Leveraging Video

In our previous journals we’ve talked at length about the BtoB use of Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. This time, we zero in on another attribute of a well-stocked communications tool box – video.

According to the San Jose Mercury News “All told, Americans spent an average of 500 minutes per person viewing videos in July, in aggregate, 21.4 million online videos. Those numbers were up 87 percent and 113 percent respectively from July 2008.” PRNews states, “…a growing number of executives across all industries are learning to leverage the platform to get their messages to the masses.”

Whether you are developing a strategic program for YouTube or tactically placing videos on your web site, let’s talk briefly about a few basic best practices to make it an effective way to reach your target audience.

• Don’t come across as an amateur (mostly)
  You need to understand the technology and the resources needed to launch a video program. If your company does not have an in-house department or proven professional source, find a production company that can demonstrate what they can do for you within the constraints of your budget. Trying to be your own editor can not only be time consuming, but a formula for disaster.
  
  The communicators, from the company President on down, need to be trained. Don’t let it be the CEO’s first time on video. Nothing can communicate nuances of body language and verbal intonations as well as video. An understanding of this can help keep “fake enthusiasm” from ruining your best efforts.
  
  Now we’ll contradict ourselves a little. It’s OK to bring out your Sony and make a short (notice I underlined short) – amateurish clip. With today’s “Facebook mentality” a quick, even grainy spot, is not only the rage, but can be very effective for social media marketing. Your video can be something informative, purely entertaining or even a tidbit of industry news. You may want to invest in an external microphone ($50-$100) and be conscious of your lighting. But it will show that you are “real” and not simply mimicking a TV commercial. These videos really do get watched.
  
  
• Tell a Story
  Simply put, your script should be relevant, timely, and provide exclusive content. To make it interesting and insure engagement, give the audience a story as you communicate the elements of your message. YouTube is loaded with good examples of this technique. Here are a couple: a more serious one from Cisco, and a humorous story from IBM.
  
  
• Going Viral
  Viral video – video that spreads rapidly from user to user without a big marketing push – is one of YouTube’s best features. But it is not as easy at it may seem. It’s up to the viewers themselves if they want to pass it along – so you wouldn’t consider it a “strategy.” As a communications executive, the only thing you can do to employ this as a tactic is to make the content compelling, and ideally (if appropriate), humorous. Many successful viral marketing videos have a loose, make-believe or comical connection between the product and the video. This video from Microsoft is a perfect example: www.megawoosh.com. And it is still creating worldwide buzz on its own.
  
  If your hope is to go viral and it falls flat, you have the advantage of choosing to delete it quickly. But remember, many videos go viral long after they are made, so as long as it is still relevant, don’t take it down.
  
  
• Measuring & Monitoring
  Like most social media tools, YouTube comes with a number of built-in metrics that help gauge your traffic. Rick Wion of PRNews says “You must measure commentary and sentiment in addition to traffic.” For traffic he recommends looking at:
  • Views
  • Embeds
  • Regional Traffic
  • Referrals to other sites
  • Pickup through other outreach efforts
    
    
  For sentiment, consider comments, favorites, star ratings and responses.
  
  
• Make it part of the whole
  Video marketing isn’t going to stand on its own. So make sure from the beginning that it is integrated on brand and message with your other vehicles. Manage it with a defined plan, allocated resources, dedicated percentage of staff time and measurement goals. The use of video as a marketing vehicle can really offer deeper engagement than it is often given credit for.
  
  Sources: San Jose Mercury News, PRNews