Who’s not spent hours on YouTube, scrolling through viral videos, podcasts and hauls?
Indeed, videos are “so hot right now”! By 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic, according to Cisco. Social media is enabling short videos and Snapchat is becoming the most popular channel amongst teens with around 100 million active users daily. Besides, video platforms are getting increasingly popular: YouTube receives more than one billion unique visitors every month; that’s more than any other channel, apart from Facebook. If most brands have understood the need to go on social media to remain in the game, many are still late to utilise video marketing campaigns to engage customers. With video production being costly and time consuming, we get that it’s a risky move, but we’ve prepared 5 tips to keep in mind before you make the big jump.
1. Don’t Fake It
Is there anything more powerful than the hundred million views the ‘First Kiss’ video gained? A movie by Tatia PIlieva that shows strangers kissing for the first time. The couples are so genuine and embarrassed about making a move that it would bring tears to even the toughest man’s eyes, making the ultimate moment even more enjoyable. Millions of people were touched by this heartwarming footage, getting many viewers so involved they wanted to see couples created following the experience. However, as the people featured in the video were revealed to be actors, and the social experiment to be a “disguised ad”, some negative press followed. The Times wrote: “Rather than ten pairs of total strangers meeting for the first time […] it’s 20 actors, models and musicians who seem just a little confident for the video’s premise.” As great as the video is, it’s always good to remember to stay real, and not fake it. Lesson learnt.
2. Humor is Key
Videos are the best means to convey feelings and consumer engagement. A 2014 study conducted by Reelso.com reported that 94% of all respondents are likely to share a video if they consider it humorous. ‘Instagram Husbands’, a humorous platform run by comedy group The Mystery Hour produced an hilarious video showing behind the scenes of an Instagram picture. “Behind every cute girl on Instagram, there is a guy like me…” says Jeff, who, with other Instagram husbands out there, give blood, sweat and tears to make every ‘gram Instaworthy. The website even features sections such as “‘recognize the symptoms’ and ‘talk to your wife’. The platform also made the #instagramhusband hashtag popular, enabling every man out there to share their pictures with the community. Much more than just a funny video, a whole branded content strategy was created, which made the message even stronger. Your video campaign will be much more impactful if it is integrated within other media and can reach your target audience via various touch points. Think big! And in case you’ve just figured out you’re an Instagram husband, now is the time to join the community!
3. Make Sure Your Brand is Memorable
Do you remember the ‘Toughest Job on Earth’ viral video? Boston agency, Mullen, posted a job listing online for a Director of Operations position at a company called Rehtom Inc. The requirements sounded brutal: working from 135 to unlimited hours per week with no vacations, pay, or even sleep. Degrees in medicine, finance or culinary arts were even required. The results were tear-inducing as the candidates realized billions of moms around the world coped with these harsh conditions every day. However, who was able to remember the brand that ran the campaign? As only a hint, the interviewer says towards the end of the footage “Think of your mother, send her a card this year for Mother’s Day”. The idea itself may be brilliant but, Cardstore.com, a greeting card online service, fails to standout. The online store could have had a clearer call to action. Did people send a card to their mom’s after viewing? It’s not certain, but maybe if participants were encouraged to write a card to their moms sharing special words with the viewers, it might have been even more powerful (kind of like another brilliant video: The Other Letter by IKEA).
4. Tell a Story That is Related to Your Core Business and Target
Planning a viral video should always start with thinking about your target audience. For the women’s hygiene brand Always, it was obvious they had to concentrate on “girls” and their moms to make sure the brand appeals to a new generation of consumers. So when Women’s Day came up this year, the brand looked closely into numbers to talk to its audience. “They may seem small, but emojis are more than just funny faces. They’ve become how girls express themselves in text and online” says the brand on its YouTube page, before sharing the results of their survey: “72% of girls feel that society limits them, by dictating what they should and shouldn’t do”. The result is clever and impactful, with a clear connection to the brand and its target audience. Enough to collect 15 million views in a few weeks. Proof that girls do not “just wanna have fun”! The takeaway lesson? “Always” try to carefully study your target audience’s behaviour and tell a story where your brand has authority. Sorry, I took the joke too far!
5. Animals and Kids are King in Video Marketing
According to a 2014 ReelSEO survey, 89% of all respondents are likely to share a video if they consider it heartwarming. And what can make your heart melt better than children or cute pets? They are usually adorable! As 7 out of 10 millennials are likely to watch a company video when shopping online, it is definitely one of Stylight’s brand marketing objectives to use video to reach out to fashion-oriented millennial women. So when we, as a style inspiration platform, thought of doing a global online campaign for fashion week 2015, it was obvious we had to bring some cuteness to our fashion-addicted millennial women. Around 10 kids aged 6 to 12 shared their witty commentary on the latest runway shows taking place in New York, Paris and Milan. Positive feedback followed from the international online press, as even kids poked fun at Kim Kardashian’s outfit. If you have not seen it, there’s still time to catch up! But remember to use cute puppies and heartbreakingly cute toddlers to maximize the impact and make your audience’s heart melt. Emotions are definitely the most important ingredient in every viral video!
We hope these tips and examples have inspired you to start creating video content on the right foot. If not, you might as well just jump in and maybe fail once or twice. But keep in mind, it could never be worse than the 2013 fake wedding proposal featuring Cadbury Bournville’s brand placement…
Want more insights into how video ads on social media will become an even bigger part of the mobile marketing world? Read our ‘5 Mobile Marketing Trends for 2016’ post.
|By Pauline Reuter – Content Marketing Manager|
