do you expect this advisor to do for you?

Once you are clear on exactly what you need, how it will help and what you want as a result, you are ready to hire your advisor. Here are a few tips to help you in your search.

Start with some research both on and offline. Ask your fellow business owners if they have advisors; search the blogs, FaceBook and LinkedIn on the advice topic you are seeking. e.g. small business peer advisory
Narrow down your list to the top 3 and then contact them to see their response times, style, and general “fit”
Once you’ve made contact, meet with them. Much like a job interview, go prepared with questions you have about their experience, other similar clients, success stories, and if applicable, their training and education. If this is a Board of Trade, you can go to one of their scheduled meetings.
During this meeting you should determine if the personality is a good fit for you. An advisor needs to understand you and be able to identify with you and your needs. Make sure they do.
After you’ve met with all three, you might want to ask them to send you a quote on how they feel they can help you and how much it will cost. For Boards of Trade, you will need to look at the annual or monthly dues and time commitment.

As a marketing advisor, a few years ago I was looking for a business advisor; someone who could help me keep my business on track and provide advice and guidance as business issues came up like: what my bookkeeper should take care of, do I need a noncompeting agreement for my staff; what is the protocol for employee incentives and so much more. I found TAB, a peer advisory board of individual business owners like myself who meet on a regular basis to help each other in our businesses. I also have one-on-one coaching sessions. It was not what I was looking for but it’s a thousand times better than what I could have even imagined.

This experience has taught me something so critical – we all need help and there is literally someone for everyone.

Do you have an advisor? Can you share your story?