Making video marketing work on a budget

by Sophie Cole

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Though we’re partial to a page of prose, video marketing is another powerful weapon in any marketer’s armoury. According to Optinmonster, video marketing can boost brand awareness by 54%, and 93% of marketers say video content on their social media channels have helped them convert a new customer.

But video marketing doesn’t have to mean cinematic productions fit for the big screen. Whether your brand is a humble operation or multi-national corporation, there are many ways to reap the benefits of video marketing.

What is video marketing?

The humble video has come a long way from its roots. The first-ever video was made in 1889 by Thomas Edison and by the middle of the 20th century, moving pictures were a multi-billion-dollar business. But the world of video has shifted rapidly over the last two decades. From chunky tapes that could only be watched on an equally girthy VHS player to its lithe cousin the DVD, we’ve now leapt to creating videos that can watched anywhere on virtually anything.

In 2019, the average person spent six hours and 48 minutes watching online videos every week. From short and snappy TikToks to five-minute roundups of celebrity gossip to long-form Youtube content that rival conventionally produced documentaries, there are plenty of ways for people to engage.

But what about when it comes to marketing with video? There are lots of ways to get people engaged with your moving content.

DIY Video Marketing

A few years ago, the team at Stratton Craig were indulging their shopping habits. A quick trip to Cabot Circus (in Bristol) was more inspirational than we could have expected. The shopaholics stumbled across a massive wall that had been transformed into a fully playable keyboard.

This fun new toy, called ActionWall, asked any budding musicians to make a video of themselves playing a song. If they were brave enough to share it on social media, they’d be in with a chance of winning £25 to spend at one of Cabot Circus’s shops.

So, how effective was this pricey-sounding marketing stunt? According to NexusEngage, the company behind the idea, the wall recorded an average of 16,232 plays per day! That’s thousands of eyes, all engaged with whatever you’re trying to put out there, that were drawn in by a highly shareable activity.

If you want to grab a slice of this success for yourself, interactive video content doesn’t need to expensive. You could create a TikTok video that users can duet, spreading your message and a bit of fun content across social media. Or, if you’re looking for a wordier option (always our preference, of course), you could incorporate an audience comments section into your videos or podcasts to give people a chance to get more engaged with your content.

Podcasts

Podcasts have been steadily rising in popularity over the last few years, and around 15.6 million people in the UK consider themselves regular listeners. As a result, approximately 75% of media and advertising agencies are looking to increase their spending on producing content for podcasts. But what about the podcasts themselves? It turns out they offer another way to consume your video content.

An opportunity to carry on cooking, cleaning, and doing life admin is a likely appeal for tuning in to these downloadable episodes. The most common activity podcasts are chosen to accompany is driving. A podcast could continue to convey your message in a highly digestible format even when your audience can’t engage with a screen.

Podcasts are also much cheaper to produce than videos and can easily occupy space on your website’s blog page. If you can plan a series of insightful conversations on topics your audience care about and enlist presenters’ help to build an engaging rapport, you could be onto a winner. Just make sure you plan ahead with your content calendar to get a clear message across.

Linking pictures together

If you’re looking for something a little different to a simple video, still images can have just as much impact. We’re not talking about a PowerPoint presentation here; the most effective still image videos really pick up the pace to make sure they’re as impactful as moving pictures.

You could try stop motion, linking together lots of images on a common theme to present your message or show a transformation, like in the viral ‘one daily picture of myself for ten years’ videos. Whatever you opt for, make sure it has the power to engage and call your viewer to action in the same way as a traditional video.

Strike the right balance

Video marketing is a great way to hook your audience in, but moving pictures are best used sparingly for maximum effect. While most of us will happily watch a minute-long clip on Facebook before we switch off for sleep, it’s important your audience can also find the information they need quickly.

Clearly, signposted written content that’s been broken down into easily digestible sections is much easier to navigate. Our tip is to make sure you’ve got the important info written clearly and concisely so people can find out what they want to know before getting frustrated. The video fun can come later.

Our last, but arguably most important, tip? Get someone else to watch whatever you’ve created to give you honest feedback. You might worship your masterpiece, but you need your audience to. And with all content marketing, measuring is the key to long-term success.

If you need a helping hand getting your video marketing strategy or production sorted, we offer high-quality video and animation production services. Get in touch to see how we could help.