Can’t Have A Successful Marketing Video Without This

Can't Have A Successful Marketing Video Without ThisMarketing videos are fun. Lights, camera, action!… exciting, right? At the end of production, businesses are left with something awesome. A tool they can use to help sell, to build enthusiasm for a brand, improve team morale… there are many uses.

However, the problem some business leaders face is they forget that making the video is only part of the process. Lights, camera, action is fun, but there are other things that need to be done along the way. Steps that need to be taken, questions that need to be asked, to turn that video into a success.

In my initial meeting with clients I ask questions like: What’s your goal for the video? How do you plan to promote the video?

You’d be surprised how many people haven’t considered those questions. They might have considered video production cost, but not what they’ll need for ROI.

Video is simply a marketing tactic. A very good marketing tactic, but a tactic nonetheless. It needs to be a part of a broader marketing strategy to make it a true success. And within that strategy, you have to have a plan for your video(s).

Video needs to be a part of a broader marketing strategy to make it a true success. Click To TweetThe following are some pre and post-production video marketing basics with insights from pros who know what it takes to produce successful videos. The experts weigh in on two things you should do before you start the production process (set goals and find a story to tell) and two things you should do when editing is complete (promote and track).

gini-dietrich1 (1)Gini Dietrich | Founder, Spin Sucks

Why is it important to set goals for videos? What are some of the goals you’ve seen used for videos that have been helpful?

I’ll give you an example: We have a client that has 20 executives around the globe. They were all together about a year ago and the chief marketing officer wanted to get them on video, but she didn’t have a reason for doing so. She just wanted to ask them all a list of questions, but had no idea what the end product would look like. And, though we tried to bring some planning to it, she ignored our counsel and went forward with a set of 15 questions for each executive.

Today we have all of that content, but nothing to do with it because there wasn’t a plan in advance. I’m sure we’ll be able to edit it into smaller pieces eventually, but a year later, we’re still struggling with what to do with it.

Always have a plan. Set goals. Don’t create 15 questions for 20 people. But do know what you want to achieve.

In many cases, the goals are simple: Create a link between our employees and our vision or connect our vision to our external audiences. Because 65 percent of human beings are visual learners—and because of the gigantic rush to do live video right now—it’s pretty easy to see why you’d want to use video. Figure out what you want to achieve with it.

Perhaps it’s to build loyalty and pride among your employees. Maybe it’s to provide a charismatic executive a platform for thought leadership. Or it could be a way to connect employees and customers globally without the advantage of meeting in person. There are many ways to think about how to use video.

In this case, I would posit the question, “If you could create anything—budget withstanding—what would it be?” Then work from there.

robRob Biesenbach | Communications Consultant, Author, Speaker

Many business leaders are all about facts and figures, but the power of video lies with tapping people’s emotions. Explain why telling a good story is more important in a video than loading a it with stats.

Stories stick, statistics don’t. It’s that simple. The authors of Made to Stick found in one study that stories are at least six times stickier than statistics. In particular, a story that has emotional resonance (appealing to hope, pride, frustration) will make a bigger impact, linger in people’s minds and provoke them to act.

I’ve seen this firsthand countless times in my client work. A CEO who was addressing a group of discontented employees about the changes sweeping the company stuck to the facts and data and almost sparked a rebellion. A few minutes later with another group he told a story about his love for the company and pride in its heritage and products, and the mood of the room turned around 180 degrees.

The same effect can be achieve on video.

aliciaAlicia Olsen | Founder, Olsen Marketing Solutions

Many people produce a video, upload it to YouTube and think they’re done. Tell us about the importance of promotion.

As Tony said, it is common for people to create a video, upload it to YouTube, perhaps put it on their website, and then think they are done from a marketing standpoint. But just like any marketing strategy (blog, case study, website, or in this case, video), it’s not enough simply to create the marketing piece. You also need to make sure your target audience (your target customers) see it. Here are some ideas for ways to promote a new marketing video:

  • Place it prominently on your website: This should usually include the home page, but also any other pages where it is relevant, such as an About Us page, Testimonials page, Services page, etc.

  • Use your social media channels: Again, you shouldn’t just share it once on your Facebook page and be done. Make a plan to share your new video multiple times across your social networks when it’s new, and also remember to periodically share it when it’s not new anymore for those who didn’t see it the first time. Consider opportunities to put a video on a social page longer term, such as the ability to add media to your LinkedIn profile or the option to pin posts to the top of your Facebook page.

  • Incorporate your video into other marketing initiatives: Once you have a corporate marketing video, it’s a great opportunity to use within other marketing initiatives and campaigns. You could put it in your newsletter, include in a prospecting email campaign, use as part of a digital advertising campaign, include in your latest blog, put a link in your email signature or many other possibilities to make it a part of your company’s overall marketing plan.

andyAndy Crestodina | Co-Founder, Orbit Media Studios

When it comes to evaluating a video’s effectiveness, most people simply look at how many views it gets. What are some analytics that are a better judge for how a video is performing?

Great question! Here are a few more data points that should give you better insights into the performance of a given video.

  • Attention Span: Depending on where it is hosted/streamed from, you should get a report that shows how much time the average viewer watched the video. Longer attention spans mean a more engaged viewer

  • Time on Page: Assuming the video is embedded on a web page, the video should keep the visitor around for longer. Adding a video should increase the time on page.

  • unnamedShares: Was the page with the video shared? How many times?

  • Rank: Does the video rank in YouTube or in Google search results? If so, how high?

  • Page Value: If the video is on a sales page, it should help build trust and increase the likelihood that a viewer converts into a lead. If goals are given a dollar value in Analytics, then the value of the page to the process of converting visitors is right there in the “All Pages” report. Adding a compelling video should increase the Page Value for the page.

I love it when everyone at a business gets excited about a new video or video series. They should! It’s fun. What makes the fun last post-production is having a video that works.

A video that makes the audience feel good about your company. A video that drives traffic. A video that helps you sell.

–Tony Gnau

Tony Gnau - T60 ProductionsTony Gnau is the Founder and Chief Storytelling Officer at T60 Productions. He’s a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, has led T60 Productions to winning 18 Telly Awards for its corporate videos, and is the author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller “Lights, Camera, Impact: storytelling, branding, and production tips for engaging corporate videos.”