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Activities like shopping, socializing, and more were already migrating to online platforms, but that trend really took off during the pandemic. The way we started consuming not only goods and services, but also content shifted drastically. How has this impacted advertising campaigns? By making video ads even more visible and effective than before. From children to seniors, people of all ages are spending more time in online environments. This being the case, it only makes sense for businesses in all industries to make the most of these growing online audiences.
With more and more companies beefing up their video marketing campaigns, consumers have come to expect a certain level of quality. If a video looks like the producers didn’t take it seriously, neither will they. Some companies end up building a team that can produce videos in-house, while others use video production companies like Charter & Co. Producing high-quality videos may not be easy or cheap, but the impact that even a single well-made video ad can have should be more than worth the cost.
Why video marketing is so powerful
You already know what video advertisements are – we’ve all watched countless of them. If you think about which video ads seemed the most captivating or engaging, they probably all have a few things in common.
- They were produced by experts
- They communicated the brand message clearly
- They made the product or service seem appealing and relevant
- They were easier for you to remember than other forms of advertising (print, picture, etc.)
And to top it all off, they were speaking to their target audience – of which you may have been a member. From luxury Italian perfume to Doritos, each video ad is perfectly crafted to paint a brand image, and then invite the consumer to participate in that image. Can this be done through other forms of advertising? Sure, to an extent; just not as well as with video.
What kinds of videos can make up a video marketing campaign?
Today’s consumers want to be informed about the products they’re buying. At the same time, though, many of them aren’t that great about doing the research for themselves. This means that brands can provide value through their video ads, simply by presenting relevant information in an engaging way. These are some of the types of videos that you might see in an ad campaign:
- Thought leadership – The brand is an industry expert, enough to present their takes on various topics and be listened to by consumers.
- Testimonial – This scores high in relatability, especially if it seems like the subjects of the videos are genuine customers. They’re always presented as such, but let’s be real – sometimes the deception is obvious, even with a sky-high production budget. Notwithstanding, testimonial videos are a tried-and-true strategy in video advertisements.
- Promo – From a new product release to a sale, promotional video ads are everywhere. This is how brands get the word out about upcoming opportunities to save money, try a new product, or participate in a giveaway, among many other things.
- How-to – It’s important for consumers to feel like their favorite brands provide value, and how-to videos can have a big impact in that regard. Even if they shamelessly promote themselves throughout the video, customers can still get helpful information from the content. A great example of this is recipe videos, in which a crowd-pleasing dish (which just so happens to use the company’s product) is prepared with easy-to-follow instructions. Another example is a product demonstration-style video, which helps potential customers see themselves benefiting from the product just like the demonstrator.
- Explainer – Sometimes consumers need products explained to them, and that’s when companies produce this type of video advertisement. If customers can watch an engaging, sleek video with the information they’re looking for, rather than having to read about it from a source they found themselves, this will position the brand as intuitive and helpful. And since today’s marketplace is all about offering availability and convenience, these videos fit right in.
- Brand – Many companies use video advertisements to create a consumer-friendly image by describing their ethos, their founder’s backstory, or something else that consumers find relatable. Brand videos establish emotional connections with viewers, piquing their interest and (hopefully) making them more willing to be a part of the brand with their purchase.
Most companies will use a combination of these types of videos over time. They might lean on one or another type, but never exclusively on just one or two.
4 key benefits of video ads
It’s easy to talk about how much people prefer videos over text-based content, or the shortening attention span of the average consumer; there’s plenty of data that points companies towards video ads. But what are some of the actual benefits?
- They meet customers’ needs and preferences – Are there other ways to get the information that a customer is looking for? Probably. Would they prefer to watch a succinct, well-produced video that tells them everything they need to know, and does it in an entertaining way? Obviously, yes.
- They boost SEO – When Google ranks sites (which has a huge impact on their traffic), one of the things it looks for is video content. Embedded videos help sites rank higher, so customers can find a company online with minimal effort.
- They increase engagement – Want to keep people looking at your content longer? Give them videos. According to Forbes, users spend nearly 90% more time on sites that have video content.
- They drive up profit margins – This is what it’s all about, and it’s why some companies spend thousands to millions of dollars on a single video ad. With the right production, message, and offering, video ads can have a huge impact on sales as well as brand awareness.
The takeaway
The marketplace has evolved considerably over the past few years, and this is likely to continue. If companies want to keep up with consumer expectations, they should focus on video advertisements to build their brand’s reach, keep sales strong, and keep their customers coming back for more.