Americans see hundreds of advertisements everyday. These ads come in many forms; from billboards to pop-up Internet ads they all demand the same thing—our attention. How can businesses work to differentiate themselves from all that noise?
Video marketing has proven time and time again its ability to cut through advertising clutter and access numerous viewers. While television commercials are losing audiences because of programs such as DVR and Netflix, online videos have become one of the most important strategies in advertising.
What makes video marketing so effective?
1. Accessibility
Some consumers may prefer to read, but videos have the distinct ability to make content accessible to everyone. Videos can provide more information in less time. The recommended length for a YouTube promotional video is 1:30.
2. Branding
A short video allows a company to present its brand in 3 ways: visually, audibly and textually. Just as a picture speaks louder than words, a video can elicit emotions from its audience because of its ability to stimulate our senses. A great example of a discreet branding campaign was Chipotle’s short film, The Scarecrow.
3. Storytelling
Much of modern-day PR and marketing is about relationship building. Videos can help viewers to feel like insiders by crafting a story about the brand. Video marketers have found that testimonials, episodic series and short narratives are effective ways to create these stories. GoPro is one brand that knows how to tell a story and also encourages their customers to tell their own.
4. Popularity
Online videos are often crafted with the hope that they will “go viral”. Consumers have high expectations when it comes to these short films—they expect to be entertained, educated and to feel connected. Whether this is achieved through humor, honesty, or artfulness depends on the content. A campaign that went viral this year because of its sentimentality was Cardstore’s World’s Toughest Job. We don’t want to ruin the ending for you, but the video touches on a subject that every viewer can relate to.
5. Engagement
Videos are unique in the way they engage their audience. Viewers are invited to “like” videos, to comment on videos and to share them with their friends. Unlike printed media, the brand can interact with the audience as they react to the video and, most importantly, track its reach. The ability to calculate how many people have watched, liked or commented on a video helps us to zero-in on which types of videos are most effective.
These are just 5 reasons that we think video marketing is essential in modern day public relations. Keep an eye out for an upcoming video project from Silver Spur this week!
-SSM