VIDEO MARKETING: 


DEFINITION

Video marketing refers to all those advertising measures in which video is used to convey an advertising or PR message. This can be a single spot for a new product or an elaborate image production that tells a brand story. In contrast to classic TV commercials, the distribution channel for modern video marketing is primarily the Internet. There you have numerous options for placing your video: on social platforms such as Instagram or YouTube, on your own website or even as an advertisement on other websites. You can also target your video in email marketing. But trade fairs and specialist meetings also offer perfect opportunities to profile yourself and your brand with an exciting video. As with other forms of advertising, the goal of video marketing is to convince people of a company, product, institution, etc. and thereby win fans, community members and/or customers. Even more than with many other advertising measures, this happens in video marketing on an emotional level through storytelling. Information about a product or concept is placed in a fictional or semi-fictional context. This means that the product, the company or the service that the film is about are integrated into a story in an entertaining way. Characters and places ensure excitement, viewer identification and the lasting anchoring of information. This means that video marketing is far ahead of other forms of advertising such as text in terms of viewer impact.

WHAT TYPES OF VIDEO MARKETING ARE THERE?

Basically, modern promotional videos are divided into two forms of production:

• Live-action films: These are films with "real people", often actors or representatives of a company or its customers. Live-action films are shot in real life. So you need a camera team, equipment and locations. Nowadays, however, there are also some less complex and cheaper options, such as low-budget productions on YouTube and Co. show.

• Animated films: Animated films do not require a camera crew or permission to shoot. These films are developed entirely on the computer. Depending on the budget and quality, either standard programs such as Vyond or unique drawings paired with specialized animation software are used. The range of marketing videos with animations is wide. You have a wide range of styles and price ranges to choose from. Basically, the more you invest, the more opportunities you have to tailor your animation video to your company's style and purpose.

Furthermore, promotional videos can be defined according to their purpose. If you primarily want to strengthen trust in your company, other films are used than if you want to sell a product in a targeted manner. This means that your video marketing should be based on the point in the purchase decision at which you want to pick up your potential customers. The most common formats are:

• Image films: These are mostly live-action films that present a company, its employees and its history in an appealing way. The goal here is above all to build credibility in a specialist area and to get people enthusiastic about a brand in the long term.





WHY IS VIDEO MARKETING SO SUCCESSFUL?

The American Michael Dubin showed the way: in four years and with the help of a single low-budget video, he managed to turn his one-man business into an empire worth billions. His recipe: credibility and originality. He also took advantage of a key advantage of the Internet - the domino effect. Social media nowadays makes it possible to share, like and promote content in a matter of seconds. And that for €0.00, because fans of your video do not share it because you pay them for it, but because you have convinced them with your content. And that's what video marketing is all about. If you convince one, you already have many on your side.

 




Other advantages that make video marketing so successful are:

 

Videos have a lasting effect. It has been proven that content consumed via video is remembered 60,000 times better than via text.

Videos improve your Google ranking. Google loves dwell time. And you increase this by letting visitors watch a video on your site. A study even proved that a video can increase the time spent on a page by 100%. This will optimize your ranking and give you a decisive SEO advantage over your competitors.

Videos improve the conversion rate. This has also been proven: people who have watched a video about a product or service close the purchase almost twice as often as people who have not watched a video.

Videos are user friendly. Surveys have shown that Internet-savvy people would rather watch a video than read a text. This applies not only, but above all, to mobile media with small screens that make reading difficult.

people love stories. And if you deliver this to them in an entertaining video, you will secure their interest far more quickly than with a boring product text.

Videos are shared. Let's face it - no one shares an ad copy. No matter how well written it is. What people share is content that moves them emotionally. A well-crafted marketing video can do just that.

Videos enable subtle content marketing. Really good marketing videos are often not initially recognized as advertising. The story is in the foreground, only to reveal the face behind it later, i.e. the brand. This has the phenomenal effect that people first become attached to the story in the video, only to then perhaps discover with great surprise who is actually behind it. It's worth its weight in gold for your brand awareness. Amazon demonstrates it in numerous videos.

Videos outshine the competition. Perhaps you have numerous competitors. Perhaps your industry is filled to the brim with quality offerings. That's when video marketing can help you stand out from the crowd. But what if everyone else has already recognized that? Then it's high time you got started. Only better, more original and more effective than all others. This works best when you have experienced professionals by your side.

Videos can be used for specific target groups. Videos are the most popular formats on social media. That means you can use them on Facebook and Co. in such a way that they reach exactly the people who are interested in your offer. This saves you wasted marketing budget and results in quick success.





WHAT FORMAT FOR VIDEO MARKETING? REAL FILM VS. ANIMATION FILM

You just can't decide whether you want live action or animation for your video marketing? Understandable, after all, both have their advantages and disadvantages. Nevertheless, there are a few pointers that can help in making a decision.

 

ADVANTAGES OF LIVE FILMS IN VIDEO MARKETING:

High-gloss productions: Live-action films can appear extremely high-quality if they are professionally produced. This is extremely important for professional image films.

Real-life films with good actors or convincing real people can have a strong emotional effect on the viewer if they are well staged.

DISADVANTAGES OF LIVE FILMS IN VIDEO MARKETING:

Cost: Live action films are often more expensive than animated films.

Lack of flexibility: Once rotated, not much can be changed about them.

Half-Life: This makes them easy to go out of style.

Restricted Audience: Real cast and locations may not appeal to all people. Therefore, you have to decide on a target group early on.

Production time: Live-action films are complex and therefore take a long time to produce.


LIVE FILMS ARE SUITABLE FOR YOU IF...

You want to market a high-priced product.

You want to shoot a high-quality image film about your company.

You aim to appeal to your audience as emotionally as possible.

You want to explain or demonstrate your product or service to potential customers in a simple tutorial.

You are planning a timeless video that does not need constant adjustments.


ADVANTAGES OF ANIMATION FILMS:

Flexibility: Animated films can always be slightly modified, even long after they have been completed.

Contemporary: This also means that they always remain contemporary. While live-action films quickly fall out of fashion, animated films can be adapted to current fashions with just a few changes. This saves them time and again new complex video productions - and a chunk of money.

Costs: Animated films generally cost far less than live-action films. After all, they don't need actors, camera women or catering for a huge crew.

Universality: Animated films can easily be arranged to suit any audience, culture and age group. With live-action films, you have to be more specific when choosing the actors.

Diversity: In terms of media, you also have more variety with animated films than with real films. Text overlays, 3D effects and Co. seem slightly out of place in live action or are not possible at all. With animated video clips, you can let off steam in the media - which is particularly advantageous for explanatory films.

Production time: If you need your marketing video urgently, animation is probably the right choice. Live-action films, with their numerous stages of creation, simply take much longer to produce.

DISADVANTAGES OF ANIMATION FILMS:

Emotions: When it comes to emotionally appealing to viewers, live-action films are way ahead. After all, real actors “capture” us emotionally faster than animated characters.

Restricted format: Animated films are great for some video marketing formats, but not at all for others. A purely animated image film would miss its goal by not actually showing the company in question.

ANIMATED FILMS ARE SUITABLE FOR YOU IF...

You want to market a low or medium priced product.

You want to explain a complex product, an abstract fact or a service innovation in a compact way.

You have a limited budget for your marketing video.

You want to draw the attention of interested parties to your innovation.

You need a quick result.

You have the technical know-how to create your film on the computer. Or: You hire a professional agency to create your film.

You want to make slight adjustments to your video from time to time to keep it up-to-date.

10 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU START VIDEO MARKETING

Don't wait until your competitors have snatched all your customers from under your nose. Develop your own original, unique and effective video marketing strategy now! You should definitely ask yourself the following questions beforehand:

 

What do I want to achieve with my video marketing (conversions, attention, brand loyalty)?

What budget am I willing to invest?

What success do I expect from my video marketing and how can I check this?

What type of video is right for me and my goal?

Who is my target group?

Through which channels do I want to distribute my video?

Do I have the technical know-how and resources to implement my video myself or do I entrust my project to experts?

What style and tone suits my brand?

What problem am I addressing in my video and how can I offer my potential customers a solution?

Do I want to tell a story in my video and if so, which one?

Answering all these questions constructively for yourself can take some time and a lot of work. But it's worth it! Keep reminding yourself of all the benefits that a well-produced marketing video can have on your conversion rate and, in turn, your sales. Would you like support in your development process? Then we look forward to your message. Let us find out in a non-binding consultation what your path to the best possible video marketing can look like.