IS VIDEO GOOD FOR BUSINESS?

The whole broadcast industry equated the rise of the internet and the onward march of web-based videos with the death of TV. Thankfully this has yet to happen, and with social media helping to drive TV viewing figures nowadays, television and the internet have become uneasy stablemates at least for now.

What caused TV producers to fear for their jobs were the vast potential of online media, and the democratization of video content creation. We see glimpses of this when amateur videos go viral. Suddenly they reach an audience that TV programs, which are usually much, much more expensive to produce and created by ‘professionals’, can, only dream of. There are a lot of well-paid marketing gurus trying to bottle precisely what makes a video go viral- so far with mixed success.

Online video for business has the potential to be revolutionary too, both in terms of the people it reaches and the way it is created. All the evidence is there to support the benefits of businesses investing in video content, but there is still a collective hesitation to take the plunge… Under a quarter of big brands are using video online to reach consumers- how crazy is that?

Does online video work for companies?

The average blogs spends 88% longer on a site with video than a website without, and viewers retain 95% of the content of online videos, compared with 10% of the content when reading it online.

The real beauty is that online video has been around long enough to prove its worth- it’s no longer a leap of faith- but it still hasn’t developed a critical mass of users. This means companies who use video content are in the high position of being able to use a thoroughly proven concept and still be way ahead of the curve.

Business websites with video are still rare enough that they stand out from the crowd. All the evidence shows that when surfers come across a video, they stop and pay attention. This can only ever be a good thing for you and your brand. As a marketer, how much would you pay to stop people in their tracks? How about getting them thinking about your brand for 2 seconds? 5 seconds? Great huh? The average 30-second online film is watched all the way through by 85% of viewers.

Creating online video has been a big step for some of our clients but one that none have regretted.

We would urge you to take the plunge and reap the benefits that online videos can bring. But there are a few things to watch out for if you decide to get a production company in to help. Unfortunately, there are lots of inexperienced people charging a lot of money for not very much. Here are some easy steps to ensure you get bang for your money:

• When choosing a video production company, know what to look for. What are their credentials? Can you see some of their previous work? Do they have a background in video production or television? Everyone can claim to have a ‘highly creative team’ that understands you better than your mother, but not everyone can deliver.
• Does the production company take the time to understand your potential market? A video is great, but if the wrong people are watching it, it’s less than useless. Who is the video aimed at and how will you monitor its efficacy?
• Similarly, you need to know your goals- what is the video trying to say? What are you as a business trying to achieve with it?
• Keep it short. The average viewing time online is between two and two and a half minutes. After this, it’s generally dull.
• Don’t let the video become a sales pitch. Engage the viewer with good content and a strong narrative. If they like you and your brand the sales will follow. However, do include a call to action at the end.

    Above all – keep it fun!