In the early years of video marketing, we were talking primarily about video advertisements distributed online. It was pretty straightforward—create an ad, much the same as you would for television, but distribute it across video ad networks as a “commercial” before (pre-roll) or during (interstitial or mid-roll) video content. Not a bad strategy, but consumer distaste for these video ads soon became apparent.
As the dawn of content marketing began, suddenly, there was a shift in perspective regarding video marketing as well. Now, we were no longer tied down to creating “advertisements” in video form—we could create and distribute useful content in a much richer and more engaging format. We can inform and entice consumers with tutorials, testimonials, entertainment and more via video.
So, now that we know video is so much more than creating a 30-second ad to run before relevant content on YouTube, what are some of the new, exciting ways video is being used for marketing in 2018?
Live Video
Consumers don’t need fancy, polished videos all the time. What they want is meaningful content, helpful information and a chance to feel engaged and valued by the brands they love. Live video—produced and distributed primarily through and on social media platforms such as Facebook offer an amazing opportunity to connect meaningfully with your current and potential customers.
Got an auto repair business? Do a quick live shoot of your staff changing oil—make it a simple tutorial. The bonus of doing it live is that your customers can ask questions and really help direct the content of your video. The possibilities are endless. The point though, is that it’s quick, simple, raw and extremely cost effective. Add to that the fact that your customers will spend 3X longer watching live video than pre-recorded video, and you’ve got a winning tool!
360-Degree Video
Bursting onto the scene (or at least making its presence more widely known) in 2017, 360-degree video does just what it promises—gives the consumer the ability to control their point of view while watching a video. While it may sound expensive and overwhelming to produce (hint: it doesn’t have to be, but we’ll talk about that next week in part 3 of this series), the benefits speak for themselves. Google recently did a comparison of 360-degree video versus standard view video and found that 360-degree video had a higher clickthrough rate, along with more shares and more subscribes. So clearly, this type of video content resonates with consumers.
The amazing thing about 360-degree video is that it can really immerse your customers into your world. Show off your backyard landscape design in more depth than with photos or standard video. Let users take a look around the inside of your B&B to get a feel for the ambiance. Think of 360-degree video taking the old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” to the nth degree.
We talked last week in part one of this series about the reasons video marketing is so effective. These reasons still hold true whether you’re using standard video, live video, 360-degree video or any other type of video marketing. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the players in the video space. Just make sure you’re playing the game. That said, in part three of our series next week, we’ll talk tools and tricks of the trade that can make video marketing—in any form—attainable for any business at any budget!
Stay tuned next week for part three in this video series: Tools and Tricks of the Video Marketing Trade.
