Working in the online video field, we are bombarded by blogs, posts and forum discussions about video marketing, what works and what doesn’t. I think this can be a very daunting field for anyone who may be new to video marketing or creating a video. For instance, like an online travel marketing manager, who recently received an e-mail from his or her MD about “why does our competition have a video on their website and we dont?”
Many a marketing team have come up against this, and to be honest, the way that online marketing is embracing video, many many more will still have to deal with this. So I’m hoping this post can shed a little light into what we think are the most important factors to consider when looking into online video marketing.
Firstly… Many times we are approached and asked to create a video for a client. Our very first question is usually “why?” It’s not that we don’t like working and earning an income, it’s just that online video can take on so many different forms, and each one would have an intended purpose. For example, to increase conversion, to create as link bait and for use in seeding, to situate our client as a market expert and leader in that sector or simply to engage with their target audience and tell them a little more about who the company is, what they do and how awesome they are. It is for this reason that we ask “why?”
Once we have been able to figure out why our client needs video, the task of deciding what kind of video and how many to create becomes a lot more apparent. For example, one of our clients was not seeing a great deal of conversion on their site. (simply put, this meant people were browsing but not buying) For this reason it was decided to create 9 uniques videos to showcase what the holidays had to offer. 9 short 2min videos that covered everything from Sailing to Tennis and childcare. It is safe to say that the videos we created for Mark Warner have done their job exceedingly well and the site’s conversion rate has shot through the roof. Our client saw such great results with the summer videos that we were asked to come back and do the same for their winter holidays.
The second most important consideration is budget. Have a very clear idea of what can be spent on your video marketing. I’m sure it doesn’t need to be said that a good quality video will undoubtedly cost you more, however in the same breath, video has become a lot cheaper to produce over the years. Many years ago producing a 30 second TV advert could cost you anywhere from £10K to £100K+, but great strides have been made in modern camera and editing technology to bring the price down and the quality up. A good DSLR HD camera (the same camera’s we use for most productions) can cost anywhere between £500 and £3K. Im not saying it will be cheaper and easier for you to do it yourself, but those with the know how are able to charge less for their services now days. A reputable camera man or woman should be charging between £250-£500 per day, depending on their skill and experience, but for a simple interview you won’t be requiring Peter Jackson’s DOP (Director of Photography). So Depending on your budget, a reputable production company or freelancer will be able to tell you what you are able to get for the budget you have. Always ask to see examples of their work and ask for a ball park figure on what that specific production cost, how much time was spent on it and how many crew were used. This should start giving you an idea of what a similar quality video for your travel brand may cost.
Create your brief. A very important and sometimes overlooked part of the process for the marketing department. A good brief will ensure that your goals and aims set out above are adhered to by the video producers. Most video directors, camera people and editors are creative by nature and excel at what they do. For this reason never expect that they will know your marketing mix and target audience. For example, your destination is solely focused on couples holidays. The shoot is well underway and the camera man has spent the last few hours shooting some absolutely amazing shots of a family swimming and enjoying the beach. Unfortunately though, these shots can never be used and the camera man has wasted a few hours and thus your money on shooting the wrong content. A brief does not have to be a 20 page document outlining your entire marketing plan from what font you use to your brand colours. Simply put down what you think are going to be the most important things to focus on. If you are creating more than one video, think about writing a small bullet pointed paragraph on each section of the video including any shots you think would work in this video. Examples of those shots are a great way of getting your video crew on the same page. Include as many youtube links as you want to shots that you like. Include the timecode (min:sec) so they know exactly which shots you are talking about. Many production companies and freelancers may have already created countless types of online video marketing material, and will therefore have a very good understanding of what works and what doesn’t. Work in partnership with your video crew to set out a brief that everyone is in agreement with. This will make your production process more… well, productive.
There are many many more factors to consider, but we will leave those for another post.
Please do let us know, if you found this useful, in the comments below.
Finally, if you, or someone you know, works as a marketing manager for the travel, leisure or tourism sector please help us supply them with a better service by answering 9 quick questions. We promise it will only take a few minutes. simply click here
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