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TV is dying: Why video marketing belongs in your business
When we wake up in the morning, it is commonplace to reach for your phone and start trawling social media to “wake up”.
When you get home at night, you probably switch on the TV and pick up your phone or tablet and, at the same time, start watching a couple of videos; one on politics and what Trump did this time; one on a monkey answering a telephone and one on ‘how-to’ take amazing photographs of places you’ll never visit with cameras you’ll never buy.
Influencer marketing agency, Mediakix believes we spend on average per day:
- 40 minutes on YouTube
- 35 minutes on Facebook
- 25 minutes on Snapchat
- 15 minutes on Instagram
- 1 minute on Twitter
This is great news for you.
Why?
Because for you to create a TV advert or TV show (and pay to flight it), you’d need to spend millions of Rands. Plus, you’d have no way of really tracking who has watched it, and whether it was watched at high speed as they fast forwarded through your expensive advert to get to the next episode of The Walking Dead.
TV is dying.
Why?
Because it’s too slow! It expects you to wait one whole week between episodes, and up to seven months or longer for a new series. But YouTube gives me a daily fix from my favourite vloggers. That’s a daily fix of hype, content, personality, entertainment and hopefully some education thrown into the mix.
A while ago I wrote an article called Why Are SA Businesses Ignoring YouTube, and a few years later, the situation hasn’t changed. Animoto recently asked over 500 marketers their thoughts on video content marketing, how frequently they do it and how it is helping their business.
Of the companies that have created at least two videos in the last year, 47% are publishing four or more marketing videos in an average month and 27% report creating more than six.
Video trumps written content, every time. Remember, people don’t read!
YouTube is the new TV, and savvy marketers have realised that video is the way to their customer’s hearts. In Mary Meeker’s 2017 Internet Trends Report, she predicted that internet ad spend will surpass TV spend in the next six months.
In HubSpot’s article about developing your 2017 marketing strategy, they predict that 80% of all web traffic will be video by 2019. This is seen in the results from Animoto’s report which showed that 92% of marketers say they repurpose existing content and assets in order to create videos.
Why is video critical for business?
- People don’t read
Nobody reads these days. I’m amazed you’ve read this far. 59% of executives would rather watch a video than read an article.
– - Video is believable
The best videos are the ones that don’t ‘sell’. They educate and inform.The Animoto report also asked 1,000 consumers on their view of video content marketing and revealed that 64% of consumers believe that watching a marketing video on Facebook had influenced a purchasing decision in the last month.
– - Video increases sales
Professional marketers and small and medium sized business owners have clearly seen the benefit of video marketing and 5% of them believe it has had a direct impact on their business growth.Conversion rates (sales) increase by 80% when you include a video on a landing page.
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50% of executives look for more information after seeing a product or service in a video.
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- Video is super cheap
Do you have a cell phone? Then you can record video. Want better audio? Plug in your earphones when speaking.These days raw and real is more believable and appreciated than slick and overproduced. People want authentic.
– - Video is quick to do
There should be no barriers between you and your audience. Have a thought? Instagram video it. Hosting an event? Live Facebook Video it. Want to record an educational video blog? Pick up your phone.Let companies like Shift ONE create an opening and closing video for your vlogs / blogs and do some basic editing for you for a small fee, if needed. Or use a myriad of free editing software out there, including what comes free with every Mac.
– - Video allows you to repurpose your existing content
This could be as simple as taking an article that covers a complex or emotive subject and have a speaker talk to the audience instead of making the user read the full article.Have a look at what we do. I’ll write a blog like this one, then get my team to hold the phone while I summarise it quickly. Simple. Done.
– - Video helps create thought leaders
We use video to turn CEOs and MDs into digital thought leaders, by creating a ‘TV show’ for them using YouTube, and building an audience of followers who love their content. You can do the same.Check out what we’re doing for my brand, Dylan Kohlstädt, using YouTube. If you want Google to be your CV, and if you want to create your own TV show, then YouTube is the way to go.
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How to do it
Give your followers their daily fix
So, how often should we target users with our video content? Of the 1,000 consumers reported, 600 say they watch branded videos on Facebook every day without fail.
Of the professional marketers and small and medium businesses assessed, 48% create four or more videos every month, 27% create six or more videos per month and, as mentioned, 92% repurpose and make videos with assets they already have. I.e. articles, campaigns or a collection of videos merged into one insightful video.
We have clients who we record on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, with film crews following them around, to create the type of content that their followers need, and the frequency they desire.
If daily is too much for you, we film all the content in one day, then disperse it over a week. It depends on what your goals are.
Just remember, once you start, you can’t stop. Consistency is key.
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How long should they be?
Short is good. Nearly two-thirds of consumers prefer videos under 60 seconds.
You can post the odd 10 minute video, but it has to be great for people to keep watching that long.
Post at the right time
When should you post in order to reach the widest of audience?
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According to the Animoto report:
- 33% access social media in their lunch hour
- 43% access social media in the afternoon
- 56% access social media in the evening
- 38% access social media before bed
- 16% access social media in the middle of night
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How to start implementing video marketing in your company
For small businesses, video is an inexpensive way to level the playing field in terms of answering customer FAQs, demonstrating products in action and featuring video testimonials.
When it comes to creating your own video content, remember that it is only as expensive as you make it.
- First decide what you would like to achieve with the content, whether it be brand or product awareness, engagement (likes, comments, shares), or action (they buy the product). Make sure your ‘win’ is clear.
– - Get a professionally designed opening and closing video clip.
– - Shoot your video content, and have some basic editing applied if needed.
– - Include video content on your landing pages, articles on your website, etc.
– - Burst out your video and video-rich blogs to your social media channels to increase exposure to your content.
– - Rinse and repeat at least once a month for maximum effect.
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How to use video to become a Social Media Mogul
This is what video and social media was created for. Give us a shout and we’ll help turn you into a social media mogul with a following worthy of a king.
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About Dylan Kohlstädt
Dylan Kohlstädt is the Founder and CEO of Shift ONE, a creative integrated marketing agency, and the recently launched Digital Marketing Academy. She has also recently launched her YouTube channel #AskDK, targetting entrepreneurs and digital marketers.
Dylan is an online marketing specialist who is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and start-ups succeed. She has 20 years marketing management experience in insurance, financial and property industries, and in online marketing involving web, mobile, SEO, CRM and Social Marketing and is considered a subject matter expert on all things digital.
She has extensive local and international experience (South Africa, UK and Australia), has managed global and national brands and is experienced in managing multiple product ranges in multiple languages and countries. Dylan also has an MBA through UNISA SBL.
You can reach Dylan at:
Cell: +27 741 39 5265
Email: Dylan@dylankohlstadt.com
Twitter: @dylankohlstadt
Web: www.dylankohlstadt.com
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