“Video is an effective form of communication that needs to be integrated into each and every aspect of your existing marketing efforts”. – James Wedmore
Customers are becoming smarter, younger and keener, with less time. They demand limitless options in the shortest possible time and with complete access at all times, which is why online videos are now such a craze. Business online videos are a highly visible and engrossing method of reaching this demanding set of customers not just to advertise the company’s products but also to get across content that is branded, engaging, customized and informative. Business online videos are a great way to capture the imagination and attention of this informed and tech-savvy group that has the time and inclination only for what they desire.
Business online videos as a means for marketing are catching on swiftly. The reason being that there is an increase in online time spent by people – a report revealed that in this year the online videos viewing has gone up by 23.3% and is set to increase by another 19.8% in the coming year 2016. This increase has been possible due because of the surge of smart devices – mobile phones and other hand held devices – and technology that has made viewing on these smaller ‘screens’ convenient and possible. Mobile device viewing is set to increase by 43.9% this year and by 34.8% in the next.
With online viewing increasing so rapidly, business online videos are becoming a reliable way to improve the company’s success rate and those who fail to take advantage of this would find themselves losing out on many opportunities for growth. Business online videos are being heralded as the future of marketing. Studies indicate that many companies have already started reaping the benefits of this medium and as more companies begin to realize the advantages, the use of this medium will rise even further. A very reliable study reveals that at least 64% of marketers know that the business online videos will overtake their strategies very soon.
The reach of online videos is unmatched and the popular medium that hosts videos has around one billion different visitors each month, which is more than almost all other channels. According to a study, in Britain alone three people view at least one video per week, which translates to an audience of over 2 million in this place alone. Business online videos give you this power – this visibility and reach – is this reason not enough to invest in this form of marketing? Each day one hears of an entertainment video breaking a record number of views and the same is possible with business online videos. If the content of the video is engaging enough, not only do viewers spend time watching it, they will share it too – of course the company should ensure that their videos are ‘shareable’. More time spent on watching these videos also means that customers and potential ones spend more time on your website and other sites where it is made available for viewing and thus get to know your brand better – probably the best form of marketing or SEO practice there is available.
Given the nature of the business online videos and the large numbers of videos available, it would be difficult for customers and potential ones to choose which ones to watch if they did not have reason. With so much information already available, it is crucial that companies focus on making their business online videos crisp, engaging, easy to view and understand, interesting and enticing. Another research found that out of 10 persons at least 7 become more interested in a brand after they watch well-made video content about them. The great part about business online videos now is that they are easily affordable even by small businesses. Costs of producing such videos have fallen and with step by step instructions available on the net, even the ‘technically slow’ people would be able to work out how to use them and get the best out of them. It is important however, to keep in mind some key points when producing business online videos – just as important as any other business aspect.
First and foremost, your company must know and be aware of the audience they wish to target. Without such knowledge, it would be difficult to make the video relevant or customized for them and if the target audience fails to be impressed with it within the first few seconds, they would most likely turn it off. The other important fact is that your company must not negate the power and reach of social media – ensure that your business online videos are available across multiple channels and it is vital that the viewers can not only find and view them but also share them with their friends and associates.
Another factor that is crucial to the success of your business online videos is that they must be watchable on mobiles and other hand held devices – this is probably the most important segment since at least 41% of viewing of videos was done on mobiles in the year 2013 – as revealed by a survey.
If you expect people to view the complete business online videos, pay close attention to the content. It must have a robust concept, easily understandable language, engaging content and must be easy to view. In addition, your company must also have a clear business strategy and know exactly what they expect to be able to deliver in terms of results – that is if the strategy is to gain more market share and a larger customer base, then the contents would be different from a video which serves only as a reminder or boost for already engaged customers.
Given how important business online videos can be and are poised to be in the future, it makes sense to not spare any effort in making them the best. It is prudent to hire professionals to produce the video such that there is perfect sound and picture quality and each detail is taken care of – these videos are after all a means to conveying to the audience what your company stands for and how you can make their lives better through your company’s products and offerings. It’s like getting your portfolio made for an important modelling assignment!
As mentioned, the business videos can get boring if the message is complicated and replete with technical jargon. Successful business online videos must lucidly show and explain why a company’s product is the best for the customers and how the products will make the lives of customers better, simpler, richer and other such quantifiers. The message must come across as focused, compelling and yet not onerously lengthy and confusing. Customers are short on time and hence the content of the videos must hold their attention for those brief minutes and also remain in their mind long enough to translate to a call / query, which in turn could convert to business. Crammed and overly done business online videos have quite the opposite effect on customers – they will turn customers away.
No one wants to or has the time to view very long videos – a survey revealed that after a minute, at least 53% viewers would turn the video off. Short and crisp videos not only keep the viewer engaged and interested, they would be more likely to share it with others. However, the study also revealed that if the content of the videos was informative and made it easier for them to decide, at least 37% viewers would spend over 3 minutes on a video. It is the responsibility of the company to understand their customer base and target customers such that they can make a decision about the ideal length of their business online videos. A great way to add credibility and interest in this marketing effort is to include customer and employee testimonials. These ‘happy partners’ would add ‘weight’ and likeability to your videos.
Business online videos don’t need to be boring – go about them creatively, such that you are using the power of the futuristic content marketing and making it work smart for your company.