This article will self-destruct in ten seconds. Well, okay, a little longer than that. But it’s wise to remember that any “next big thing” is really only big, if you can jump on the wave when there are only a few other surfers riding it with you. Once the wave is spotted, it will inevitably be overcrowded by all the other surfers – the amateurs who cannot spot good waves for themselves, and select, instead, on the basis of seeing what all the pro-surfers are doing. Ever tried to ride an overcrowded wave to shore? Me, neither. But I’ve been told it feels a little like jumping on an overcrowded marketing trend.
The humble website has undergone a variety of collective movements – through the initial race of design (as technology enabled increasingly cutting-edge graphics capabilities), to the more recent return of copywriting (as websites strived to humanise their brand). What happens is that once everybody has jumped on that wave, the cut-through of these techniques fade, because nobody is standing out. Whoever can jump on that next wave will, for a time, enjoy a facet of their communications and branding that few others will have. And there’s a new wave forming in the sea of online marketing, and it’s particularly powerful for SME businesses that can now enjoy a medium that, until recently, has been out of reach (above that line). Grab your surfboards! Let’s jump on video…. before everyone else does.
So, what is it about video content – beyond simply being a new gimmick - that gives those who are using it the edge over traditional image/text sites?
1. Humanise your brand
For me, the number one factor about video is its capacity to further address the problem that copywriting is so useful for – giving your brand life. Human beings respond to human beings, it’s really that simple. You want trust? You want emotion? You want loyalty? You need people in your branding – and you need them to be as lifelike as possible. It’s why we use pictures of humans to facilitate identification - to “give the brand a face”, as they say. It allows us to connect, because, at the end of the day, that’s how we’re geared. Granted, copy can take this even further than merely an image – adding an actual personality, and a sense of direct connection (“talking” to the consumer). But video then takes this into a new realm, entirely; allowing the persona of the brand to – literally – come to life
Tip: For this reason, videos that rely on graphics or animation are a big no-no! To absorb graphics as a video is uselessly more complicated than it needs to be (just use static images, without having to watch a video of them!) and animation is just plain cold (unless it’s hilarious). You want living, breathing, walking, talking humans!
2. Less is more
One of the hardest things about websites is the huge distinction between users who want to engage extensive marketing material, and those who do not. Some people like to read – and, despite the possibilities and excitement of video, that will remain the case. But many web users are quite unwilling (or is that unable?!) to read anything longer than a few sentences – meaning that you’re always in danger of losing their interest, and have to rely upon your copy’s first few punches, to seal the deal. Static images are easy to digest, sure - but they can only say so much. Video, however, is much less demanding than reading copy, but also provides the depth and connection that static imagery can’t dream of facilitating. The people who prefer to engage written material (and we’re largely talking about a generation gap, of course) will read around the video, and the people who would usually find anything over a few sentences “too much”, will happily press play on the video. Problem solved!
Tip: When juxtaposing your copy with your video, place the video above the copy (or after a few punchy lines of copy used as intro text). This means you’re more likely to keep those lazier users who only respond to video, because they instantly see their medium of choice. Don’t expect them to scroll down too far to find it – these users need their content to find them.
3. Looks more expensive than it actually is!
Most people presume video is an expensive endeavour. That’s because, until recently, it was! Just as technological advances once made design inexpensive and accessible to everyone, the same thing has now happened with video equipment and software. What’s great, however, is that humans have a tendency to lag behind cultural reality, subconsciously believing the lasting impression of how they grew up knowing things to be. Video, for a company, looks professional. It looks expensive – which, like it or not, is how many customers partly gage the legitimacy of your business, and choose it over others.
Tip: Not everyone has a great camera, or good filming and directing skills. To sidestep this, many choose to deliberately go “grunge”: mirroring the handheld feel we have now grown accustomed to on youtube, etc (which many multi-million dollar feature films now deliberately try to mimic!). Either way, make sure you invest in high-quality text graphics (preferably to begin and end your video). You’ll be amazed what a difference to the professionalism these make – influencing the feel of what those graphics are housing (even if that’s poor quality video!).
4. Viral-ready
The V word! We all want it. But how do you get your brand out there amongst everyday consumers, without you lifting a finger? The most likely format is, of course, video. All you need is a great concept. Sure, we see the biggest brands getting their viral videos into the top rankings of youtube, and emailed between friends – but again, these are extraordinarily cheap videos. What these brands invest in is an extraordinarily catchy concept… not to mention, having the guts to do it! Got a comedian in the ranks? Time to put them to use!
Tip: Okay, so coming up with a great viral video is hard. Try thinking of what makes a successful viral video (nearly always humorous), regardless of what your product or brand is. Maybe you have something you’ve filmed yourself, that could already have the potential to go viral? I recently watched a friend’s overseas holiday home-video; he had filmed a hilarious scene in a Japanese park with a local busker, and I thought it should be posted on youtube, immediately! If he had a business, he could easily use this footage, and turn it into a great campaign, with nothing more than a catchy slogan at the end. A recruitment agency could use the footage; following the busking scene with “There’s an easier way to make more money.” As long as it ties it in, you’ve got a potential viral hit!
It’s still important not to focus on one aspect, at the expense of any other. Ideally, your website should look great, have engaging copy, and, if you take my advice, have some video content. Sure, you might not be able to pull off youtube’s most watched video of the week! But you can still use video to create a depth – and a cut through – that most of your competitor’s websites won’t have. Let your customers get to know you with an “about us” video, or explain technically complex aspects of your products or services with a “how it works” video. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in creating a powerful connection between you and your potential customers. Well, for now, at least.
In the end, we’ll be drowning in an overcrowded wave of video content. Something new will break through. But, by the time that happens, the clever little surfers would have been there, all along, already reaping the rewards that others have tried to follow (albeit, too late). Aloha, anyone?
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