Seeing is Believing: The Power Of Short-Targeted Videos (And How You Can Make It Work For Your Business) There is a significantly higher chance of your customers watching your video content than there is of them responding to your emails, letters, proposals, or even reading information on your websites and blogs. So, what types of videos are working in "the new normal"?
By Reim El Houni Edited by Aby Sam Thomas
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Laziness is on the rise.
We would rather watch than read; we would rather listen than watch. According to WordStream, 59% of executives say they would rather watch a video than read text.
We are impatient. We want to consume information in the fastest possible way. In fact, even when we are consuming videos, we want to understand the point of the content as quickly as possible.
If you're anything like me, the first thing you probably do is look at the duration of a video before pressing play. The duration plays a big part psychologically in your decision-making process as to whether you should allocate time and attention to this new content that has been placed in your path.
For me, if its under one minute long, I am always happy to watch; between 1-2 minutes, there is a strong chance of me watching; 2-3 minutes and the decision is not as easy, I need to be really interested in the topic to hit the play button; and anything over 3 minutes just automatically gets skipped.
Does this sound like you? Well it seems its true for most people, as AdAge reported that 33% of viewers will stop watching a video after 30 seconds, 45% by one minute, and 60% by two minutes.
You may not be surprised to hear that Instagram recently shared that the videos that perform the best on the social media platform are only 26 seconds long! Linkedin similarly have suggested that 30 seconds to 1 minute work best. Meanwhile Facebook promotes a three-minute duration for the best organic results on the platform, and I have recently heard that even YouTube optimum duration has dropped to 6-8 minutes.
Why am I sharing this? For entrepreneurs and business owners, if you are trying to reach your audience during this challenging time, you need to embrace the power of video. Specifically, the power of short-targeted videos.
There is a significantly higher chance of your customers watching your video content than there is of them responding to your emails, letters, proposals, or even reading information on your websites and blogs. So, what types of videos are working in "the new normal"? Here's a primer:
1. Messages from the CEO and department heads This is the perfect time to instill confidence in you and your business. Whether you are a CEO or a department head, being visible sharing knowledge or information and positioning yourself as a thought leader can have a big impact on your business. For starters, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text (as per Insivia), so your message is already more memorable, and, in addition, creating video helps you stand out and keep you top of mind. Not to mention that it introduces the personal, emotional aspect to your business. Your customers get to see and hear the people behind the brand, which can connect with them in a whole new way.
2. Share your new products and services It is far easier to explain what a new product or a service is by showing your audience. Use video to really show your customers what the product or service is. How can it be demonstrated or illustrated to ensure that the message is communicated clearly? Perhaps you can show a "before and after"? Or even a "how-to" demonstration of use? If you are in the service industry, consider case studies and testimonials to help really explain the benefits of the new service. 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by way of video (as per Hubspot), so this could be a game changer for conversions.
3. Reassure customers that you are following precautions and new safety measures In the current situation, people are more apprehensive and unsure in general. Using video to reassure your customers that you are following all the new precautions and safety measures can go a long way to them feeling comfortable enough to order or buy. What changes have you had to make in recent months? Have you introduced new sanitization measures? Can this be something that is filmed and showcased? Have you implemented social distancing in your outlets and offices? Perhaps showing efficient operations with all the measures in place can be the tipping point for a customer to contact you.
Related: Your One-Step Guide To Drive Experiential Marketing In 2020
Now that you have created your videos, what do you do with them?
1. Share videos on social media. Online content consumption is at an all time high given recent events. Stand out from the crowd and your competitors, and stay top of mind with your audience. According to Hubspot, social media posts with video have 48% more views. LinkedIn have also reported that video campaigns have 50% view rates.
2. Share videos in your emails. Even using the word "video" in your subject heading has proven to have higher open rates- and adding a video to your emails can increase click rates by 300%! (Hubspot)
3. Share videos on WhatsApp groups. The SMS-based platform has more users than Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest combined. Like me, you are probably a member of far too many WhatsApp groups, so perhaps it's time to leverage them and share your video content. More than 73% of Saudi Arabia's population are active WhatsApp users. (Media Kix), and there is a 70% chance of your WhatsApp being opened, so it makes sense to leverage your groups.
The numbers say it all. Audiences are online, and they are watching video. So, if you have not jumped on the video bandwagon yet, what have you got to lose? The time to start is now!
