In a nutshell

More and more companies are realising the value of a strong digital presence for their brand. Video content is one of the most exciting and engaging ways to capture the attention of your audience. With the right blend of imaginative storytelling and eye-catching imagery, and when used in the right place, video can be a great addition to your marketing campaigns.

What are Branded Videos?

Branded video is marketing content that is sponsored or created by a brand. ie your company. Rather than interrupt customers with a blatant advert, a good, branded video will fit into the type of content being consumed and enhance the customer’s digital experience with an authentic, emotive story. It is a clever way of getting your brand in front of your potential clients without them realising they are being sold to.

Companies who have done well with creating shareable content that barely mentions their product include Always, who have focussed on body positivity and equality for women in their video stories, and the John Lewis Christmas advert, which has become an anticipated annual ‘event’.

How does it help?

• Video boosts conversion rates. Video should be seen as an investment – according to HubSpot, including video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80%!
• Video is a great addition to your email marketing campaigns
• Search engines love video
• Video builds trust and credibility.
• Video encourages social shares.

Things to consider

• Create square (1:1) videos rather than landscape (16:9). Square videos are better for mobile as they fill up 78% more of the screen than landscape videos (most video views are now on mobile).
• As 90% of video is consumed on mobile phones, on public transport, at work, or in bed after lights out, your customers are often viewing these silently. Make sure you include captions for any dialogue, or a great visual storyline so that no one misses your message.
• According to research from Wistia, the sweet spot for videos is under two minutes. Engagement drops steadily after this point. Grabbing attention while people are scrolling through social media feeds can be crucial, so think about the first four seconds of your video.
• How-to or instructional videos are the most searched for across Google and YouTube. Including ‘how to’ in your title is good for SEO, but it’s also great at the planning stage, as you’re forced to think about how your content can educate or be useful for your audience.
• As a live stream can’t be promoted, getting eyeballs on your content relies on organic reach. Comments are the biggest driver of reach, and the best way to encourage your audience to do so is via a competition. It doesn’t need to be big, but it must be relevant, and, ideally, it should give you more content to work with. Try getting viewers to ask a question for a chance to win a prize, or even respond to something with an emoji.

How to get a Cunningly Good Branded Video

• Take the advice of the experts to ensure your time and money is spent wisely.
• Hiring an agency like ours means you can talk about all the options available to you.
• We can help you think about your audience, how your brand message aligns with their values and make sure your content reaches the right people.

If you would like a chat about how we can help you create Cunningly Good video content for your brand, please get in touch on 01738 658187.