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Online video marketing isn’t new, but with consumers increasingly expecting to access it through a range of channels including social media, 2019 is currently being touted as the format’s biggest year yet. Belinda Smart plied experts in the field for tips on the best, and fastest, route to success.
The sudden popularity of online video undoubtedly presents a challenge to “late adopters”, but the good news is that video production is easier and more cost-effective than ever; a smartphone and some social media smarts may be the two most effective tools at businesses’ disposal.
According to digital media specialist James Cole* online video of all stripes, including pre-roll ads, (promotional video messages that play before the content the user has selected), is gaining in popularity as the weapon of choice for marketers. And, he confirms, there’s no limit to who can advertise or what kinds of products are worthy of the format; in fact, much of online video’s appeal is in its informal, non-fussy style. It’s all about relationship building.
“There are a number of business owners that believe that their industry is not suited for video, because the products they sell don’t feel glamorous enough or warrant the big budgets that some video production can carry,” he says. “However, especially online, many people are searching to buy products across all types of industries, and they need information to help them decide or buy a particular product. Even on the web, people buy from people, so there is no better way to build trust than through video. It does not need to be a high production, glossy piece of content; it simply needs to be informative, direct, and provide value for the viewer. The video needs to solve a problem for the customer, and tap into the emotion of that problem, because buying is all about emotion. So ensure when you are doing video you are tapping into that problem your customer is looking to solve.”
“YouTube pre roll ads are a great place to use this type of video content,” says Cole. “You can target people by interest, demographics, video types and so on. This allows you to tap into the types of people to consider to be perfect customers and share with them video, but more importantly, start building trust.”
I SEEK BLINDS
Building trust is ever more critical in the competitive retail community, where online video can really create customer engagement. This is especially the case where complex products or an element of DIY is a key aspect of the business. Melbourne based online store I Seek Blinds has grown something of a reputation for its video content, confirms Marketing Manager Kylie Bire. “Video is massive for us. It’s a really useful for our customers in terms of learning how to get the best out of our products.”
“Mike Gubby, who owns the business, is the ‘star’ of most of our videos and his online presence helps give us that identity and forge relationships with clients.”
For a B2C company such as I Seek Blinds, video content is a vital tool in relationship building with customers, she adds.
“Our offer is built around encouraging customers to DIY their window treatments. So the majority of our customers find our demo or ‘how to’ videos invaluable.”
She confirms I Seek Blinds is currently upgrading its video content with a view to reshooting key films and ensuring consistency across all content. A key element of the company’s re-think is to amplify all online video across appropriate social media platforms. It is also considering more ‘aspirational’ content, including fly-throughs of completed projects and case studies, in addition to the demo videos for which it is already well-known.
SOMFY
From the suppliers’ perspective, Somfy Marketing Executive Mary Maidiotis says the key benefit of video for the window furnishings industry is its ability to capture the functionality and movement of products.
“At Somfy, the core of what we do is provide motorisation and automation solutions for window coverings. This unique feature means video needs to be a major component of our overall marketing strategy, whether that be through YouTube, including pre-roll advertising, or through short-form consumption on social media.”
“A static image of a blind doesn’t get our message across, as it won’t show the movement of our product. In a showroom, there’s no better selling tool for motorisation than giving the customer the ability to see the product in action. It is no different online, and video makes it so easy to show off our products. Being able to show our audience a blind automatically raising or lowering, an awning extending at the touch of a button, or a simple voice command setting window coverings to a pre-set scenario, is extremely effective.”
“As a marketer, if video isn’t a major component of your marketing strategy, rather than just an afterthought, you’re behind your competitors,” she adds.
However, creating video is reassuringly simple; as easy as using a smartphone. “Some of our most effective and engaging videos are actually videos shot by our Somfy Expert retail network of the blinds going up and down at a job they’ve just installed. It does not need to be complicated; the customer just wants to see the magic of motorisation and be able to imagine it in their home.”
Maidiotis adds that online video’s easy-to-digest format has been dominating social media in recent years, with rising engagement rates and reach.
“The key to capturing attention in today’s digital world, where the average consumer has an attention span shorter than a goldfish, is powerful visual content. When it comes to video, audiences are 10 times more likely to engage, share and comment on video. Additionally, it’s easier to get our audience to watch a full video than it is to get them to read through an entire blog or other text-based content.”
Looking to the future, she says virtual reality together with interactive video will increasingly be used to secure engagement.
“Content can be tailored to the individual and this achieves the objective of personalisation to cut through the noise. In the nearer future, live video formats such as those on Facebook and Instagram will also grow and the high retention rates make it a format you can’t ignore. The bottom line is that video isn’t going anywhere. With high levels of engagement and conversions, it is a tool all marketers should be utilising as part of their strategy.”
BLINDWARE
Leonie Cranney, Marketing and Communications Manager at Blindware, comments:
“Video has transformed from a marketing tactic utilised in 2016 with little in the way of strategy, insight or analysis, coupled with high spend on production, to a core part of any strategic marketing plan in 2019. Video is no longer simply a way of broadcasting a message out to many, but a strategy-based marketing approach that sparks conversation, inspires action and is fully measurable.”
In terms of why video is so appealing, Cranney says video has the potential to grab scattered attention spans in a saturated online media sphere; it also enables brands to present their key messages in a more personal, relatable way versus a static image with text.
“Whatever the reason, consumers love video. In fact, they demand video as part of their media consumption. It’s about much more than entertainment; video can spike your conversion rate by over 80%, while 90% of customers also say videos help them making purchase decisions (depositphotos.com).”
Videos aren’t just useful in catching potential customer’s attention. “They can work hard for a marketer through every part of the sales funnel, from driving brand awareness to after-sales support and research,” she says. “Video can make a traditionally impersonal business like a bank seem positively likeable, while making highly technical products less daunting by demonstrating assembly and use step-bystep for those less tech-savvy consumers.”
“Window blind components can be a challenge to talk about in a way that makes sense to people who aren’t across the technical aspect of blind-making, and who simply want to give their own customers a blind that looks good, and keeps the heat and light out,” says Cranney. “Showing customers each component and telling a story of how a quality component drives overall performance, not only educates them about a topic that can be dauntingly technical, but can really visually showcase the quality of your products compared to those of your competitors.”
In terms of the best vehicle for showcasing video, Cranney says Instagram stories are a quick and easy way “to show your user base new products, get quick feedback, let them know about a sale, or troubleshoot common customer concerns, all without having to create digital assets to sit on your website or eDMs.”
“If you find you’re coming across the same questions again and again, pop some videos on your YouTube channel and link to your web page and email to customers as an accessible, quick and easy resource centre. This saves your customer service team time so they can focus on looking after your valuable long term customers, and saves the business money in fire-fighting the same customer service issues over and over, so you can focus on new business and product development.”
Cranney says time invested planning your content for optimal impact is time well spent. “In strategising, it’s worth asking yourself a few key questions:”
“Video is accessible, loved by consumers, and can be very inexpensive, Cranney concludes. “It can and should form part of a robust marketing strategy to deliver your key messages and product information to your customers in a way that really resonates. With a bit of planning and thought, it can bring your products, brand and staff to life in a way that static media just can’t.”
*James Cole is a digital marketing strategist and campaign manager who heads up WFA publisher Boston Publishing’s growing content marketing subsidiary Online Business Development Services (OBD Services).
