Competition is fierce. Every industry is seeing major disruption from technology allowing smaller and newer companies compete at the same level as the giants of the industry. And with all this noise, it can be difficult for any brand to stand out on search engines. This is why SEO is becoming more and more vital in both identifying new customers and holding onto old ones. One of the most effective methods for successfully conquering the SEO battle is publishing high-quality content, such as video.
Why video?
With customers becoming more and more difficult to reach, brands understand that they must put everything they have into finding and retaining consumers. It is because of this that so many brands lead the way with new and different forms of digital marketing activity, social media campaigns, and brand promotion. Video is one of these unique forms that is beginning to intrigue brand marketers. And for good reason: Everyone loves videos.
Proof of this can be seen in the YouTube Statistics page that found that within three years of its launch, YouTube was one of the top ten most visited websites in the world. The site has now only risen in this top ten rankings, with more than a billion users visiting YouTube each month in recent years. And, when it comes down to it, every YouTube visitor is a consumer. With such astoundingly high numbers, it is obvious that companies of every size and age need to create their own YouTube channels to post high-quality production videos to.
When it comes to brands using social media, such as YouTube, to share marketing videos, there are clear benefits that have been pointed out by researchers like Kim and Ko in their Journal of Business Research article. The effectiveness of word-of-mouth marketing can not be underestimated. It has worked for as long as businesses have been selling products or services to customers. Consumers trust their friends and family.
Additionally, when it comes to circles of friends, they are normally in similar income brackets, meaning they buy from similar brands. This then is the best way to find new customers. For example, if a loyal customer of a luxury brand shares a video from that brand with their friends, their friends are more likely to watch it and take it to heart than if it was forced on them while watching television. Alternatively, if the friends did not watch television and were not actively looking for new potential brands to buy from they could have never seen it. The ability to share makes brands and their messages infinitely more powerful. Chanel felt this power when they partnered with Giselle Bundchen for a marketing video. Because of sharing on social media, the video was viewed over 4 million times in two weeks.
And then there is the benefit of opening up communication. Today, consumers want to be able to easily communicate with the brands that they use. They want to be able to reach them with the method they prefer, at any time of day, and from any location. Because of this, companies have begun to use platforms to post videos that allow consumers to connect with them. They are sharing information with customers and, through the comment section, they are allowing customers to give feedback directly to them. This is exactly what a YouTube channel offers. Additionally, it allows brands to better understand how consumers feel about a specific product or service, as well as the brand as a whole and the image it is portraying.
The brands that are getting video right
There is no recipe that provides the ingredients for the perfect brand video. However, there are larger concepts that mesh nicely with the idea of what consumers are looking for in the businesses that they buy from. Several brands are honing in on these concepts and having success with their exploration:
Yves Spinelli: The well-known jeweler decided it was time to let customers into the inner circle. In an effort to make consumers feel included, Spinelli released a video that took viewers through his entire process, from ideation and what the rings symbolize to exactly how they are made. But not only does this allow viewers to understand Spinelli and his jewelry, it also makes each individual piece a little more special.
Burberry: This men’s, women’s, and children’s luxury brand is arguably the top digital marketer when it comes to luxury goods. They were among the first to embrace digital options and social media, and they did it right. They share videos of their newest collections before they hit the runway. They have an annual Christmas video that pulls in millions of views each year. In fact, in 2014, their annual Christmas video was ranked number four on the most-watched brand videos list. And the lesson that can be learned from this video champion is consistency. They are on every social platform and they put up quality content that people want to see, allowing consumers to feel like they are truly getting the first look at everything.
Prada: In 2016, a few brands realized that Hollywood could be expanded. They hired well-known actors and directors to create short films that showcased their products. Prada got the likes of John Krasinski and Allison Williams to be directed by David O. Russell in a classy, black and white film that showcased their products. Not only were the videos beautifully and thoughtfully crafted, but they also helped Prada get across the idea that their products are unequivocally special.
Video is an excellent way for any brand to showcase their products and services, as well as communicate with consumers. For brands in every industry and of every size, it is more than simply a method of marketing. It is an essential strategy for retaining current customers and identifying new ones. The key to getting this strategy right, however, is ensuring that the videos are of high quality, are consistently released, and share something interesting with consumers. For more information about digital marketing strategies and content creation, please contact us.
