Online videos have become an important part of business marketing in 2013. The explosion of smartphones and tablets has made it easy for users to digest engaging video across a wide range of media. You don’t have to go very far in the fishing industry to see the impact of video on business. It feels like video is everywhere, and there’s a good reason for that.
In Flimp Media’s 2013 Video Marketing Study it found that a whopping 82% of respondents said that online video marketing has had a positive impact on their business. 60% of marketers feel that video in emails improves conversions.
But what kind of videos “work”?
I’m a firm believer in telling stories when creating content for your business. Your customer is the hero of the story. They are missing something that will make their life better. Insert you. You are the guide/expert that makes their life better. All the content you create should reaffirm this relationship. That’s a lofty goal, right? But if you want to get noticed, and convert customers, it should become your mantra.
What makes good video content?
1. Tell your story (duh)
This one is obvious but it’s important. Every day we get pounded by the GoPro, short, high-energy fishing videos. Don’t get me wrong… those are great, but they don’t do anything to let your customers know who you are. Two people who are doing a great job telling stories with their videos are Confluence Films and The Fly Collective. Both of these studios create videos that focus on the people and the story. They cut through the clutter of the grip and grin fishing video.
2. Give an insider perspective.
I recently watched a pretty fantastic video from Loon Outdoors. It’s appropriately called Loon Outdoors Behind The Scenes. It succeeds in both telling the story of Loon and pulling back the curtain on the company. Customers want to hear what drives you and your business. This content begins to build a personal relationship with your customers. It’s social media gold.
Now for some bad news.
You’re probably gonna mess this thing up. How many videos do you watch a day? One? How many do you share? How many do you see come across your timeline in Facebook? Dozens? There’s a lot of competition out there. If you really break it down you are competing with the likes of What Does the Fox Say. Your video will never get 200 million views. So don’t spend all your money on one video. Spread it around, test new ideas and concepts. Don’t be afraid to experiment. That’s the beauty of the web, it’s fleeting. If something bombs, it’s gone tomorrow. No one remembers it. You have the freedom to test ideas until you find something that sticks.
I’d be curious to hear if anyone is planning on using video more often in 2014. What strategies have you found to be successful?
