Content marketing has undergone a “legen- wait for it- dary” change in the recent years. Newer trends are emerging left, right and centre, replacing the conventional marketing strategies which involved word of mouth, advertorials, and sales pitches. Amongst the many marketing trends that have turned up, there’s one that we simply cannot resist *cue Cadbury ad music* — VIDEO MARKETING!
Video marketing has taken over the space of content marketing at the pace of lightning. And why wouldn’t it? There’s no one in this whole wide world who doesn’t love watching (read binge-watching) videos.
According to the survey by Animoto in 2018, about 93% of companies surveyed claimed to have created a new dedicated customer base, thanks to the video content they have put out on social media. Companies have started investing their money in video content creation. The competition is cut-throat as everyone is attempting to come up with unique videos that can hold the audience’s attention for a long time. This has led to the emergence of several types of content in the sphere of video marketing. Let’s look at some of the interesting ones.
1. Vlogs
Most brands limit their conversation to an introductory video. These brand introduction videos surely look great to begin with but lose their appeal after a point of time. Creating fresh content from scratch may soon seem difficult. That’s where you can build brand awareness by creating vlogs. These vlogs look more authentic and candid which can turn in favour of the brand. Several YouTubers, influencers, and athletes have made vlogging their forte which the brands can harness. Case in point, Redbull’s athlete vlogs.
2. Company culture videos
Nowadays, brands have started to rely heavily on behind the scene (BTS) videos of their company culture. This offers a sneak peek into what goes around in the company and sets the brand apart from its competitors. These videos are generally directed towards establishing a personal connection with the target audience, and giving them insights about the team and the workplace.
3. Animated videos
Animated videos are considered to be a fun way of promoting content online. These videos are budget-friendly and work well on the landing page of a particular brand. Such videos also help engage the audience and are effective in communicating the right message. Check out the amazing animated campaign by Gulf Oil featuring MS Dhoni that emphasizes on having a positive approach while living in the new normal.
4. Live videos
People around the world have started shying away from live TV but that’s not the case online. Live streams have gained prominence, especially during the pandemic, when the entire world was restricted to their respective homes. Brands have also ventured into this space to make key announcements about their latest projects and to gain the required traction.
Keeping up with their age-old tradition, Apple launched their new devices through a live stream on YouTube. This October special launch event has over 55 million views and counting. Mind blowing, right?
Apart from the above examples, videos can be generally used to build engagement around your content. Hence, before putting out any message, understand which type of content format would be the most engaging for your audience, considering the demographic.
Why are brands investing in video content marketing?
Videos have become the most preferred source of marketing for anyone looking at building their brand awareness using a conversational and interactive approach. These days, direct sales pitches are frowned upon but are appreciated when served in a video format. Here’s why it works-
1. V for Visual
Visual ads are bound to have a higher retention value than others. They are short, and easy to remember and slogans and jingles make them more effective. Video content is an experience for a person – visual, auditory and emotional, which helps the brands get ‘stuck’ in the audience’s head and influence buying decisions. Can’t stop watching a particular ad on TV? Now you know exactly why!
2. V for Versatile
Videos are said to be the most versatile content formats that offer instant engagement. Given its easy access, videos are more likely to get shared across platforms. They are crisp and entertaining, and can be used to convey both detailed and short messages.
3. V for Virtual
Virtual storytelling is possible through video content marketing. Stories are weaved in the form of videos that connect the brand to their audience. Marketers can leverage this medium of storytelling to build long lasting relationships with their potential customers and deliver to their needs. Watch this beautiful Diwali campaign, #YeDiwaliDilWali from HP India that made us cry a river.
As video content marketing takes shape, artificial intelligence (AI) has also come into picture. AI tools are used extensively to increase the efficiency of video content marketing. Understanding the user base and developing videos based on their interest becomes possible with these AI tools. Brands get insights about customer engagement and experience which prevents them from investing their time in making irrelevant videos. Thus, AI also helps in improving personalisation.
And, that’s not all that video content marketing brings to the table for brands. There’s so much more that video content marketing has got in store! To quote the ‘Godfather’, video content offers something that we simply cannot do away with.
Video content checks all boxes — it's attractive, informative, retainable, and even helps with brand recall. In simple words, brands can benefit the most by adding videos in their content mix.