April 28, 2014 10.30 am This story is over 118 months old

The power of online video

Video marketing: Have you ever considered online video to do business marketing? Sammy Greener shares her tips, with video examples.

In the past, if you wanted to find out about the latest news, trends or products, you had to search through print publications or pick up the phone and call customer services. Nowadays however, anything you want to know is just a click away, and as the digital age continues to move forward, online videos have become one of the most useful ways of finding information.

Although videos are not particularly a new phenomenon, with the first motion picture created in the late 1800s, today’s consumers operate with a stronger “want it now” mind set than ever before. People are looking for quick fixes to satisfy their wants and needs – something YouTube provides with its huge directory of content.

From interviews with experts, how-to guides, and fashion and beauty tips to the latest news stories all in short, it’s only natural that including digital videos within marketing strategies is becoming the norm.

According to a study by comScore, the average internet user will watch 32 videos per month, and 64% will go on to make a purchase after viewing – which are pretty impressive statistics for video content marketing. Digital videos give businesses the opportunity to engage with customers on a personal level and are easily accessible thanks to social media sites such as YouTube and Vimeo. They can show customers a company’s personality, put a face to the brand, bring case studies to life and give a fresh insight into products and services.

With this in mind, I’ve put together a few key points to bear in mind when introducing online video into your marketing plan.

Be creative

There are many different ways video can enhance your marketing. Think of what your customers would like to see; for example, testimonials and case studies, expert interviews, instructional how-tos or a behind-the-scenes insight into a company. These are great alternatives to showcase your product without the use of obtrusive advertising. Plus, these are clips customers will actively seek out whilst researching a product or service.

Keep it short and simple

On average, viewers will only watch the first minute of your video, so to avoid customers turning off too soon: keep online videos succinct but engaging. Similarly, although digital video has its benefits, a poorly constructed one could have the reverse effect. If you don’t hire a professional videographer, keep in mind the lighting and sound of your location and always have a steady camera.

Consider distribution

Once you have uploaded your video, think about how you will make it accessible. Some ways to share your creation are to embed it in your website and utilise social media to promote it — providing consumers the opportunity to spread it with their family and friends. A great example of how strong social media sharing can be is American company, Cardstore, promoting Mother’s Day. Its video was shared internationally, and now boasts 16 million views for this creative marketing clip.

Vloggers

If creating your own video is something you feel unsure of, there are thousands of video-bloggers (vloggers) that create regular short films and have a large following of subscribers, which can be a great PR tool.

For example, vlogger Zoella talks through her beauty regimes and fashion purchases to four million subscribers, and this clip alone has showcased the mentioned products to 1.5 million viewers. Customers find the opinions and reviews from vloggers as trustworthy and reliable, so build relationships with these rising stars and they may feature your products in their content.

Have you utilised online videos to help promote for your company? I’d love to see them – leave me a comment below or tweet me @sjgreener1.

Sammy Greener is a PR Executive at Lava, an award-winning marketing communications agency based in Lincoln. Sammy plays an active role across both trade and consumer accounts, providing media relations, copywriting and administrational support. Sammy has a first class honours degree in Fashion Business from Glasgow Caledonian University, and has previously worked at Interflora and Bianca Jones Jewellery.