A compelling video has the power to draw an unprecedented number of people to a business’s website and — with the right approach — it can solidify or revamp a company’s brand image.
The most famous example of the power of online video advertising is the Dove Real Beauty Campaign. Launched in early 2013, the real beauty video became the number one viewed online video ad of all time in less than a month, according to a PR release by Unilever, the soap’s manufacturer. In addition to spreading the Dove name through 110 countries, the ad painted the brand in a new light, making Dove synonymous with the idea of beauty, a definite boom for the company.
More Effective Than Traditional Venues
Dove isn’t the only company to benefit from online ads, and according to research collected by eMarketer, 75 percent of ad execs think that online videos are more effective than advertising on traditional venues. While radio advertising, trade show booths and TV spots cost a pretty penny, videos can be made for a relatively low cost.
Armed with a digital camera and a bit of creativity, anyone can shoot their own commercial. Video amateurs don’t even need to shoot all of their own footage, thanks to companies like Shutterstock Footage that offer a huge catalog of professional and beautiful looking video footage.
Multiple Venues Reach Millions of Potential Viewers
Business owners can garner attention for their videos through any of the web’s video networking sites, and interested viewers can easily click through the video to reach the company’s main site. Companies who don’t want their videos to get lost in the relative anonymity of YouTube can create a six second video to reach out to the 40 million viewers on Vine, or they can create videos that appeal to a more artistic crowd on Vimeo.
In order to reach a maximum number of viewers, businesses should post their videos on as many sites as possible and share them aggressively on their own social media accounts.
Industry Authority
A compelling video that has the potential to be shared and re-shared over social media has the power to bring millions to a company’s webpage, but it isn’t the only effective type of video. Many companies, like family-run Mishler Plumbing Services in Indiana, post videos that paint them as experts in their field.
Theoretically, if someone visits a plumber’s website and learns how to replace their faucet or how to snake their toilet, they won’t need to use that company’s services. However, if the user finds value in the company’s videos, they will return to that site time and again. They may even recommend it to their family and friends.
In the consumer’s eye, the company has become an expert in the industry, and their brand has become synonymous with knowledge and reliability. The next time the video-watching consumer needs to hire an expert, that company will be the first one to spring to mind.
Independent Testimonials
Instead of filling their sites with blandly written customer testimonials, some companies are jazzing them up with a few videos instead. Pick the regulars who best reflect your brand’s image, and have them shoot a short video extolling the virtues of your company. To boost client involvement and social media shares, consider hosting a video review contest and advertising it on your Facebook page.