lame videos may do more damage to your brand than no videos at all

Video is eating the internet (and how to get on the menu)

There are 300 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute. Cisco tells us that by 2019, video will be 80% of all consumer internet traffic, up from 64% in 2014. Video on demand will double by 2019, with over 70% of that HD. Thankfully broadband speeds are supposed to double in that same time frame. And with our smart phones permanently attached, we can find out almost anything, at any time.

So, about those little financial education videos you were thinking of shooting…

No, I don’t mean to imply you should give up on that idea. But you do need a strategic plan if you hope they will stand out from all of that noise. After all, lame videos may do more damage to your brand than no videos at all.

First, understand what your audience is looking for.

Since YouTube is the 800# gorilla, let’s first look at what people are actually interested in watching. According to Google, people are searching for these categories:

  1. “I want to watch what I’m into” (Inspiration/Entertainment: 53%)
  2. “I want to know” (Learning/Research: 70%)
  3. “I want to do” (How-to videos are seeing a 70% increase yearly)
  4. “I want to buy” (82% of smart phone users use them while shopping in a store)

Google defines these searches as “micro-moments”, the crucial part of the consumer journey that provide the best opportunities for your brand to reach your audience at the moment they are actively seeking that information. By understanding these micro-moments, you can see where your brand legitimately intersects with your audience’s daily life. When your video matches with their interests, the connection is always stronger.

Create useful content that will be there when they are looking.

No one will watch your CEO drone on about a new branch, but they might want to know how to get a better deal on a car loan when they are standing in a car lot, or how to consolidate their student loans when they are paying their bills. Figure out their question, then provide the answer.

Make sure people know it is there.

Put them on YouTube or Vimeo. Embed and promote them on your web site, on your social media pages. Feature the series in your newsletter. Look at buying geo-targeted ads on YouTube. Spread the news around and don’t keep it a secret.

Remember: If your brand isn’t there when they are looking, chances are that another brand will be.

 

Kent Dicken
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