Video marketing is becoming one of the top ways to engage your audience. Why? It’s what the people want. Part of why we create content is to inform our prospects about our products and services. And four times as many people prefer watching product videos to reading about them, according to Animoto. Not only that, but Aberdeen reported using video increases revenue by 49 percent.
Developing a marketing strategy for this medium involves a lot of moving pieces. Will you choose animation or live action? Studio or on-location production? Testimonials with customers or scripted acting? Who will your actors be? What music will you use? What tone are you trying to convey?
With so many options to choose from, it can seem impossible to know what’s right for your brand. But you can start by scoping out what other brands are doing right. So let’s take a look at three of the best examples 2016 has to offer.
UberConference embraces the problem
If you’ve worked in an office setting, odds are you’ve experienced more than your fair share of conference call glitches – late dial-ins, technical snafus, ear-splitting feedback, you know the drill. UberConference captured all those pain points and more in this video, which shows they understand what their audience is going through.
“A brand that understands what its audience despises about an experience is the one that can reduce those pain points.”
The video strategy leans heavily on humor to show the viewers UberConference understands their frustrations. A brand that understands what its audience despises about their experience is likely to be the one that reduces those pain points, right? It certainly made an impression on Brafton Video Producer Hannah Perlmutter.
“Simply put, this video is hilarious,” Hannah said. “In addition, anyone who works in an office and has conference calls can relate. it’s a breath of fresh air to see a conference call service actually poke fun at the mundane reality that are conference calls.”
HubSpot takes personalization to a new level
What makes for a memorable video? In a word: personality. Consumers want to know who they’re buying from, whether it’s a B2B or B2C relationship. HubSpot took this challenge literally and gave a handful of its employees each a handheld camera, most likely a GoPro, to film a day in their lives. Couple raw footage with clever editing, hints of that HubSpot orange and an upbeat soundtrack, and you’ve got an immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression.
“HubSpot’s Day in the Life videos are exciting. The upbeat music and fast-paced sequencing keep my eyes glued to the screen,” explained Kyle Gaw, Brafton’s Marketing Manager. “And the first-person perspective lets me imagine myself in that person’s shoes and get a sense of what life could be like if I worked for HubSpot.”
These videos are great from a recruitment standpoint, as potential employees can get a real sense of the HubSpot culture, the array of office amenities, the people they could one day work with, and even the surrounding communities of their different locations around the world. The personalized stories also humanize the brand and make them stand out from competitors, which can be the linchpin that turns a prospect into a client.
Hashtag’d mixes media to make impressions
One of the major video marketing trends we’ve seen arise in 2016 is the use of mixed media – that is to say, combining video and animation to really drive a message. A.J. Muffett, one of our videographers, pegged this demo video from Hashtag’d as a stellar example of blending concepts and video types.
“It’s hip, it’s quick, and the story is totally driven by the music,” A.J. said of the video. “Most brands will lean heavily on animation to explain how their products and services work, but Hashtag’d’s use of real people makes the product more tangible than an animated demo alone.”
The live scenes and still-frames sell viewers on the personal experience, but when it comes to explaining what the provider actually does, animations overlaid and spliced into the video help you understand the concept in seconds. All of that, coupled with perfectly orchestrated music, makes the experience feel seamless and simple, which is exactly what Hashtag’d is trying to impress upon the viewer about their service.
So, whether you’re promoting a product or your brand, you can learn a lot from UberConference, HubSpot and Hashtag’d. To connect with your audience, you should make it personal, make it real, and make it fun. These approaches are what viewers will remember in the long run.
