THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK 2 THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK Video is no longer “just an option”; it is the option. In today’s rapidly evolving business world, one thing has become abundantly clear: video is king. Now, more than ever, both consumer and business audi- ences are expressing a preference (and, in most cas- es, an expectation) for video. According to a recent Forbes study, video content is projected to increase from 74 percent of global Internet traffic to up to 80 percent. Not only that, but four times as many consumers said they would prefer to watch a video about a product than to read about one. There is no question that video is in high demand. Consumer desire — and expectation — for video will only increase, which means that a consistent output of video content is key if you want to be successful. Applied Art & Technology 3 Global Internet Traffic 2017 2019 74% 80% video video But why is video so effective? It’s simple, really. More than anything, good video content connects with audiences because of its em- phasis on storytelling. When done right, there is no better way to influence behavior and inspire action than with a well-crafted video that tells a powerfully human story. At Applied Art & Technology, we’re experts when it comes to visual storytelling, having spent the past 25 years crafting stories with an array of video mar- keting techniques. Leveraging our 25 years of indus- try experience, we’ve compiled a list of 50 different ways you can use video to better reach your target audience and, most importantly, achieve your goals. 4 THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK Table of Contents PREFACE 2 MARKETING AND ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS 6 PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNITY 19 RELATIONS TRADE SHOW AND EVENT VIDEOS 25 CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT 32 CUSTOMER REFERENCE VIDEOS 42 PRODUCT AND SERVICE PROMOTION 49 Applied Art & Technology 5 CORPORATE/INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS 54 EMPLOYEE TRAINING 63 CUSTOMER SUPPORT 68 LOOKING FORWARD 73 SUMMARY/AFTERWORD 79 6 THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK Chapter 1 MARKETING AND ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS Applied Art & Technology 7 The first, and possibly most important, category of video marketing promotes your business’s value through targeted campaigns. The secret to master- ing these types of videos is understanding all the various platforms on which you can distribute your content. 1. Mobile Smartphones are the best way to reach that coveted 18 to 34 demographic, better known as millennials. A study conducted by Google and Ipsos found that a whopping 98 percent of smartphone owners aged 18 to 34 used their phones to watch video content. Creating video content optimized for mobile view- ers is quickly becoming the best way to reach the most consumers with extremely specialized messag- ing. This is because geolocation technology now allows for more targeted advertisements and other video-driven content. It is also important to note that recent developments in mobile-focus video, such as Instagram’s IGTV up- date, place an emphasis on vertical orientation for better mobile viewing — a drastic change to video’s long-accepted horizontal presentation. 8 THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK 2. Content Marketing For years now, content marketing has been a suc- cessful method of reaching target audiences and generating leads. Now, with the surging popularity of video, content marketers are incorporating video content along with written copy, such as blog posts and e-books. In addition to driving traffic, the beauty of content marketing is that there is a wide variety of videos that you can use to better meet your audience’s needs throughout the conversion funnel. This funnel re- flects the stages your buyers typically go through on their path to purchase (Awareness, Consideration and Decision), and each stage requires uniquely tar- geted video content. Whether you’re targeting consumer sales through customer relationship management (CRM) or are en- gaging in B2B, video may prove to be your most ef- fective lead generation tool. Applied Art & Technology 9 3. Pre-Roll Advertising With the arrival of YouTube and other video sharing sites came the unprecedented opportunity to create specialized video content that appeals directly to consumers’ interests. YouTube (now, the world’s second largest search en- gine) has become a hotbed of video marketing con- tent — most notably, with pre-roll advertising. Typi- cally played before a user is able to watch a video, most pre-roll ads now come with the option to skip after five seconds. Although pre-roll videos may have acquired the no- torious reputation of being “annoying,” the fact is that these video advertisements are extremely effec- tive at raising brand awareness. According to a Nielsen analysis reported on by Face- book, watching less than three seconds of a pre-roll video can create up to 47 percent of a campaign’s value for ad recall and as much 44 percent of the val- ue for purchase intent. Better yet, these values only increase the longer the user watches the video. 10 THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK 4. Email Video is particularly effective in email marketing cam- paigns, with videos increasing click-through rates by up to 200 to 300 percent. Although well-written copy will always be an effective marketing tool, videos are simply better geared for delivering information in a succinct and visually engaging way. At the very least, pairing compelling copy with a complementary vid- eo is a surefire way to boost engagement. Placing a purposeful “call to action” at the end of an email-embedded video can also generate further engagement — whether that be downloading relat- ed content or sharing the video on social media. Applied Art & Technology 11 5. Social Media Social video may be one of the most critical compo- nents of any successful marketing campaign going forward. Isolated video content is a thing of the past on the web, as sharing video is a central aspect of all major social media sites. This means wider reach for marketing campaigns, since video content can now be distributed among users themselves. Each social network has unique audiences and, as a result, social videos must be properly optimized for these different platforms. A video created for Face- book will likely look much different than one created for Twitter or LinkedIn, for example — both in terms of appearance and messaging. Building a strong video presence on these social plat- forms will also allow you to take advantage of certain marketing opportunities unique to each channel. Whether it be uploading a Facebook Live video that promotes direct engagement with your audience, or creating Snapchat geofilters for users to overlay on their own videos, the possibilities are truly endless. 12 THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK 6. Microsites Although similar to landing pages, microsites differ because they possess specific domains that encom- pass a single subject or campaign. While landing pages consist of just one page, microsites can con- tain between three and 30 pages of unique content. Microsites benefit from video content that comple- ments the story they tell about a certain product or service — all while responding directly to your vis- itors’ needs. The inclusion of video often leads to stronger engagement and, ultimately, higher con- version rates. Applied Art & Technology 13 7. Landing Pages The purpose of a landing page is to deliver content at the moment it is most wanted, with conversion be- ing the end goal. Landing pages tell a story about you and your business in a matter of seconds, and if your story doesn’t offer a resolution for your visitors, they’re likely to bounce. Given the storytelling capabilities of video, it’s no wonder that conversion rates increase by 86 percent when a video is featured on a landing page. Howev- er, it’s not as easy as throwing a video on your page and hoping it sticks. Here are some of the strategies you can use to opti- mize your landing page with a well-placed video: • Place the video “above the fold” of your landing page • Use an effective thumbnail image • Disable the autoplay function on your video • Keep your video short, but attention grabbing • Include a recognizable call to action • Tell a story that complements your landing page 14 THE VIDEO IDEA BOOK 8. Interactive/360-Degree Video This type of content takes video’s ability to engage to the next level. Traditional online video is fairly lim- ited in its level of direct user interaction; oftentimes, viewers only have the power to pause, fast forward and rewind. However, with interactive video, a wider array of options becomes available for visitors to en- gage with your content. Viewers can click the screen to explore certain areas, complete forms, answer questions, purchase prod- ucts and even download content — all without leav- ing the video player window. 360-degree videos, in particular, have surged in pop- ularity recently, thanks to the unprecedented interac- tivity they offer. In fact, studies show that users tend to watch interactive videos for longer periods of time, with twice as many users watching 360-videos to completion when compared to flat frame videos. Applied Art & Technology 15 9. Branded Entertainment Branded entertainment is exactly what it sounds like. It’s entertainment-based content that complements a brand’s marketing strategy. The most success- ful examples of branded entertainment and spon- sored videos range from “The Lego Movie” to Red Bull-sponsored clips of extreme bike tricks. No matter your budget, you can create successful branded entertainment as long as your focus is on storytelling. By creating a compelling video that tells an entertaining story, you’ll quickly establish a con- nection with your viewers while raising positive brand awareness.