3 Reasons You Should Update Your Video Marketing

Two men shooting a video marketing ad

When it comes to video marketing, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. There are so many places consumers view video today – billboards, social media, websites, TV, search engines, apps. Plus, people are no longer watching video just on their TVs or computers. Now it’s convenient to watch on smartphones, tablets, and even e-readers. Which is all the more reason it’s important to update your video marketing for your business.

Why Should You Update Your Video Marketing?

Here are three reasons you should update your video marketing now:

1. Your Aesthetics & Content Need A Refresh

Retro TV, VCR, and soda cans displaying old video marketing
Retro TV, VCR, and soda cans

Now if your video marketing hasn’t changed since the 1990s, you don’t need us to tell you they desperately need an update. But it’s not the 2000s or even 2010s anymore either, The Internet is constantly changing, and so should your online presence, video included. Are the people, the styles, the objects, or the technology in your videos outdated? A good way to find out is to put yourself in the following fictional scenario: If you were to approach a potential customer in person wearing the same style, showing the same objects, and using the same technology in your videos, would that customer be more focused on your appearance or your message?

Perhaps it’s not the tangible items that need to change in your video marketing. Is data or information in your video current? Today’s consumers are highly intelligent. With new information readily available online, having updated, accurate information in your video marketing is vital if you want customers to take your business seriously.

Source: NG Production Films

2. Your Customer Base Has Expanded

It’s certainly good news when your customer base is expanding. But with growth comes change. Remember when we mentioned there are so many ways for people to consume video today? That means your video marketing net should widen to capture more demographics and types of people. While every business has its target demographic, limiting your video marketing to attract a narrow set of people increases your potential to lose sales and customers.

A large part of online video consumption comes from newer social media platforms. TikTok didn’t exist until 2016. Stories and Reels are newer options to share video on Facebook and Instagram. And let’s not forget about LinkedIn. As of 2019, LinkedIn is the most trusted social platform for credible content. Yet only about 1% of users shared posts then! Consider that a huge opportunity to establish your business as a trusted authority in your industry using video content.

3. Your Videos Are Getting Lost in the Shuffle

Have you heard of the term “ad fatigue”? Elevato describes it as “a phenomenon that occurs when an audience becomes desensitized to an ad set causing ad efficiency to decrease.” In simpler terms, people are tired of seeing ads. This reinforces our earlier point: video is everywhere. But as a business who wants to stand out in the crowd rather than get lost in the shuffle, your video ads need to be different. How? By telling a story. Stop selling! People have been telling stories since the beginning of time. Your video marketing might have current content and subject matter, but if you’re trying to sell rather tell, you probably need to update your videos.

Another element that can impact your videos’ reach relates to branding. Video marketing is a great way to reinforce your brand using your logo, brand colors, and even tone. Does your company have a mission? Make sure every video you put out there reflects it. Does your company sell a humorous product? Or is your company a non-profit with a serious mission? Whatever tone your business adopts, be sure to create video content that aligns with your company’s vision.

Source: The Social Shake-Up

If there’s one takeaway here, it’s that video isn’t going anywhere. We encourage you to review your video marketing and ask yourself the following questions: Is the subject matter or information out of date? Are your videos failing to capture more demographics? Do your videos reflect your company’s mission and vision? Is your brand obvious in your videos?

Before we became the full-marketing agency you know as Paragon Marketing Group today, we were formerly a video production company. And with that experiences comes a world of knowledge that we are passionate about sharing with other businesses, just like yours. If you’re ready to update your video marketing, contact us today!

3 Reasons You Should Update Your Video Marketing

Two men shooting a video marketing ad

When it comes to video marketing, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. There are so many places consumers view video today – billboards, social media, websites, TV, search engines, apps. Plus, people are no longer watching video just on their TVs or computers. Now it’s convenient to watch on smartphones, tablets, and even e-readers. Which is all the more reason it’s important to update your video marketing for your business.

Why Should You Update Your Video Marketing?

Here are three reasons you should update your video marketing now:

1. Your Aesthetics & Content Need A Refresh

Retro TV, VCR, and soda cans displaying old video marketing
Retro TV, VCR, and soda cans

Now if your video marketing hasn’t changed since the 1990s, you don’t need us to tell you they desperately need an update. But it’s not the 2000s or even 2010s anymore either, The Internet is constantly changing, and so should your online presence, video included. Are the people, the styles, the objects, or the technology in your videos outdated? A good way to find out is to put yourself in the following fictional scenario: If you were to approach a potential customer in person wearing the same style, showing the same objects, and using the same technology in your videos, would that customer be more focused on your appearance or your message?

Perhaps it’s not the tangible items that need to change in your video marketing. Is data or information in your video current? Today’s consumers are highly intelligent. With new information readily available online, having updated, accurate information in your video marketing is vital if you want customers to take your business seriously.

Source: NG Production Films

2. Your Customer Base Has Expanded

It’s certainly good news when your customer base is expanding. But with growth comes change. Remember when we mentioned there are so many ways for people to consume video today? That means your video marketing net should widen to capture more demographics and types of people. While every business has its target demographic, limiting your video marketing to attract a narrow set of people increases your potential to lose sales and customers.

A large part of online video consumption comes from newer social media platforms. TikTok didn’t exist until 2016. Stories and Reels are newer options to share video on Facebook and Instagram. And let’s not forget about LinkedIn. As of 2019, LinkedIn is the most trusted social platform for credible content. Yet only about 1% of users shared posts then! Consider that a huge opportunity to establish your business as a trusted authority in your industry using video content.

3. Your Videos Are Getting Lost in the Shuffle

Have you heard of the term “ad fatigue”? Elevato describes it as “a phenomenon that occurs when an audience becomes desensitized to an ad set causing ad efficiency to decrease.” In simpler terms, people are tired of seeing ads. This reinforces our earlier point: video is everywhere. But as a business who wants to stand out in the crowd rather than get lost in the shuffle, your video ads need to be different. How? By telling a story. Stop selling! People have been telling stories since the beginning of time. Your video marketing might have current content and subject matter, but if you’re trying to sell rather tell, you probably need to update your videos.

Another element that can impact your videos’ reach relates to branding. Video marketing is a great way to reinforce your brand using your logo, brand colors, and even tone. Does your company have a mission? Make sure every video you put out there reflects it. Does your company sell a humorous product? Or is your company a non-profit with a serious mission? Whatever tone your business adopts, be sure to create video content that aligns with your company’s vision.

Source: The Social Shake-Up

If there’s one takeaway here, it’s that video isn’t going anywhere. Review your video marketing and ask yourself the following questions: Is the subject matter or information out of date? Are your videos failing to capture more demographics? Do your videos reflect your company’s mission and vision? Is your brand obvious in your videos?

If you’re ready to update your video marketing, consider contacting your local marketing agency today.

Interacting With Your Audience Using Live Video

Live video.

There are many types of video your business can pursue to engage with customers, boost sales, and enhance your brand. So, which video is widely preferred and gets the most interaction with prospective customers? Live video is capturing the attention of many, and your consumers could be a part of that audience!

Why Is Live Video Great for Audience Interaction?

Cheap and Easy Production

While large video production has its place for advertising your company and products, it can be time-consuming and costly. Live video can be as simple as using Facebook or Instagram Live with a brief script ready to use. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with putting in some extra time and resources to really get people engaged with your live video, but if you’re in a time crunch, it’s for sure the way to go.

Customer Engagement

With live videos, you’re setting up the time for your customers to engage with you. Not only is this convenient for you, but it also is for them too! This is because you’re only engaging with the people who care about you, your company, and your brand. It’s an easy way to see what kind of people are engaging with your content, which will help you decide who to target when making your next advertisement post, picture, or video.

100% Ad-Free

There’s nothing more annoying than getting really into a video, and it’s suddenly cut to a 30-second advertisement in the middle of the video. If you don’t like it, chances are your consumers don’t either. Most streaming platforms offer ad-free content for you to create. The only advertisements your customers view is that of your business.

Real-Time Engagement Tool

Not only is it a great platform to get information across to customers, but you can talk to them in real-time with live chat. Live streaming gives people the capability to ask questions, leave testimonials, or just have a conversation with you. There are even certain platforms that allow you to have a person to hop on the livestream with you to have a verbal conversation in real-time. It’s a great tool to answer questions, thank customers, or sell your products and services.

Showcase for All Content

If you want to enhance your live streams and make it all the more exciting for audience members, it’s easy to add in graphics, images, text, and even video clips into your livestream. Sometimes it’s better to show customers than to tell them about something (i.e. a new product, statistics, etc.) and live streaming is a great place to showcase all content your business has that also invites in a personal engagement tool.

So, let’s see… live streaming is ad-free, cheap and easy to do, and convenient to engage with current and potential customers. What’s not to love? It’s a powerful tool to engage with the most involved customers, invite in new customers, and easy communication for everyone! Of course, it’s important to debate what’s best for your business, which is where we come in! We have the tools to bring all of your business dreams to life. For all of your questions about live streaming, email marketing, and everything in between, we’re your neighborhood marketing company.

Interacting With Your Audience Using Live Video

Live video.

There are so many different kinds of video that your business can pursue to engage with customers, boost sales, and enhance your company’s brand. So, which video is widely preferred and gets the most interaction with prospective customers? Live video is capturing the attention of many, and your consumers could be a part of that audience!

Cheap and Easy Production

While large video production absolutely has its place in advertising for your company and products, it can be time-consuming and costly. With live video, it can be as simple as turning on the webcam on Facebook or Instagram live with a brief script for you to go off of. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with putting in some extra time and resources to really get people engaged with your live video, but if you’re in a time crunch, it’s for sure the way to go.

Consumers Use Their Time to be on Your Time

With live videos, you’re setting up the time for your customers to engage with you. Not only is this convenient for you, but it is for them too! This is because you’re only engaging with the people who care about you, your company, and your brand. It’s an easy way to see what kind of people are engaging with your content, which will help you decide who to target when making your next advertisement post, picture, or video.

100% Ad Free

There’s nothing more annoying than getting really into a video, and it’s suddenly cut to a 30-second advertisement in the middle of the video. If you don’t like it, chances are your consumers don’t either. Most streaming platforms offer ad-free content for you to create. The only advertisements your customers view is that of your business.

Real-Time Engagement Tool

Not only is it a great platform to get information across to customers, but you can talk to them in real-time with live chat. Live streaming gives people the capability to ask questions, leave testimonials, or just have a conversation with you. There are even certain platforms that allow you to have a person to hop on the livestream with you to have a verbal conversation in real-time. It’s a great tool to answer questions, thank customers, or sell your products and services.

Showcase for all Content

If you want to enhance your live streams and make it all the more exciting for audience members, it’s easy to add in graphics, images, text, and even video clips into your livestream. Sometimes it’s better to show customers than to tell them about something (ie. a new product, statistics, etc.) and live streaming is a great place to showcase all content your business has that also invites in a personal engagement tool.

 

So, let’s see… live streaming is ad-free, cheap and easy to do, and it’s super easy to engage with current and potential customers? What’s not to love? It’s a powerful tool to engage with the most involved customers, invite in new customers, and easy communication for everyone! Of course, it’s important to debate what’s best for your business, which is where we come in! We have the tools to bring all of your business dreams to life. For all of your questions about live streaming, email marketing, and everything in between, we’re your neighborhood marketing company.

Drones, Safety, and Law: Some Things You Need To Know

Drones in video.

Drones have increased in popularity and the uses for them have grown significantly over the past few years. Especially for video productions that are used for a variety of reasons in the business world. With the increased amount of drones in the air, comes more and more regulations and concerns businesses need to be aware of.

The amount of pilots has increased significantly. Many of the pilots have the proper credentials to operate a drone legally for commercial purposes and many do not. Here are some items that businesses need to take into consideration before hiring a pilot to capture footage for your business:

  1. Be sure the pilot has a license. In order for a business to use drone footage for commercial purposes; it has to be captured by a licensed drone pilot. The FAA has strict guidelines regarding this and penalties can be handed out for used footage that was not done by a FAA tested pilot.
  2. Be sure the pilot has insurance. Many drone companies and commercially licensed pilots do not have the proper type of insurance that specifically covers drones. There are specific types of insurances for UAV pilots. So ask for a certificate of insurance prior to operations.
  3. Ask about their experience. Many people say they are drone pilots but fall short on the experience. Just because the ease of obtaining drones is there, doesn’t mean the individual has enough experience to handle the myriad of situations that present themselves during flights. Ask about how many flight hours they have, ask to see their flight logs, or ask what training they have received. A good pilot will not be offended by these inquiries.
  4. Has the flight been reported? Ask the pilot if he has reported the flight operations to all surrounding registered airports or aerial facilities prior to operations. This is a requirement by law and should be strictly followed.

So as you can see, there are lots of things to consider when it comes to hiring a service to capture aerial footage. Be sure to inquire about these points because taking these steps will insure the operations for your flight are safe and most importantly, legal.

Why is video needed in your Marketing mix?

This is a business team gathering around a laptop.

According to Wordstream, viewers retain 95% of information from watching a video compared to retaining 10% from reading the same information. This trend is astonishing to me but also understandable. When I look back at things I buy online or things I learn, it is the same for me. As a matter of fact, I think it may be worse because I can’t read a long article with my attention span but I can definitely watch a video or listen to a podcast. At this point, I am wondering how much more to write and how to line it up. According to that statistic, I should end it here! However, please continue and choose to be the 10%, then please go and watch the video or listen to the podcast to remember the rest.

 

Every good content marketing strategy encompasses a mixture of different things: blog, video, social, web, ads, and podcasts. Obviously, it is called content marketing for a reason! Think about those things, how many of those strategies can you incorporate into a video? The big question that we always get is, why?

 

  1. According to the same article on Wordstream, a video on your home screen can increase conversions by up to 80%. Who can’t use more leads?
  2. Video creates a personal touch that you can’t get anywhere else. The old saying, “People do business with people they like” is still important today. It may actually be more important because of the internet.
  3. According to an article written by Vidyard, 65% of viewers watch more than ¾ of a video. This is not even close to what people read!
  4. Search Engine Optimization asks you to link and backlink as much as possible as long as it is relevant content. What can be more relevant than you talking about your product on a video?
  5. Content Marketing Institute says that audiences are 10 times more likely to engage, share, and comment on a video than they are a blog or social post.
  6. Last but certainly not least, email is more seen and more returned with a video in the message.

 

About a year ago, a friend of mine told me that he was going to start doing a weekly video newsletter along with his regular newsletter. I got his newsletter and I fully admit that I only read about half of it on a regular basis. Since he started doing a video newsletter every Monday, I have learned so much about what is happening and what he is doing. I never knew most of that information before, even though I received his regular newsletter. This is an example of the power of video at its finest and a perfect reason to incorporate video into your marketing campaign.

 

The big obstacle that you will face with this is yourself. Most people do not like to be on video and admittedly, I am one of them. I believe I have a face for radio but I do videos on a regular basis because that is what is being asked of me by our clients. In the next article, I will talk about what you will do with a video once you have it.

What’s Up with video ads!

In case you haven’t heard, Google is getting stricter with the videos that go on Youtube. They are doing this because of an inappropriate video posted by a Youtube celebrity showing something that we will not even give mention to here. They have announced that they will now have a manual video review while they are reteaching the new algorithm they have. The new system that will be implemented is an Artificial Intelligence system or as we call it an AI system. This blog is not really about that, however. Although this is big news, it really does not have much to do with marketing. So, what are they changing in the marketing world?

  1. There will be new limits to showing ads on your channel. Last year, Google made the requirement of having a 10,000 view minimum in order to receive ads on your page. Now the new requirement is going to be 1,000 followers and 4,000 hours of viewing in the trailing 12 months. This new rule will take affect on February 20th.
  2. The manual vetting of Google preferred channels. As mentioned above, the reviews will get stricter. Google will be either hiring or reassigning 10,000 humans to review content. The goal is to have the video reviewed or denied within 8 hours after it’s uploaded. The same rule of 3 strikes and you are out will apply. If you violate the rules three times then your channel will be removed, period! This rule is expected to take effect by mid-February.
  3. New brand safety controls with 3rd party reporting. Advertisers will have more control of where ads are running and Google will be more transparent and tell the advertiser where. A new 3 tier “Suitability system” will be available to help make the decisions on where an advertiser’s video will appear. Google will be adding more partners in these endeavors. Currently, they are working with Ad Science and starting a beta with another company along with talking to many others. Currently, the only thing they are saying as far as a date, is sometime in the upcoming months. We would expect it by the summer for sure.

At this point you are probably thinking, so what? Why are you telling me about this, I am a small business. Well, even a small business does pre-rolls and video advertising and if you’re not, you should. These are good changes for small businesses because you will know more about where your money is going. If you do not agree morally or emotionally with a video you will be able to limit your videos away from those sites. Remember, your video is a representation of your product or service. By that same thought, your video will be attached psychologically to the video you are introducing.

https://paragonmarketinggroup.com/video-marketing/

Why Do I Need Video?

In today’s day and age people are very visual in nature. I know that at my house my kids are watching videos all the time. What amazes me even more is that I talk to people who say they are too busy to talk or to decide or even to go to the bathroom. However, those same people message me and say “Did you see the video on youtube? Wow, it was amazing”. Then I look at the video and it was the latest fails of the week. This is the world we live in now! People do not have the time to do as much as the world moves quickly but they can always watch the latest video.

Here is where reality crosses with marketing. We get calls everyday about video because that is what we do. Everybody wants to make a video that goes viral to promote their company. Did you know that less than 1% of videos go viral? To say that anybody has the secret sauce to make a video viral would be a lie. Not to mention, is the best representation of your company really a viral video? Viral videos are silly or show what not to do a lot of times. However, if you can get a 6 second video ad during the pre-roll of a viral video, it makes a lot of sense. The key to it is making the most out of 6 seconds. That we can do!

Having a video on the homepage of you website increases conversions by 80%. This statistic varies based on who you look up the statistic with; however, there is one common theme. Video gives you more conversions than words. Think about how many conversions you currently have from your site. Now think of how much your website costs you per lead. Who wouldn’t want the cost per lead to go down and the amount of leads to go up?

What do we record? You are not looking to be the next viral video so stop thinking it. You are wanting to show why someone HAS to have you as their vendor of choice for the project they have or why they have to buy the product they want from you. You do not have to reinvent the wheel but you do have to tell them why you! I have said it many times. Know the why of what you do. Why do people come to you? Why do people need you? Why do you exist as a company? If you answer those questions in a 15–30 second video then you can watch your leads roll. Do not try to shove 50 years into 30 seconds. It will not show well at all. Show the why now! I believe that there’s a place for history videos, bio videos and product videos, however, that place is not on your homepage. Furthermore, you should absolutely have those videos as well. Those videos should be throughout your website and they should all link to your Youtube page therefore fulfilling one requirement of content marketing.

So in short, should you have video as part of your overall strategy? YES, for sure and definitely!