Marketing with Video Pt III - Advertising & Promotion

Advertising, Marketing and Promotion

This is what it's all about!

Commercials - While advertisers are becoming more selective in how they chose to spend their promotional dollars with broadcast television, other venues for commercials such as online video pre-roll, online sponsorships, in-game advertising, event sponsorships and in-theatre advertising are starting to take the place of broadcast / cable commercials. A proliferation of video screens cropping up on every building, device and structure will create an even more diverse set of advertising opportunities. The challenge will be to create specialized content targeted to an ever -shrinking niche audience.

Viral Video – Videos go “viral” when they become extremely popular, with lots of people wanting to watch the video. To go viral, a video has to be incredibly entertaining, shocking or meaningful. Viral videos have to be extremely engaging, entertaining, shocking or meaningful to be successful.

Email Video - Testing has shown that open rates can double if you include video in your email marketing activities. To be effective the video should be purpose-built to elicit as specific conversion activity such as requesting a demo, more info etc.

Infomercials – Nothing new here. If you’re doing an infomercial, do it well and use search engine optimization to drive visitors to it. They work as well online as on television. Infomercials are extremely effective at selling certain consumer products, usually those they can demonstrate during the infomercial.

Content Marketing – Watch this grow. Most web content remains focused on selling something. With content marketing, you market information; specifically – solutions. By focusing on solving your customers’ problems first, then associating your brand with the solutions, you market more effectively. We recently created a “How it Works” video for Xact Wire EDM. The video, which can be seen on their website and on YouTube, was completed this fall and is already drawing new business for Xact. The video focuses on how the process of wire EDM works, not on Xact’s proficiency with the process.

Dennis Dean is an Emmy-winning video expert, communications consultant and Managing Partner of Dean Group Media. Email him at dennis@deangroup.com

You're on Camera! Marketing with Video

What’s one of the best things you can do for your website? Humanize it! Websites aren’t about technology, though many web developers would have you believe just that. Websites are about people and communicating with one another, whether for fun in a social networking session of common interests or in business. Products don’t buy and sell themselves, people do!

So humanize your site! One of the best ways is a simple greeting to say “Hi, I’m Drew, here’s what we do….” (Try not to rhyme with your name, however.)

Visitors to your site will stay longer if their attention is focused. Focus it with a video of yourself or another important spokesperson for your company on your home page. Video adds a human element. Video lets people see who they are dealing with. Video adds dimension and trust. This is especially important for smaller businesses with a lot to offer but without the built-in clout and credibility of, say, GE. People expect folks at GE to know what they’re doing. Smaller businesses need to develop credibility. An online video can be important for other reasons, as well. If you are an on-camera talent, it’s only natural people will want to know what you look like. When photos aren’t enough, use video to capture their attention, get to know your company vis-a-vie yourself, and develop or enhance trust in you/your organization.

And that’s really what it’s all about. Do I trust this company? This website? To do what it says it will do? Or do I trust this person?

We’ve all got something to market. Sometimes, it’s ourselves!

For an example of what I’m talking about, just click here.

Dennis Dean is a Communications Consultant and Managing Partner for Dean Group Media

He may be reached at dennis@deangroup.com