Guest Blogger: Josh Short – editvideofaster.com
Media consumption is changing in front of our eyes and if you don’t keep up you could find yourself on the outside looking in when it comes to marketing your business. The media of tomorrow revolves around the consumer relating to the company. People no longer answer the phone when it’s a number they don’t know. People don’t talk to strangers at bars because, hey, there are dozens of popular apps for meeting people. People aren’t watching TV or reading the newspaper. Everything they consume and everyone they connect with are on a screen in front of them – their computer screen and their smartphone screen.
The best way to connect with your base is through those screens and specifically by using online video.
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Longstanding social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, are adapting to video. Facebook changed its algorithm so posts with videos appear in feeds more often than posts without video. And you can even make your profile picture a video. Both Facebook and Twitter now auto play videos with the sound muted by default. In addition, less than two years ago Instagram added video capability. Newer social media platforms and apps such as Snapchat, Vine, Periscope and Beme are growing at rapid rates and each is focused around video, or video is a large component of it. Video also pushes you to the top of searches – SEO nirvana!
The bottom line is video is hot and it’s here to stay.
WHY VIDEO? EASY CONSUMPTION
In today’s world, instant gratification is crucial. The easier it is to consume, the better. People want easy and they want immediate results. Most people do not want to read a 1,000-word article when they could watch a 2-minute video. Wait, is anyone reading this then??
Obviously there is still a place for written text but let’s be real. If there were a video explaining this article with some cool graphics and fun music, wouldn’t you rather see that? Just trying to make a point…
ALL THE FEELS
Video is the quickest way to hit someone “right in the feels”. Video makes you or your business real and you can connect with them on a level that words can’t. Being able to see and hear a person makes the viewer able to empathize and relate to them. It is the best way to get your business’ mission understood and shared.
SET YOURSELF APART
Let’s play a game. Company A and Company B deliver a similar service to the same market in the same geological region. Company A’s online presence is static. They have a website explaining their goals along with some team pictures and a calendar of events with some brief descriptions of them.
Company B has a 90-second explainer video at the top of their homepage along with video bios of all their employees, promo videos of upcoming events and videos highlighting past events scattered throughout their site and shared on various social media platforms.
When a prospective client goes through each company’s website, who do you think they’re going to choose?
Exactly. Company B.
GETTING STARTED
It’s possible to create a video relatively quick and cheap. With a smartphone, a $10 tripod, and $15 microphone you can get the job done. However, your videos won’t be the best looking and risk appearing amateur, but it’s a start. You can publish them directly to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter and begin engaging better with your client base.
Once you add video to your communications, you’ll likely look to improve the quality and creativity of your pieces. And your customers will come to expect that improvement as well. And when that time comes you’ll more than likely want to seek professional help. That’s where we come in – but more on that in another post though!
YOUR BUSINESS’ ONLINE VIDEO PRESENCE
Is your business using online video yet? If so, how and what successes are you seeing as a result of it? Is there something about your online videos that you’d like to improve? We’d love to know and help you!
