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Top 5 Ways a Marketing Video Can Boost Your Business’s Promotions

Video Camera used at production

How Can a Marketing Video Boost Sales Results?

Marketing Video is here to stay. With video content accounting for more than 79% of consumer internet traffic (MWP, 2018), it’s safe to say that videos truly boost results and have become a game changer in online marketing. Text and photos are taking a backseat to videos, and there’s no sign that this trend will slow down.

Still need convincing? Below, 5 reasons every company should incorporate videos into their marketing strategy.

Boost SEO Optimization

No matter what business one is in, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is critical to online marketing success. Products that rank well in search engines are bound to get more attention from potential customers, leading to better sales.

According to Martech Zone (2018), an explainer video can increase the likelihood of your product being on Google’s front page by a whopping 53 times!

To further sweeten the pot, retail product videos increase site visit lengths by an average of 2 minutes, a key parameter in search engine ranking algorithms.

Marketing Video = Brand Awareness

With more than 750,000 e-commerce platforms (Pipecandy, 2018) competing for brand awareness, you really need to stand out. Marketing video helps embed your brand identity in people’s minds. Watching a video is stimulating, which means people tend to remember more from a video than text. However, as a result, people expect more from a promo video, which means they tend to lose interest quickly too, challenging the creative abilities of the producers.

Highlight USPs with Your Marketing Video

There is a reason that 68% of top online retailers are now employing the use of video marketing, even though they sell a similar range of products (Magstore, 2018). Successful companies deliver a little something extra—and videos are the perfect way to highlight those differences.

Some are well-known for their loyalty programs, others for excellent customer service, and some for their breadth of product. The most effective way to convey these unique selling propositions to consumers is explainer videos to help a business in distinguishing itself from its competitors.

Increased Click Rate & Customer Conversion

The sole purpose of your website is to get boost views and increase conversion, right? Video content is increases conversion by up to 30% (Magstore, 2018)!

The video/audio combination is one of marketers’ not-so-secret weapons, allowing them to influence a viewer enough to initiate action, whether that be pick up the phone and call your or add an item to their cart. In fact, product videos increase the likelihood of sales by 85% (Magstore, 2018).

Another benefit of videos is that they keep a person on the webpage for longer periods of time. This gives them time to observe more of what else the page has to offer, which obviously includes other products, leading to better click rates.

Versatility

The best thing about video production: versatility! They are more of an art form than a simple marketing tool. It gives its producers complete freedom over how they want to approach their customers. They may go simple and just highlight the merits of their product. Or, if they are creative enough, they may incorporate a social angle that links to their product. Similarly, there are innumerable other options they could opt for.

Whether you’re in South Florida, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, or West Palm Beach, the bottom line is:

The future of marketing lies in video.

 

 

Sources:
https://martech.zone/digital-marketing-video/
https://blog.magestore.com/advantages-of-brand-awareness/
http://blog.pipecandy.com/e-commerce-companies-market-size/

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How to Prepare Your Office for a Video Shoot

prepare for video shoot

How To Prepare For Your Shoot

You’ve decided to create a short video (or a series of videos) to help your business improve it’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If you want to help your potential customers understand who you are, you’ll want to prepare for a great shoot. You should get lots of tips from your video production company (if you’ve hired one) on how to set up or prepare your office for the video shoot. If not, you may want to ask more questions of your video production company or find a new one. After all, it should be easy, not stressful to create your video.

So, what do you need to do? Here are some of the top steps to preparing your office for a video shoot:

  1. Get the Shoot Scheduled. Obvious, yes. But if it’s not scheduled, people can’t plan. Once it’s scheduled, communicate the shoot date to your team and make sure they’re ready. Make sure they know what’s happening and when it’s happening that day. You may not have this information, but it should be shared before the day of so everyone is ready and knowledgeable about what is happening.
  2. Prior to the Shoot Date. A day or two (or more, if needed) walk through the office with a different set of eyes. Look for opportunities to tidy up, clean up, and put away all the extra stuff you and your team have collected over the years that is unnecessary to the video. For example, take a look at this photo of an office prior to the shoot. If we had to take a few shots of someone working at their desk, what would look better? The before photo or the after photo? Remember, you want it to look like someone is there working regularly, but not like they’re a “pack rat” or “file piler.” You want to look organized and effective. Here’s a messy and a clean version of an office space: prepare for video shoot - messy deskprepare for video shoot - clean desk
  3. Do You Need Props? You might need some props or areas where you can show some client interaction or work shots. The video below shows B-Roll (secondary video) shots of employee interactions…notice it’s clean and visually appealing. Each area was selected prior to the shoot to ensure the best possible shots were incorporated into the video. One other thing to think about: if your office decorates for any holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, etc.) all the decorations need to be removed from the office or else you’ll look like you celebrate that holiday every day of the year in your video! Probably something you want to avoid.
  4. Looking Good? The other question we get a lot is what to wear on camera. That is a great question and we’ve answered it here in this blog post about What to Wear On Camera. The key is to look your best on camera and what you choose can make a difference. Solid, warm colors are best. Refrain from wearing black, white, or red; and refrain from wearing certain patterns that buzz on camera. If you’re going to wear jewelry, don’t wear dangling jewelry because it can make noise when you speak. Finally, bring options. Again, refer to our previous post if you want to learn more.
  5. Script Ready? Whether we create your script or you’re creating the script, it must be ready to go before the day of the shoot. We’ve pushed back shoots because clients weren’t prepared and the script didn’t align with the objective of the video. It’s critical to get a video production company who can get that script to you well enough in advance so you’re ready to perform it. We shoot to the script, so having this prepared will make your shoot go very smooth!

You may not have any questions after reading this, but if you do, feel free to pick up the phone and call us if you have any questions. We don’t mind if you’re not a client, we just want to make sure your shoot goes smoothly.

 

 

Related Posts & Articles:

How to Dress for a Video Shoot

How To Be Ready For Your Video Production Shoot Day

Prepare for Your Video Shoot

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Testimonial Video: How Many People Should Be In It?

People in a Business

How Many People Belong in a Testimonial Video?

This is a common question we get all the time. How many people should be interviewed? Or how many testimonials should we have in the video? The answer is much more simple than you think. There are a few variables that affect the quantity of people that should be in your video or testimonial video.

Testimonial Videos are one of the most impactful types of videos a business can create. We’re not just saying that we’ve seen it. Testimonial videos are more impactful because YOU are not the one telling the story, THEY are. Who better to describe how they were helped than the people who were helped?

As an example, if you are creating a 60-second video featuring testimonials, you have to think about how long each person has to say what they need to say. If while on camera, they are going to say, “XYZ Company was the most reliable company I have ever worked with because they provided me with answers that were relevant to my issue and solved my problem.”

It would take between 8 to 12 seconds for them to say just that line. We have to also assume they’ll want to give a little backstory as to what they were looking for in a company and why they were looking for that. Let’s assume each of those statements could be made in the same amount of time. Three sentences, average of 10 seconds each, is approximately 30 seconds of content (provided they stated it perfectly).

I have to imagine, you’re starting to notice the problem. If you wanted three people on camera giving you a testimonial but each person said three or four sentences that took 30 seconds to say, you’re running out of time pretty quickly. Don’t forget, we’ll also need a little breathing room between each testimonial to set the stage for what their issue is and how the business solved it.

The above only addresses the time it takes to make a statement, but does not take into account that you may want to have a voice over stating how to contact you or to reinforce something that was said in one of the testimonials. All of this is why when we have clients creating a testimonial, we recommend a 90-second to 2-minute testimonial video to ensure you have enough time to get what you need plus the additional B-Roll shots required to create a polished, finished video.

When we take into account the above, we find that you can typically get between two and three people in a 2-minute testimonial video. Even more perfect than that is it typically takes about a half day to get testimonials from that many people along with the B-Roll shots.

We like to use this video as an example because it provides you with all the information you need to help you understand what problem is being solved and why that company was able to accomplish it.

This video allows time for the viewer to understand what the issue that Bill faced and how Credit Brain helped him overcome it. You can feel a bit of emotion in this story and, if you were in Bill’s situation, you might be inclined to make the call.

While video isn’t the only reason people call, it sure does help the viewer understand and feel the situation more clearly. If this is what you’re after and still have questions, feel free to reach out to us with your questions, or comment below.

 

Related Articles: 

Creating Impactful Healthcare Marketing Videos

12-Step Guide to Creating High-Converting Customer Testimonial Videos

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How long does it take to create a professional video?

Photo taken during a video shoot with Plum Productions

Time is money and you want to know, how long should it take to get my video? You have every right to ask that question. You also have every right to get an honest answer. While we’ve had clients come to us because they were frustrated with how long it was taking to get their video from another production company, our goal is to be as upfront about timelines as possible. Timelines vary by several factors. Let’s dig into what can change the timeline and what you can do about it.

  • Deposit. Yes, we, like many other production companies, require a deposit to get started. This can sometimes slow the process down a little, depending on how large the client’s company is.
  • Before the Shoot.  You’ve decided to move forward and you hope to get your video in a week…is this realistic? Probably not, but it could be. We consider the time before the shoot to be the most critical and has the biggest impact on timeline. Here’s why: We base much of the rest of the video’s outcome on what happens before production begins. We hold a preproduction meeting to ensure we completely understand and everyone agrees to the direction the shoot is heading. We write scripts, plan the shoot schedule, etc. based on this information. A poor plan can result in a poor video, so we can’t stress how important a good preproduction meeting is for your success. This portion of the production usually doesn’t slow the process down unless things change directions and decisions can’t be made in a timely manner. Usually doesn’t happen, but sometimes it does.
  • The Shoot. The shoot is the shoot. It’s where the planning meets reality and stuff starts to happen. Typically we schedule a half, full or multi day shoot for a set number of hours. Again, this doesn’t usually cause any delays to the delivery time unless the client cannot schedule the shoot until someone has returned from vacation or needs to wait until a date in the future to begin shooting. That also applies to our schedule. If we’re already booked for the next several weeks, a new shoot most likely won’t get scheduled until after that clears up a bit.
  • Post Production. Here’s where time bends. Our goal is to always get you a finished product to review within about 7 to 10 days (unless otherwise stated during the shoot). Typically this is good for the client and good for us. It allows an adequate amount of time to be creative in the editing process while still keeping to a deadline. Where things typically slow down is when the client receives the first edit. That’s not a problem because there are usually several people involved on the client side to provide adequate feedback and list the revisions. There should always be revisions. We fully expect the client to want something revised, after all, it’s their video and they need to get what they want, right? Once we get the revisions from the client, we usually apply those concepts, thoughts, and themes to any other remaining video edits and make the changes to the first video. Believe it or not, one time we waited 6 months to get the revisions list. These things happen and when they do, they affect how quickly the client receives the completed video.
  • Final Payment. Once we’ve completed the required rounds of revisions the client will provide final payment and the final videos are delivered. Again, this can stall the delivery process if it takes a few weeks to process checks at your company. This isn’t common, but it does happen.

There you have it, several factors that can affect the final delivery time of your video. How long should it take to get your video created and delivered depends on schedules, payment timelines, and revision/feedback timelines. Our typical projects take anywhere from 30 days to 3 months…depending on the client. That said, one time we started and completed a project in 7 days…so that can happen as well. We can say with certainty that it’s very difficult to provide a highly produced, quality video in less than 30 days…and even more difficult is producing an delivering a video by last week (as is sometimes jokingly requested).

If you’ve been waiting for a video production company to complete your project and you’re outside those timelines, give us a call, we may be able to help or give you some questions to ask. Any other video questions?  Give us a call.

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Secret Weapon To a Successful Trade Show Exhibit

image of trade show

You are scheduled to attend a trade show as an exhibitor, and you want to get the most out of the show. What do you do to maximize the results of the time you invest in preparing? You can use video before, during, and after the show to maximize the impact of the show.

Pre-Trade Show Video Strategy

One often overlooked yet potent tool is the pre-trade show video. Understanding the attendees’ profile is key, and if you have their email contacts, you’re at a significant advantage. The impact of sending them a personalized invitation to your booth is greater than you can imagine. This strategy goes beyond mere attendance; it’s about creating a memorable experience before the event even begins.

Why a Pre-Trade Show Video?

  1. Build Relationships:  In the business world, the statement of “know, like, and trust” is powerful. A warm, inviting introduction video can set the stage for building these potential relationships. By giving attendees a glimpse of who you are, you increase the likelihood of them stopping by your booth, initiating valuable interactions.
  2. Humanizing Your Brand: Today digital interactions are the norm, showcasing the human element of your business is vital. People prefer dealing with other people, especially when it comes to resolving issues or making significant decisions (think sales). A personalized invitation video can add a human touch to your trade show presence, making your brand more approachable and relatable.
  3. Stand Out: While some exhibitors might reach out via email, very few leverage the power of video invitations. By adopting this approach, you distinguish yourself from the crowd. Creativity in your video content can further enhance your visibility and appeal, even as video invitations become more common.

The more personalized the message the better, but here’s a good example of what one client did prior to a trade show they were attending.

“Hi, I’m (insert name) from (insert company). You’ve registered for the upcoming trade show and you’re probably starting to identify which booths to visit to make the most of your time at the expo. We’d like to invite you to stop by and enter …  “

Use Video During the Trade Show

Why stop at sending them an invitation? Using video throughout the trade show can significantly enhance your impact at the show. Here are a few ideas:

  • Expo Display Videos: Create engaging content to display at your booth. It will attract and retain attendee’s attention. You’ll find attendees strolling by looking at your video, giving you the chance to engage in a conversation.
  • Don’t Rely On Audio: If you chose to create a Trade Show Video, remember that it’s going to be noisy during the event. You won’t want to feature or rely on interviews or narration to do the job, you’ll need strong visuals and engaging words on screen to capture their attention.
  • Use Pain Words: Putting a transcript on the screen is nice, but using graphics highlighting the pain your typical clients have will capture their attention.

Post-Show Videos

After the show is over it’s time for the follow up. That’s usually where others drop off and don’t perform well. Make it easy on yourself.

  1. Thank You Message: Create a post-show thank you message thanking them for attending and visiting your booth. Use the contacts you’ve gathered and send a “personalized” note. Personalized means general enough to speak to anyone who visited, but specific enough to resonant with most visitors.
  2. Contest Announcement Video: Typically, exhibitors have a giveaway or prize they’re awarding. Engage attendees with a contest and announce winners through a video, adding an interactive element to your presence.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are several more things you can do with video before, during and after the trade show but these will get you started. A key takeaway is that most people won’t do any of these things. They’re content to just talk to people and hope they call them after the show. Hope shouldn’t be a strategy. Use video to engage before, during, and after the trade show to maximize your efforts in gaining new sales.

If you need help creating ideas, creating concepts, or just want to get started creating a video for your trade show event, give us a call. We’re happy to help.

 

Related Articles: 

Why Your Trade Show Booth Needs a Video

7 Benefits of Video in Business Marketing

47 Interactive Trade Show Ideas

 

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7 Reasons Why Your Business Absolutely Needs Video

In 2005, three men started a video-sharing website. In 2006 Google bought it from them. Eleven years later, YouTube has more than 300 hours of video uploaded every minute. And if that isn’t staggering enough consider these additional statistics:

As a frontrunner in an ever-evolving digital community, video changes the way companies are engaging with target audiences. From formal studio productions and ‘garage band’ tapings, drone videography, 3D animation, and 6-second bumper ads, businesses are leveraging the power of video as a critical component in marketing strategies. With Cisco predicting that video will account for 80% of web traffic by 2019, there are multiple reasons why your business needs video now.

Company Connection – Video makes a business human. Through words spoken, tone of voice, and visual expression, potential customers get to know business owners and employees. This perceived development of a relationship creates a connection that builds trust and confidence in the company.

Efficient and Effective – Consumers are busier than ever before. Short on time, living in a fast-paced, multi-tasking world, video can respond to a question more quickly than a written explanation. When time is a crunch or attention-span is limited, a 3-minute video can sell a product more thoroughly than a 4-page written document.

Product Demonstration – Video is a user-friendly way to sell a product. It can visually compare features against a competition, showcase benefits, clear up ambiguous assembly instructions, and demonstrate usage. Video can be paused and replayed as needed, making it a quick resource available with a simple click of the mouse.

Testimonials– A powerful way for people to see and hear firsthand from other clients or customers how great the product or service was for them. While a five-star rating on Google and Facebook is great, video shows the users face, projects their emotions through tone, and generates feelings that what is being said is truthful.

Search Engine Optimization – As a form of rich media, video can increase the quality of SEO and ranking. In addition to hosting video on the company website, the same media can be hosted on other platforms including YouTube and Wistia. Video can be recycled for use in backlinks, blogs, and articles, all the while increasing consumer engagement and length of time spent on your site.

Sales Conversion – Seeing is believing and that is a key function of video. Online and offline, the product market is saturated with choices. Video supports functionality, features and benefits, and quality. A visual sales pitch, 64% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product after watching a related video first.

Social Shares – Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest tools for lead generation. A well-informed or entertaining, engaging and relatable video is likely to garner more social shares than a simple written article. As one qualified target audience shares content, the opportunity for increased awareness is significantly and positively impacted.

 

Video has broad-reach capability to get in front of potential customers without investing extra time or manpower. It can make the smallest company seem large, a large corporation seem approachable, a simplistic product unique, and a complicated product easy to understand.

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a video is worth 1,000,000. Optimize your digital presence by including video as part of your overall digital marketing strategy. Contact us today.

 

Guest Blog provided by: Larry Goldstick. Larry is the principal owner of Capture Digital Marketing. Capture Digital Marketing is a full service digital marketing agency based in Jupiter, Florida. For more information contact Larry at 561-630-3699 or la***@ca*******.com