In a digital landscape where dynamic and rich media are quickly becoming not only the norm, but an expected luxury amongst consumers, YouTube reigns supreme as a delivery vehicle for such content. Nothing draws in and engages a user quite like a good video. Like Television before it, online video is a way to convey a message in a dynamic way and offers many different variations on how that message can be delivered. It is not only for these inherent qualities that people tend to prefer video as a message platform, but also because video is no longer just within the domain of large content producers.
Due to technology advancements and networks like YouTube and Vimeo, video is being produced at a massive scale from almost everyone. Some of the most subscribed to and watched channels on YouTube are those of individual “YouTube Celebrities” who more often than not are just lone bloggers producing their content on simple home equipment. With access to this medium so easily available, it is no wonder that consumers have come to expect brands to be able to produce video quality at least at the same scale as bloggers and they appreciate the brands that offer them good content in a medium they enjoy.
The challenge of video is a difficult one for brands to tackle because many brands still view it along the same lines as television, complete with full production requirements. While brands are expected to and should be capable of producing higher quality content, it is not always required that said content be a full production. Many brands can benefit greatly from lower end production that highlights quality content and focuses on delivering a worthwhile message above a high end production value. Like any other effort, the key component is making sure what is being done is delivering a value to who it is intended for. When brands accept this, they can begin to understand that entering the world of online video marketing is not quite the challenge it initially seems. Brands can develop a variety of different video types that offer value such as product demo videos, corporate culture videos, tutorials, brand advocate campaigns, and even simple humorous videos that show the lighter side of the business. People and customers like to connect with brands on a level other than business and video is a great way to do this. When developing your video, it is important to remember the “five second hook” rule, whereby you have five seconds at the beginning of the video to capture the interest of your viewer before they decide to continue watching or not. While production value doesn’t have to be at a high level, the content does, this is the art of the process. Videos can be done with full production plans, loose production plans, and even simple handheld and cell phone devices. As long as it serves a purpose and has good content it is worth doing.
Now if a brand does decide to commit to leveraging online video for its marketing and branding efforts, there are many things it can take advantage of. Beyond developing a simple YouTube channel and uploading videos, there are several ad services that can drive exposure for the content being produced and ads can even be run against other people’s videos with relevant content. Like Google AdWords, YouTube has a powerful ad engine capable of robust targeting and detailed optimization to deliver campaign efficiency. YouTube is considered the second largest search engine based on activity and therefore holds a large repository of activity that brands can take advantage of. The best format for doing so is to be involved in the platform with your own content, but even in the absence of that, the network still has plenty to offer. Unlike Television, online video offers a wide array of measurement tools that allow marketers to truly measure the impact and return on their campaigns. Instead of guessing the reach of the campaign, online video provides measurement into views, view duration, frequency, reach, clicks, traffic generation, and much more, making it a n extremely valuable tool in the marketers repertoire.
YouTube Advertising Options
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TrueView Video – advertisers pay only when viewers choose to watch their video. This is a great way to increase exposure for content on your channel. There are several variations to this ad including:
- In-Stream – where the ad is displayed before or after another video.
- In-Slate – where viewers can choose to view the video instead of commercials.
- In-Search – where the ad appears within search results.
- In-Display – where the ad appears alongside other videos.
- Google AdWords YouTube Video Targeting – this option allows advertisers who do not have a channel or video content to offer, to deliver their ad message utilizing relevant content that already exists on YouTube and utilizing targeting criteria to ensure the ad reaches the proper target audience.
Online Video Production Tips
- Do not only focus on large production material, simple video content can be just as useful and impactful if done properly.
- Look for internal resources who may be capable and even excited to help develop video content, often employees and even customers are willing to participate and their content can often be the most valuable.
- When good content is produced, look for ways to increase the exposure of it through promotions and advertising, content is no good if it isn’t seen.
- If you are going to start doing online video, plan for it to be an ongoing effort, you don’t want to cultivate an engaged audience only to lose it because you do not have fresh content to offer.
- Do not be intimidated by the idea of video, embrace it for the opportunity it represents.
At the end of the day the web is making significant shifts, many of which are focusing on better content such as photos and videos. Consumers are being spoiled with content and it is up to the brands that want their attention to keep pace and begin to offer the content that their customers crave. The appetite for dynamic content is only going to increase and brands that accept this and embrace it by identifying resources and solutions to help them enter the world of content and video production will greatly benefit from the connections and brand image these tools are able to facilitate.
Kelly Maguire brings strategic insights and leading edge thinking to maximize impact of Aviatech’s digital efforts. Possessing a strong passion for all things digital and a true belief in the ever evolving beast that is the web, Kelly understands the difficulty but importance of staying ahead of the curve in the digital space. Since joining Aviatech in 2010, Kelly has played a leading role in adding new services and core competencies to the agency repertoire including the development of award winning advergames and sweepstake initiatives, digital PR, and leading paid social advertising. Kelly has been an advocate for new technologies and initiatives that have helped to bring Aviatech to the forefront of San Diego ad agencies. Kelly has also served as a thought leader and agency advocate for the company.on
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