As a video evangelist – I speak to a ton of people each day about videos as part of their marketing strategy. And often than not – I discover that very few of them have a clear understanding of how explainer videos can be used effectively for their Brand. It gets even more obscure as I start waddling into industries that have very little use/experience in exploring animated video content.

“Our product/service has no use for video content.”

“How do ‘Cartoon’ videos apply to my line of business?”

“We identify ourselves more as a ‘Live Action’ type of brand.”

“B2B does not have an Audience for video.”

Questions like these are some examples of the kind of queries I tackle every day. And if I am honest – sometimes answering those questions for specific brands can be difficult. Rules of video engagement aren’t universal and from my experience – no two case scenarios are the same.

So how do you leverage this medium for your business?

While that is a question we are here to answer – At the outset, let’s establish that the importance of a business video in today’s day and age is undisputed. A simple web search would back this claim by at least three pages of google search results.

To get started – It’s essential that every company takes cognizance of its brand and immediate competitors to assess the opportunity for video content within their strategy. If your competitors are already doing video – then there’s your inspiration. If not – then it’s your opportunity to becoming the pioneers and establishing yourselves as thought leaders within your industry. Not to forget the perks of becoming the one source for videos within your competition.

“Our product/service has no use for video content,” “B2B does not have an audience for video.”

– This is rarely ever true. Every product/service has an audience. Something to communicate to the said audience. Something to show for it. And potentially a lot of information that can be served to your visitors. The type of content can be educational, promotional, explainer or even generic. As long as you want to make a video – there is a subject out there for you to explore within your business. And as long as there is a video – you will always find an audience for it.

Case in point – Mr. iRock. Can you believe this video has 30k views alone? That is probably more than all the views of all the videos on your YouTube Channel combined. This is not to say you should make a video with a static image and nothing to show for it – but to make the point that videos attract traffic and good videos attract business.

So then that is done – you are on board with the idea of building some great video content for your business. But where do you start? While this is all good to read – there is still no definite direction or shape your video content could take. What can you do to decide what will work for your business and what won’t?

Sometimes it’s a good to treat yourself as the third player to a chessboard and take a birds view perspective of the brand you work for. As an outsider to every business I speak to – I do something similar before getting on a call with my prospects and devising video solutions to their communication needs. This is how I approach every prospect, and if it has worked for nearly all the clients I have worked with and me – then it very well could work for you.

6 Rules to How I Strategize Video Content for My Clients

1. Brand Identity:

Your brand goes beyond the logo and defined color palette laid down by your graphic designer. It is an amalgamation of all primary and secondary market associations that your business has amassed over the years. It is critical to understand what your brand stands for. How does it address its stakeholders? What is the look and feel of your brand’s essence and what is your target brand image via your communication? Do you have defined elements to be included in all communication? How much are you looking to experiment?

One such example was SLANGO – a fun card game that was targeting happy-go-lucky millennials that enjoy cussing and find humor in the oddest situations. You will notice how everything from the characters to the messaging to the feel of the video is curated in a way that it immediately appeals to the target audience.

Answers to these questions help me draw a broad perspective on the messaging that can be undertaken for a certain brand. It helps determine the tone, visual language, and overall experience – the video should have. This forms a good base for imagining up the possible shape your video can take. Not to forget – consistency in communication goes a long way in establishing your business as a brand.

2. Target Demographic Psychology:

Ultimately – your video is made for your viewers. While in a B2C context – Animation is a welcome change that enables you to break from the clutter of Live Action videos and stand out within your target segment. A deeper understanding of your target audience enables you to decide the animation style most appealing and most suited to address your target demographic. Is your business video targeted at corporate head honchos? Or is your core customer base a wave of millennials? Or maybe both? Animation has the potential to appeal to a wide variety of audience without eliminating your group. A good script writer will ensure this happens with cues that appeal to everyone.

Here is an example from Chanel. It deeply appeals to its target audience – showcasing the value behind each of Chanel’s products and ideas. And regardless of whether you are a fashionista or even someone remotely interested in what Channel does – the video captivates you from the very start.

3. Colors and Appeal:

Your brand goes beyond the logo and defined color palette laid down by your graphic designer. It is an amalgamation of all primary and secondary market associations that your business has amassed over the years. It is critical to understand what your brand stands for. How does it address its stakeholders? What is the look and feel of your brand’s essence and what is your target brand image via your communication? Do you have defined elements to be included in all communication? How much are you looking to experiment?

Answers to these questions help me draw a broad perspective on the kind of messaging that can be undertaken for a certain brand. It helps determine the tone, visual language, and overall experience – the video should have. This forms a good base for imagining up the possible shape your video can take. Not to forget – consistency in communication goes a long way in establishing your business as a brand.

4. Things to See, not to Read:

Could you describe the beauty of the Amazon without truly experiencing it? Could you really understand what it’s like to be on the moon and watch the world as a speckle?

Similarly, there are aspects of your product and service that simply cannot be done justice in words. Maybe it is the intricate detail in how you manufactured the product. Maybe you have adopted an innovative approach to a seemingly dull and stale problem.

As humans, we are suckers for a good experience. Take your viewers and visitors on a visual journey across your range of offerings or help them understand the processes set out to employ your services. Just remember – Things to see. Not to Read.

5. Uncomplicate:

The golden rule to deciding what content needs to become a video first – is to gauge what’s most important to your business and how difficult it is to explain that to your audience. If at any point you feel your value proposition is not being conveyed the way it ideally should be or say you find yourself/your team struggling to get the vision behind your product across to your prospects – you NEED a video.

An animated video is a great medium to explore a variety of creative ways to highlight your USP to the right people in the right way.

Here is a great example of Blue Green and their snappy product AV that takes its viewers on board with the value proposition in a brilliant, engaging and simple manner.

6. Recall, Recall, Recall:

The definition of brand recall is just what it says – but only a few brands are able to command ‘brand recall’ in any meaningful manner.

Here is an interesting drinking game: The next time you are watching TV with friends notice any ad where the brand is revealed only at the end. Wait for 10 minutes and ask them again if they remember the ad they just saw. (spoiler alert: 8 out 10 people wouldn’t remember it).

Watch this fantastic example from Casper Mattresses that get right into the most basic form of your video – Promote your brand.

Surprisingly enough, companies spending millions of dollars for 30-second Super Bowl spots simply slap a logo at the end of the commercial. Millions of dollars potentially wasted on bad brand advertising. Your videos need to be reminiscent of your brand, your values, your beliefs, your associations and your image in the market. It should be an amalgamation of all the points above and then some more to make sure you get the most sought-after AV for your business.

And there’s my list! My secret recipe if you prefer. Or just beginner points for beginners. It’s not important how you look at this piece of content – what’s important is that these should give you a fair idea to begin strategizing your video marketing or video content strategy. And video content is key in today’s increasingly digital world.

That said – Let’s make great videos!

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