Video marketing may be picking up now. But video has been around for over a century and more. There have been arguments about which was the first video ever. In 1878, Eadweard Muybridge, an English photographer very creatively shot "The Horse in motion". He used 24 still photographs of a horse and used them to create an illusion of motion.
The film was only 3 seconds long, and it was silent. However, even though the film gave an illusion of motion, it wasn't exactly a video. In 1888, Louis Le Prince, a French inventor used a single-lens camera and paper as his film, to record a glimpse of an afternoon in his father-in-law's garden with his brother playing the accordion. The video is deemed is the oldest surviving video film by the Guinness Book of Records. The video is called Roundhay Garden Scene, and it is only 2.11 seconds long.
In the 1800s it was still difficult to create videos because of the lack of devices. But in 1895, Auguste and Louis Lumiere patented the first-ever cinematograph. They brought together film and projection and also released their first movie Sortie de l'usine Lumière de Lyon to the public.
Until 1932 everything was black and white. But after the invention of the technicolor in 1932, the revolution in the film industry began. Fantasia and The Wizard of Oz are the two major movies that used technicolor.
Between 1952 and 1962 something changed dramatically. In 1954 the first-ever color TV was sold and in 1962, the first-ever satellite TV was created. This made it easy to bring more videos to the masses.
Super 8 camera—an improvement to Eastman Kodak’s 8 mm film was released in 1965, driving many aspiring filmmakers to follow their passion. Then came the age of camcorders, in 1982, JVC and Sony revealed the world’s first at CES. Camcorders brought still images and videos together, so it was a huge phenomenon in the 1980s.
The 1990s was an age of transition. Not only was the world moving into a new millennium, but it was also on the brink of technological advancements. In 1992, Sharp—became the first company to create a colored LCD screen which would become the future of televisions. And in the following year, Ampex released a breakthrough invention: the first digital video camera called the DCT, which allowed hours of motion recording all on one tap. Filmmaking and recording became easier than ever.
In 1997, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) took over VHS, and life as we know it changed. It was also the year Netflix was first founded. While Netflix may have become popular in the last couple of years, it has been around for more than two decades.
The 2000s changed the way we watched videos. It wasn't only TV where we could watch video content now there was YouTube. In 2005, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim created YouTube as a video-sharing platform. Google bought YouTube in 2096, and we all now have YouTube on our smartphones. It has become an integral part of video marketing in the last decade.
Over the years the video content has evolved and adapted. Nowadays, you can shoot a video with your iPhone, that wouldn't have been possible 50 years back.
Since the conception of YouTube, the way we see videos has changed. After YouTube other social media platforms came cropped up like Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and Snapchat. All these platforms are useful in creating and sharing videos.
It was predicted that in 2021, an average Joe would consume 100 minutes of video every day. But thanks to the pandemic, the more people stay in the more they use their smartphones. Every day people watch many videos on YouTube, or stream shows on platforms like Netflix or Hulu, or scroll through Instagram Reels or TikTok.
The amount of video consumption has increased, that's why marketers are leveraging video content for their profits. Do you want to advertise your product? A TV commercial isn't enough, you have to create product video ads and share them across all social media platforms.
Social media has changed the playing field of video marketing. If you want to make an impression on your audience you have to create videos.
Video blogs or vlogs became quite popular after YouTube. Adam Kontras was the first vlogger ever. In 2000, Adam set out on a cross-country trip to pursue his dream in show business. He recorded his experience in his blog. But soon he added a video to his blog. When he added a video to the blog he did not know he was doing something historic.
https://youtu.be/Op65qkWxqBY
This became the first blog ever! A video blog is a video format of a blog. What if I created a video of this written blog? It would be a blog on Types of video content. It was one of the first types of video to be shared on social media.
Based on the audience and where they are in the marketing funnel, video content can be divided into various categories.
In the first stage of the funnel, you need to focus on creating brand awareness. The motive of marketing videos should be to lure, entire, and seduce prospective customers. It should show what your brand is made of and why they should experience it. In this stage explainer videos, brand films, tutorials, docu-series, and educational videos are helpful.
An explainer video is about addressing your product or service. In other words, explaining your brand, product, and service in video form. To make catchy explainer videos you need to follow a few steps
Explainer videos are a great way to build brand awareness among the target audience. It not only advertises your product but also shares "why" it is the solution to customers' problems.
Short video clips can easily work their magic and you can use them as ads. But creating a proper brand film is an integral part of your video marketing strategy. A brand film embodies your brand values, aesthetics, and products.
This emotional brand film by LG on 21 years celebration of innovation steals the heart of viewers. It isn't LG's story, but the story of a man who is estranged from his father. The video uses subtle product placements and keyword placements, without overwhelming the viewers with persuasion. Here are a few tips if you want to create a brand film -
Creating a short film may be expensive and tricky. But if you have the right team, right talents, and sufficient resources it can be a new way to reel the viewers in.
A docu-series is like a series you watch on Netflix but it is more brand-centric. Docu-series are a great way to enhance brand impression on viewers. It can be a mini-series of consecutive episodes, telling a relevant story. A docu-series must have
Docu-series can be creative as well as objective. If you are a jewelry brand, you can create a mini Disney-like animated series on a Princess who lost her jewel but created her own palace, like a Modern Cinderella. If you are a Product delivery service, a series about a delivery boy would be entertaining as well as informative. Docu-series are meant to be fun as well as engaging.
The internet is full of information. If you do not know the meaning of a word, just Google it, Do not know how to organize your files? Google it. Google has become the universal problem solver. In the awareness stage of the marketings funnel, the goal is to attract customers. How-to video or tutorial videos are problem-solving videos.
This video by Upwork on how to hire freelancers, answers the problem. But it also incorporates the use of Upwork to hire Freelancers. Tutorial videos can be effective because you reach the audience with a solution, and you guide them towards your product/service that can solve their problems. That is why educational videos or tutorial videos are such a huge hit among viewers.
In this stage, the prospective customer is already interested in your brand. They are considering whether to buy from you. In this stage, your job is to nudge them further down the funnel. Carefully lead them into your work. The consideration stage is all about nurturing the leads you have generated. In this stage customer testimonials, company culture video, product demo videos play a huge role in winning the prospects.
Testimonials are the best way to ask your current customers to convince your potential customers to buy your products. Why hire actors and celebrities when you can ask your customers to do so. Customer testimonials are assured words from customers to new customers who want to buy from you.
This is a fun testimonial video by Slack. It uses a simple idea of how the team used to operate before Slack, and what happens after Slack became the communication tool. It is a great example of how to create testimonials, you can ask customers questions like
You can get your customers to create testimonials for you. Moreover, you can encourage them by giving them Gift cards or Discounts, if they share their reviews. The goal of testimonials is to make prospects trust your brand. An honest review or testimonial will encourage new customers to try you out. It is also great if they want to share their experiences or reviews about the product,
This review about Offeo is detailed and encourages users to try out the new tool. Product review videos like these can help you widen your audience reach.
Company culture video brings a new touch to marketing strategy. The immersive brand storytelling is to enthrall any new consumers or employees looking to join the team. You breathe life into the name of your brand and humanize it to the audience.
Apple's recruitment video does not say "Please come with us", but the behind the scenes video shows the viewers what it is like to work at Apple. It emphasizes the message that Apple is the best company to work for in the world. It is like the movie and book " The Devil wears Prada" where everyone tells Andrea that "A million girls would kill for this job. "
Behind the scenes videos and company culture videos pull the curtain away from your brand. It lets the audience in, seeing the video would definitely encourage buyers and employees to be part of your brand.
Promotional videos are all about marketing and advertising your products. It is more of a teaser type of video that seduces the viewers to learn more about you.
This engaging video is a promo of the new Apple watch series with the slogan "It already does that". The apple team really went out with this one because the release came during the dead of the pandemic when people were dying because of low oxygen levels. However, this new version of the Apple Watch can not only track your sleep but can track your blood oxygen level, yes "It already does that!". If you also want your brand to make creative promo videos you can use Offeo Promo Videomaker. It helps to make short and snappy promo videos in a matter of minutes.
There are other types of video that can be used in the second stage of the marketing funnel when prospects are considering buying from you.
Other than video testimonial, an unboxing video can also create a wonderful impression on your audience. Unboxing videos are mostly user-generated content. Users who bought from you, record the unboxing of a product.
This fun video about the unboxing big PlayStation 5 creates anticipation you can't beat. The best part about unboxing is the excitement. It shows viewers what they will receive if they order the product. Unboxing types of videos are becoming immensely popular on YouTube. This is your cue to encourage customers to create unboxing video content.
A marketing video is not necessarily an ad. It can also be an industry event video. Many Big businesses organize launch events of their products. To build brand loyalty and create connections with the target audience you can also host events. Event Videos can become insanely popular if you offer value-based speeches, information, and entertainment. You can create a video with just the event highlights or record the entire event and share it.
An event can go live as well. Thanks to 21st-century social media you can launch your products online and followers can be a part of it. Live streaming is a smart way to build connections with audiences. Influencers and small businesses are exploiting this tool to the best. Facebook live stream or Instagram live is helping thousands of businesses to achieve brand presence and brand credibility.
The consideration stage in marketing is crucial because a prospect is wondering whether to buy from you. In this stage, you already have the details of the prospect, so video emails make sense. Many may say that after being the growth of video marketing email marketing is not asked for. But combining the both can do wonders. With video email, you can send users carefully tailored content with the necessary CTA to convert them. It would be exclusive content meant for potential customers.
The final stage of the customer journey is decision-making. They are now on the verge of making the decision to buy. At this point, potential customers search for answers regarding the product. In this stage, video types like FAQs, Q&A, demo videos, unboxing come in handy.
At this point in the journey, a customer would have many questions. FAQ videos or Q&A videos make the decision-making process faster.
This video by McDonald's Canada answers the burning question of whether McDonald's uses real beef. The video starts from the farm and ends with the patties being grilled at McDonald's. FAQ videos are essential for the customers to make the decision.
What makes a person buy from you? A personalized video is all about adding the touch of customization to a video to make a person believe that your product a for them.
Personalized videos are not necessarily about a specific customer but it is about how special you make your audience feel. They must feel the product is made for them. The video by Cadbury adds a personal touch and wins the hearts of viewers.
At the end of the marketing funnel potential customers look for various ways to learn how to use a product. Instruction videos make things better. You can share videos that demonstrate how to use your product.
This amazing instruction video by Offeo features Clement who walks the audience through using Offeo to create attractive short videos. Who better to guide the viewers than the best industry professionals? Demonstration videos can educate users on how to use the product effectively, they play a huge role in convincing the viewer to buy.
Different types of video content have different roles in marketing strategy, while a promo video can create excitement in the audience, a FAQ will do a more convincing job to convert the target audience. In the past few years, video content has become the most consumed type of content in the world. May it be free content on Instagram reels by content creators or streaming platforms like Netflix, video has become the leading content type.
It is 2021, and if you are still not using video content in your marketing strategy then you are losing a massive opportunity. Content marketers out there know how important leveraging video is. An average person spends 6 hours a day on video. Business leaders and content marketers need to utilize this opportunity to reach more people. However, make sure your content offers value because at the end of the day it is quality content that compels the audience to convert.
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