Why do you need a Social Video Marketing Plan right now ?
“Using video to connect with a prospect is so much more than a cold call. It humanizes the selling process”, correctly pointed out by –Jill Rowley.
No matter what you’re selling, generating brand awareness to produce significant leads is a priority. Hence anticipating the needs of an ideal customer and creating content to address those needs is the way to go. Every user before making a purchase wants to know more about the product, they want content that gives them sound advice in comparison to the one that simply sells the product. The type of content created by these marketers ranges from good ol’ articles to eye-catching and shareable infographics and finally to videos, each trying to get maximum viewer engagement.
As you can see, Video is single handedly the most important form of content marketing.
We sure have seen multiple videos growing up, and the idea of a video is not limited to just a broadcast of moving visual images. Videos leave an impression on the person viewing it. Your video will bring the audience you require to sell your product.
With the above statistics we know that videos perform best to engage future prospects but every content needs a distribution channel and with the emergence of social media it is getting easier to share your opinion with a platform that will support your idea. Believe it or not, 75.3% people make purchases due to social media.
What if you could combine the two most valuable assets of content marketing?
Video : maximum engagement
Social Media : maximum audience
Social Media + Video = Social Video
The reach of video was limited to one’s profile, however with the growth of channels on social media you can now share videos with the audience you own and the audience you want to attract. Sounds great, eh?
Social Video is designed to be seen and shared through multiple social networks, which will help increase your reach.
With a basic understanding of social video, it is also important to understand the difference between a social video and a viral video. Indeed the goal is to maximise your viewership, but there is no guarantee that it will lead you to the ultimate success. Sometimes your product will have only a limited target audience, and getting a 100% response from them is still a success. Virality only ensures awareness, targeting your consumer will generate leads/returns.
The idea of shareable video is very vague and so you ask yourself a question-
Whom are you making a video for?
To answer this, you need to decide ‘type’ of content for your target audience. We can define type of content based on user behaviour. Below are three types:
HERO CONTENT - Go big or Go Home. These videos strive to increase reach by spreading awareness. But again, for whom? Hero content aims to impact people who browse the web occassionally.
Videos with a story : You can have a video which creates a basic story around your product. These kind of videos cater to a push market. You push your content to spread awareness of your brand. A video with a story keeps your audience engaged and curious. Also, it is a more interesting way to show what you sell.
- Videos which have an emotional connection with its viewers : Such videos drive brand loyalty. Also it leads to more shares and responses on a social media platform.
- Livestreamed Events.
The reveal+launch of OnePlus 3, which flaunts the many extraordinary features of the phone, is one such example of Hero Content. It had an impressive turnout with over half a million views.
HUB CONTENT- Remind your audience on what you stand for. Hub content will help convert your visitors into leads. They generally have a low budget and cater to people who are looking for regular updates.
- Live videos : This version of videos, is relatively new in digital marketing, was initially used by Snapchat however now Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have also accepted this norm. Live videos propel conversation. It generates greater customer satisfaction. Live videos are designed for your prime prospects, so that they are more interested in your service. The instantaneity of live videos creates an urgency to view, which will in turn increase the viewership of your product.
- News, Opinion Polls and Campaigns
The marketing team of OnePlus 3 did not stop with a reveal video. Indeed it was viral, but was short-lived and hence they came up with a hub video. They listed out the very many features of the new phone in their hero video, with the coming hub video they proposed comparison videos with other phones to validate their propositions. You know it’s better when you can see it with your own eyes!
HELP CONTENT- You ask, we answer! Help videos are for people who are seeking for help. Help videos are to answer their query with relevant content.
- How-To videos : These videos are to help your existing subscribers. This caters to pull market. Your viewers will search for your video. These videos could have tutorials, product information, instruction manuals and customer service videos. This is targeted to your core customers.
OnePlus 3 finally came up with multiple help-centric videos- “How to: Claim and invite”, “OnePlus 3 unboxing” etc. They released “How to” videos to help users understand the features of their new phone. OnePlus 3 harnessed the full potential of the 3Hs. They created a user-friendly environment and gained enormous popularity with the correct placement of content.
Now let’s understand — Why investing in social videos is a wise decision ?
- Over 8 billion videos or 100 million hours of videos are watched on Facebook every day, 10 billion videos are watched on Snapchat every day and Video views on Twitter grew 220X from December 2014 to December 2015. More than 500 million hours of videos are watched on YouTube every day. All these statistics point out to a single idea, the growth of video marketing. It is extensive, and yet expanding.
- Television advertisements were prevalent for the longest time, however most of the 18–33 year olds have shifted to mobile phones and desktops, hence advertisements need to go online too. Social videos cater to the future prospects of the world. Social Media marketing is the new evolved age of marketing.
- Once established, social videos generate an awareness among the viewers. Sharing and re-sharing, increasing amount of likes and subscription will scale popularity
If lead generation is your final goal, social videos are your cheerleaders.
- Teaser Videos create a sense of mystery for the viewer. To read more about the product he/she will eventually land on your site. Product videos will show the features of your commodity in a simple, easy manner keeping the viewer engaged. It’s easier to make a person see something, than read the same piece of data. Regular release of videos keep the viewer updated and well aware of your page/channel.
Buzzfeed Food uses clever text overlays on speedy recipe videos, perfectly tailored for News Feed browsing. On a side note, such videos are more impactful than a written recipe to follow.
- Since videos on social platforms have a huge audience it is easier to acquire customers. Today a growing population is present on most social platforms, hence it is easier to locate the social platform that caters to your target customers.
Starbucks came up with “#redcups”, a holiday social media campaign, which was initiated on Instagram and Twitter only. This campaign did 2 things, 1. Generated a buzz on social media 2. Allowed the audience to feel a connection to the brand.
- Posting videos on social platforms regularly will lead to customers revisiting your sites. Moreover the live feature of certain platforms helps build a one-to-one connection with the viewer. Furthermore, FAQs on live stream lead to a satisfied customer. This will turn your customer to your promoter. Remember it costs roughly 5 times more to attract new customers than it does to keep your current customers. That’s why it’s important to leverage your social media accounts to keep your customers happy.
- Let’s take the example of a real estate marketer. With a little work, he can use a video of the splendid view of a beach sunset from one of his waterfront listings to engage all his potential viewers. Minimalistic effort but with an outstanding result. A Live walk-through of the property is another way you can use videos to sell your product with a live Q&A session to answer any questions from interested viewers. Social video campaigns lead to a comprehensive understanding of the product.
- To make the viewer familiar with the representatives behind the computer, you can incorporate live behind-the-scene videos or bloopers to show company culture. This again requires very little effort but will attract viewers
I believe I have painted a good picture to understand the importance of Social Video Marketing. Although video advertising on multiple platforms might seem like a complicated process, the next few blogs will guide you through it.
Do you want to step into the world of Social Video Marketing? Share your views. Would love to help.
If you like what I shared with you, If it seems to make an impact in your life. Please do tap the ❤ button below — as a writer it means the world. Want to discuss more, reach out at priyanshi@pixelgenie.co
