The Audience Is Not On Your Side (Yet)
Video is a medium that naturally brings out a lot of engagement. With that, however, is usually a healthy serving of scorn too. Here's something we find REALLY fascinating about video audience behavior; we’ve noticed that if a viewer has any grievance with a brand, they are more likely to air that on a piece of video content than an image or text post. It's something about the connection that video makes that brings out both the best and worst in people. The thing that surprises us most is how optimistic many brands are about how the audience will react to content. It's our job to plan for this when working with our clients and make content that will not only engage positively with the majority but not exacerbate any pre-existing negative brand responses.
If Anyone Says They're A Video Marketing Expert, They're Not
We are very proud to say that we are very experienced. However, within an industry that is constantly evolving, it is almost impossible to maintain the expertise at every or any given moment. Why? Because it's impossible. The landscape of video is changing so rapidly each day. How could you know it all? The way we see it is that making great video requires a constant openness to refining and re-learning. We like to think we know a fair bit, but I think a mindset of discovery, experimentation, and refinement is more important for our clients than shouting from the hills about how much we know. Keep it fresh or fall behind.
Targets And Metrics Can Kill A Great Experience
Having objectives is great, but brand teams should focus not just on conversion but also on how content marketing can entertain, inspire, and educate. Not every video needs to convert. Not every bit of content requires a click to go with it. Sometimes video is just about creating an experience and leaving it at that. A fancy restaurant may put beautiful artwork on the walls, but do they focus on how many dessert orders each picture converted? The artwork helped build the overall ambiance and experience, but it doesn't need to be measured critically in the conversion of the product. Video is the way we create a meaningful connection with an audience, and sometimes it's worth doing just that and nothing more.
You Can't Please Everyone, So Don't
The amount of strategic squeezing that goes into a video campaign in an effort to please everyone sometimes results in a safe, sanitized experience. If you listened to the average video marketing expert, they might advise you that the "perfect" video has specific characteristics to achieve MAXIMUM reach. They may say it must be mute-friendly, with baked-in subtitles and a clickable call-to-action in a square format. But in reality, each brand's audience is different, and we like to lead our clients towards a good balance of reach and experience that is right for them and their viewers.
Beware Of The Bandwagons
Video equipment and software have never been more affordable. Gone are the days that edit suites used to take up an entire room. This is wonderful for enabling brands to make their own authentic content in-house. However, it also means there are a few new members of the world of filmmaking masquerading as experienced professionals. Beware of the agencies that say they do web design, SEO, digital marketing...and video. Web design companies that suddenly offer video should be approached with caution. It saddens us to see a brand's investment being diverted into agencies where video is a recent trendy and an inexperienced afterthought rather than a lifelong love of the craft.
Tattoo Content Studio | 704 Morris Street, Charlotte, NC 28208 | 704.900.7150
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