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Written by: Idit Lowenstein | Penguin Strategies
So, you’re probably asking yourself, what’s the importance of marketing videos, and how can they improve brand awareness? It’s quite simple- If you’re able to hack the viral phenomena, you are in effect growing your brand awareness at lightning speed.
It’s almost incomprehensible that in 24 hours your brand can go from "zero to hero."
Before I discuss the “how” behind viral success, you need to understand the “why”. Why you? Why do some videos catch fire and others remain nameless?
Based on a study done by Harvard Business Review , there are two main components to why some videos go viral, and others don’t.
SOCIAL MOTIVATION:
Research shows that there are 10 motivations for social sharing . The most successful videos should elicit a broad range of motivations. This includes seeking friends approval, wanting to start an online conversation, sharing useful content with friends, social expression and much more.
In today's age, your online presence plays a role in how others perceive you. Therefore, it’s crucial to pinpoint your personas, and make content that is in their interest to share.
EMOTIONAL RESPONSE:
When people think of emotion, most think that humor is the driving factor for videos to be shared successfully. But it’s very tricky to nail, and is culturally sensitive.
Ever watch a video where you were laughing uncontrollably, and someone else in the room was staring blankly at the screen? Humor is extremely subjective. There’s a fine line between hysterical and offensive.
Since that is the reality, companies should strive to evoke a couple positive responses to make sure that the content you’re sharing actually resonates. Don’t forget, the more intense the reaction, the better!
Some emotions you should try to trigger are: happiness, warmth, surprise and hilarity. Stay away from confusion, contempt, disgust, anger and controversy.
Now, let’s get into some practical tips to consider in order to create effective marketing videos :
ELICIT REACTION
There is an endless amount of information on the internet, but most of it is garbage. Your audience is always searching for valuable, interesting information that will improve their daily tasks.
If your video is engaging, compelling, and informative, it is also very shareable. Everyone wants to learn something they didn’t know, right? That’s where your video should come in.
Wondering how to make your video stand out? It’s all about the wow-effect. You want people to walk away thinking: wow, that’s cool, I want to learn more. You don’t need to have a revolutionary idea to do this. It’s all about your presentation.
The Dollar Shave Club video is a great example of eliciting reaction, with a genius presentation. Their business concept is good, nothing transcendent. But what makes it so clever is how it appeals to the brand’s target market so well.
They conducted research, realized their persona, and created an effective video accordingly.
KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES
If you want your videos to go viral, it might be time to brush up on current events. By tapping into an existing trend, you can increase the odds that your content will be viewed and shared by people who are already interested in the topic.
According to USA Today, the knowledgeable Jimmy Kimmel wakes up in the morning, checks his email and heads straight to the websites of CNN and MSNBC to “see what’s happening nationally.”
If you speak the same language as your target audience and present interest in the same topics, they will be a lot more likely to share your content.
DON’T BE OVERLY PROMOTIONAL
If you create a successful marketing video, it’s likely to be the first time many viewers hear about your company. For this reason, it’s important that your video oozes your brand’s personality without being over promotional.
You should be informative, comprehensible, and engaging without giving off a “hard sell”. A good way to do this, is by telling a story. Give viewers enough information about your company, leaving them wanting more.
Just in case you haven’t seen it, here’s a great example of a video that was extremely engaging, without being promotional.
This extremely successful video from LG for example, engages viewers and makes them laugh and be amazed at the same time. Only at the end did they deliver the marketing message, but they gave viewers a reason to stay watching until the end by telling a compelling story.
Next time you’re creating marketing videos, try implementing these tips. You won’t regret it!
After reading these 5 key takeaways from the State of Inbound, it should be abundantly clear that if you’re looking to attract, convert, close, and delight your customers , it’s time to join the light side of the force and start developing your inbound marketing strategy.