Observing my toddler watch other kids play with toys on YouTube recently resulted in an epiphany for me. We’re shifting from a goods consumption based society to an information consumption based society. We’re all insatiable consumers of information. Sure we still want ‘stuff’, but we’re not willing to shell out for ‘stuff’ unless we’ve sufficiently trolled the interwebs for all the available information on said ‘stuff’. We’re all looking for others to qualify every interaction with a brand by crowdsourcing as much experiential information from others as possible first. Also, we’re lazy (collectively speaking). We want to consume information in the most efficient manner possible.
Enter YouTube. More than 300 hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube every minute and the number one type of content is the product review. Number two is the ‘How To’ video. The good news is that this gives you the opportunity to tell the story of your digital brand in creative and unique ways if you can create engaging content that drives the conversation about your products or services. While I take the smartphone away from my daughter and hand her a set of crayons, let’s take a look at how you can capture more views and control more of the conversation about your brand video content.
While Cinemasters does video production in Phoenix, we are really in the business of producing high-quality videos that tell a story. Through the years we have produced countless brand videos and have uncovered the secret to getting 100,000 views on YouTube. The magic formula we discovered is: provide real value to the viewer, keep it organic, and keep it engaging. Here’s a few tips you can to implement to embrace this strategy on your next project:
Real Value is the Real Deal
To ensure your brand video content provides value to your viewers, you need to know who your audience is. By knowing your customers, you know what motivates them, what intrigues them, and what they will find valuable. Keep this information front of mind through every step of the video process and the views will start to add up. To deliver that value, use real users, experts or someone with enough credibility to qualify the information as valuable.
Organic Or Bust
Organic videos tell a story that viewers want to hear. A great way to generate this type of content is to add ancillary shots to an already scheduled video shoot. During an endorsement video shoot with a famous UFC coach, Greg Jackson, we added a series of fun and informative videos destined for YouTube. These add on items were shot between takes with “available” lighting using a “direct-to-camera” approach, which added no additional cost to the shoot.
The main endorsement video that came out of this shoot received about 5K views on YouTube, while one of the short videos of Coach Jackson explaining how to use an abdominal roller received nearly a quarter million views. This translated into huge digital brand recognition and sales for the client. At the end of the day, people don’t opt in to see ads, they want a story that will resonate with them or free information from an expert or real user.
Engaged Viewers Are Returning Viewers
Every day, 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube. If you want at least one (or preferable a few hundred) of those views to be of your brand video, you need to keep viewers engaged. One of the most important factors in developing engaging content for your digital brand is to ensure your video doesn’t feel forced or salesy. That can be achieved by having the right talent.
When Cinemasters was hired to create an endorsement video for the testosterone booster Testo Fuel, we knew we needed a true advocate for the product. Enter Robby Robinson. This former Mr. Universe is in his 70s and still looks like he could walk on stage take the title. In addition to having a great story, Robby truly believes in the product, making him the perfect fit. The audience seemed to agree with our pick. The final endorsement video topped 100,000 views on YouTube in the first year. I’m not suggesting that every video needs paid talent. Sometimes an in-house expert can be just as engaging if they are relatable and authentic in their delivery of the information. Someone from your staff demoing a product might be just as effective an independent expert or celebrity endorser.
A well-crafted brand video can increase conversion, sales, and leads for your digital brand. You can’t always predict the success of a video, but can bet that viewers will opt in for engaging and informative content. Stack the deck in your favor by knowing your audience, finding the right talent, and always aiming to deliver real value. With organic, engaging videos that provide real value to your views you are on the right track to getting your brand 100K views on YouTube.
For a comprehensive guide on how to find, negotiate, and produce video endorsements check out our free guide: Finding, Negotiating, and Producing Great Video Endorsements. For a info on what makes a testimonial video effective, download a free copy of our complete guide to recruiting & producing fantastic testimonial videos.
If you’re a marketing director or business owner interested in video production in Phoenix or around the country, feel free to drop us a line through our website.
