How to Run a Video Advertising Campaign
Videos are everywhere. You can’t escape it. Just the other day, I was at Jersey Mike’s with my daughter, ordering a sub like a pro, when I saw my daughter’s rapt attention pointed at a wall T.V. “Dad,” she asked, “what’s that?” It was WWE, and she’d never seen the like.
My point is that video captivate us, whether we want it to or not — and there’s the catch. You want your target audience to enjoy watching your videos because they’re good, not because a 300-pound man in a leotard is strutting like a peacock (well, on second thought . . . ).
You can and should, in other words, make your videos worth watching and consistent with your other brand outlets.
If you’re new to video creation or you’re just not sure how to go about launching a video-marketing campaign, then look no further.
Build a plan backing up your marketing strategy
Sure, you can make one-off videos and throw them at your YouTube channel every now and then. But, and I’m deadly serious here, the better you integrate videos into your overall marketing approach, the better your end result will be.
Videos need to fit into your brand, messaging, and other ad campaigns. The key here is consistency. You don’t want your website copy to carry a different voice than the one you use in your newsletters, videos, or whatever. You need to fit your videos into your existing framework, support your wider goals, and help present a coherent message about your business. To do this, you’re going to need a plan.
What’s the goal?
Are you looking to increase awareness? Drive higher engagement? Boost conversions? Creating realistic goals is the first step in achieving success in video marketing. But whatever you do, just make sure that your aims sync with your overall marketing objectives and are measurable.
Who’s your audience?
Your audience isn’t everyone who raises a curious eyebrow at your products and services. Your goal isn’t to “go viral.” Be clear on who your target audience is for each marketing goal you have. Hook up with some user-experience designers if you need to, and have them create a couple of user personas to make your goal alignment easier.
What’s the message?
You’ve got things to communicate. Your audience has things they care about. You need to combine the two into a message that will generate the desired thoughts and feelings in your viewers that result in action. Keep it simple, too. Ask yourself, “What’s the one thing my ad needs to get across?”
Where are your distributing?
You should select advertising channels based on where you’re most likely to reach your target audience. If the bulk of your audience is rocking Etsy, then, by Zeus, throw some ads up on Etsy!
What’s the budget?
How much are you prepared to spend? What’s your goal worth to you and what do you realistically need to put forward to achieve it? Use past advertising data as a benchmark or even recent industry statistics.
Craft to Entertain, Inspire, or Educate
You’ve got a plan. Great! Now it’s time to flex your creative muscles and put together some engaging and effective video content.
How can you attract your audience, appeal to their values, and get your message across through visuals, sound and emotion — all while meeting the requirements of your chosen channels?
I know. Videos are everywhere and they’re all trying to steal your target audience (jerks!). So when it comes down to it, your videos need to do one of the following:
1. Entertain
2. Inspire
3. Educate
In short, you’ve got to offer something worth watching. Don’t drone on like an amateur podcaster. Your target audience wants meaningful content. They don’t want to know what you did at the waterpark last Saturday.
Start by using visual elements that grab your audience’s eye and, just when they start paying attention, hook their hearts.
If you understand your target audience, then crafting a compelling emotional message should be easy. Ask yourself: “What’s the best way to create videos that will resonate genuinely with my selected audience?”
Finally, end your ad on a clear and simple Call-to-Action. Make it obvious what you want your people to do next.
Spread Your Content with Smart Distribution
Running online video advertising campaigns requires care, dedication and, as my old Drill Sergeant, Staff Sergeant Walker used to say, “Attention to detail!” Past the initial setup, your videos will need to be managed and optimized. You’ll probably also need to track your metrics so that you can measure your success and build on it.
Here are some basic rules to consider when distributing your videos:
Be as specific as you can in regard to your audience. It generally pays to be more specific in your targeting, as you’re less likely to waste money.
Keep in mind how your videos are impacting your wider marketing efforts. Your brand presence should be consistent and clear. If the way you’re communicating with your audience changes — perhaps you update the style of your monthly newsletter — then make sure to update your videos, too.
Always keep optimizing, tweaking, and learning. Don’t just rely on best practices: learn what works for your business or brand, in your industry and to your audience. Reassess frequently. Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
Conclusion
Videos are hard. It takes a lot of work to create, disseminate, and optimize your video content strategy. But it’s not impossible. To get it done, think through these steps and apply them the best way you can. Eventually, you’ll get better. Your target audience will be thrilled. And your bank account will thank you — just don’t quote me on that last one.
Producing original content and maintaining a digital marketing plan can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Brand Viva Media is a Denver-based agency that creates custom content and marketing strategies for our clients. When you have the marketing plan you need, your brand gains exposure, customers engage more, and your business flourishes.