With platforms like YouTube and Netflix fast becoming a replacement for conventional television programming, it’s clear that video is now at the heart of digital marketing – and it’s here to stay.
If you’re a business looking to make real impact in the digital space, now is the perfect time to get involved with branded video content and have your message seen by an audience of millions across the world. But with so much competition, how do you get noticed in a sea of advertisers?
Don’t worry – we’re here to help! Here are 5 trade secrets to help get your creative juices flowing.
1. “Front-load” your video
Statistics suggest that most users will watch just the first ten seconds of a video – especially if they consider it an advertisement. That’s why those first few seconds of your video are like gold-dust, representing your best chance to deliver a strong proposition. If you can design your video in such a way that you hook the viewer in that first 10 seconds, (by front-loading an irresistible offer, for example), you’ll be on the path to video advertising success. If you don’t want to lead with a sales proposition, you could also grab attention with an intriguing question your viewer simply must know the answer to.
2. Use visual illustrations to clarify complex points
Depending on your industry, your video may be required to explain some fairly in-depth technical concepts. The worst thing you can do is try to simply talk your way through these because it’ll come across more like a lecture and your viewers will switch off. The solution? Expand these concepts in a visually engaging way. We all have quite short attention spans, so including some animated illustrations which demonstrate a key concept about your product or service can be very effective. Want to make it stand out even more? Try using some alternating colours to catch the eye and keep the brain engaged – you’d be surprised how well these seemingly basic techniques work.
3. Tell your viewers a story
As we touched upon earlier, it’s tough to get people to stick with your video beyond a few seconds – and that’s where you may need to get a little psychological in your approach. Since the dawn of man, if there’s one thing we’ve always loved, it’s a good story. Humans are storytellers by nature, so it’s very much possible to captivate an audience with a good yarn – even as part of an advertorial video. We mentioned deploying a hook at the start of your video, but you can take it one step further by building this hook out into a bona fide story. Start with a character and a problem, then go on to explain how your product or service can solve it – but be sure to keep it personal and relatable.
4. Don’t be afraid to give your video some character
How many times have you seen an ad pop up on a video site only to find yourself bored almost immediately by bland production and lack of character? These videos are often the result of corporate video production by committee, leading to dry and, well, boring videos which nobody really wants to watch. Consider the video ads which stick most profoundly in your memory; most of them will probably have been amusing or affecting in some immediate way. So, if you’re brave enough, you may want to try a different angle: funny, quirky, edgy – anything that stands out and makes your video memorable will work better than staid and unoriginal video content. This character can manifest in a number of ways: upbeat narration, original characters, or amusing situations – don’t be afraid to push the boundaries a little.
5. Harness the power of social proof
If you’ve ever bought a product or service on the basis of the 5-star reviews you’ve read on the internet; you’ve been influenced by a concept known as “social proof”. Put simply, we’re far more likely to reach into our wallets if we hear from others who’ve already done so and seen the benefits. In terms of video production, you may consider using video testimonials or case studies from your happy customers to highlight your features and benefits. When this message isn’t being delivered as a sales proposition, but rather as a first-hand report from someone who’s had the experience, it’s far more convincing and takes you ever closer to that sought-after conversion.
To wrap it up
If you’re wanting to make a real impact in the digital space, we can create branded video content tailored to the needs of your business. Feel free to get in touch with us today and we’ll show you just how easy video marketing can be.