Adapting to the New Normal: Video Content Strategy after Covid-19
Justina Rude, Co-Founder of video production company Evamotion, provides tips on how brands can scale up their marketing efforts to create compelling, inspiring, and actionable videos.
The pandemic has had a major impact on the way we socialize, travel, communicate and even work. Brands need to be more and more strategic in the way they reach new customers while retaining existing ones. Video marketing across different platforms is one solution that can help brands reach their target audience online. The question is what type of videos should they create?
Businesses and marketers are turning to episodic content marketing to connect with consumers. Instead of creating an extensive copy of printed brochures, develop a series of videos to engage and appeal to even the most dismissive buyers. Cisco predicts that by 2022, video traffic will account for 82% of consumer internet traffic. As video content becomes more prevalent, so does the need to elevate it in a way that captivates consumers.
One of the biggest questions that a marketer asks is whether the content produced is engaging enough? Consumers continue to get inundated with content. To cut through this noise, brands need to establish a clear way to engage, support, share, and provide information digitally.
Create video content of value
When developing any video or video series, it is important to identify the problem and build on the solution. Creating content that speaks to the interests or challenges of viewers can lead to impressive results for brands.
Remember to captivate an audience with a storyline that resonates with them. Steer clear from any form of ad-driven content that promotes a brand, instead develop content of value that ultimately creates an emotional connection with the audience. This creates anticipation and usually encourages the viewer to return. This also helps marketers to reach an audience that is outside of its main customer reach, building a stronger community around its brand. Marketers should look at developing videos with binge-worthy content.
Develop episodes that connect with your audience
First and foremost, create a video that helps you connect with your audience at an emotional level. This type of content, often called brand affinity marketing, aims at creating memorable experiences that can help build the dream audience that not only knows but also cares about your brand. But why is that so important?
Statistics show that more than $666 billion was spent on advertising by businesses in 2019 alone. But, while more and more consumers may know your brand very well after a series of advertising campaigns, that doesn’t mean they necessarily care about it.
People are more likely to buy from businesses they like and whose culture and values they can connect with. And it doesn’t matter in which sector your brand operates in, be it- automotive, FMCG, beauty, or the fintech industry. There are always topics that are close to the heart of your potential customers, so the best strategy would be to define and build on them. Use professional support to integrate key messages across your brand’s video series.
A video series producer will first look into a brand’s vision and the organization’s overall objectives, challenges, and goals and will advise; what kind of video series could be produced to address those pain points, which platforms can be utilized, and how to analyze the metrics received. A successful series will help build trust with your consumers. At this level, it’s all about the quality and relatability of the interaction that will drive a viewer to keep coming back to the brand.
Track, measure, assess and re-create
Any form of marketing includes analytics to drive insights on engagement, traffic, lead generation, and ultimately a sale. These are usually great barometers for success. Video marketing when used effectively is a strong tool to help raise awareness around a brand. HubSpot found that 70% of businesses surveyed, reported video content as the best form to increase their internet conversion rate. This statistic itself should encourage brands to review their strategy to attract a ‘new’ customer.
No matter how big or small an organization is, if you have marketers that look outside the constraints of the current environment and identify new opportunities, then your brand will be able to transform fast and adapt to the new needs and market trends. Customized video experiences that can create a good story, simplify complexity, and drive results is the future of marketing.
Opinions in this piece belong to the author
