COVID – 19 is uncharted territory for everyone. Both businesses and consumers are facing challenges in the lockdown. While consumers are looking for content online, companies are searching for budget-friendly ways to maintain their previous sales metrics. For businesses that did not rely much on their digital presence, this is the time to leverage digital platforms. As per a recent study, 80% of people are consuming more content than ever. Also, it has come to light that content in videos has gained popularity and is consumed more than other online content types.
So, this is the perfect opportunity to use video as a means of customer communication, engagement, and retention. Here are a few tips by the top multimedia & animation companies to include videos in your marketing strategy.
Ascertain The Goal
Yes, video content is viral right now, but that doesn’t mean it will always be successful. Many companies have stopped their video campaigns midway due to COVID – 19. The first question on hearing this is why? Well, it is because they didn’t establish a goal beforehand. Hence, before starting work on video campaigns, it is necessary to know the end goal. It could be to engage with the target audience, retain the existing customers, or share information about the brand’s contribution to fighting COVID – 19. The goals should translate into videos before the campaign goes live. Moreover, as consumer demand is down worldwide, it is recommended to keep realistic expectations.
Keep It Meaningful
Let’s face it. Consumers are getting loads of content right now. Every brand is telling them the safety measures taken by them during the pandemic. That sounds good in theory. But practically, what all the consumers are receiving is similar kinds of messages from different brands. The majority of the brands are not attempting to be different from the others. There is only one difference between advertising before and now. Initially, the brands directly asked the customers to look at the features of their products/services. An additional line that pretty much means that the brand cares about its customers, followed by the characteristics of its products/services. Keeping the videos meaningful will go a long way in communicating with the audience.
Authenticity
The only way to create viral video content is to remain authentic to the brand’s idea. Every brand has an identity with which the customers relate to. If video content is created, which is not direct advertising of a brand’s product or services and gives a message, it can connect with the audience in COVID – 19. Probably a feel-good video campaign can tug at the strings of a customer’s hearts. Here are the brands with sufficient budgets to create video campaigns; how are they using the resources? Or how can a brand leverage videos to ensure that the audience not only watches but also shares with their networks?
Employ Budgeting Skills
Almost every brand or business is facing cutbacks. Probably looking at the current situation, a brand decided to cut down on its marketing spend for the entire year. It is essential to realize that as consumer demands are at an all-time low, there are high chances that marketing expenses may not earn the desired sales. So, considering the budget is essential. There is always an option to find a marketing partner that can create amazing videos within the allocated budget. Of course, while researching, consider the quality of previous campaigns done by them and their success rate. All of this information at hand will help make the right decision without sacrificing the quality and results of the video campaign.
Give Importance To Mobiles
In the COVID – 19 pandemic, as people are forced to stay indoors, maximum content is being consumed via smartphones. Usually, people prefer to work on their laptops or PCs, and personal searches are done on mobile devices. So, it is inevitable that whatever videos are published are mobile-friendly. Moreover, take into consideration the streaming platforms, download time, and ease of streaming. For instance, YouTube is a preferred platform as its search is integrated with Google and YouTube. Keep in mind all these factors as they will make a huge difference and help get the most out of the allocated budget.
Final Thoughts
The primary reason for videos being extremely popular is that people live with limited connection to their friends, family, and other people in general. So, they turn towards social media and videos as sources of learning, entertainment, and potential human connection. According to Bloomberg, YouTube started streaming in Standard definition instead of HD to maintain the bandwidth worldwide due to increased usage at the end of March. This is enough proof of the increased usage of video streaming platforms. As per Google trends, the most common types of videos searched online are regarding the problems or challenges that have surfaced in COVID – 19 and self-learning/DIY videos.
Now that the popularity of videos is clear, here is the last thing to keep in mind while creating a video campaign. All of the videos that have gone viral during COVID – 19 are the ones that bring some joy, hope, or information. The videos are either of doctors sharing useful information or people playing instruments in their windows/balconies to keep their neighbors happy and entertained. All people want right now is support and information. As a brand, it is extremely crucial to be sensitive to the struggles of people. If a brand can make authentic marketing videos keeping in mind the sensitive nature of the situation, it is already on its way to recovery for all the damage done during the COVID – 19 crisis.
Go ahead, use all of the tactics mentioned above for including videos in your marketing strategy for the COVID – 19 pandemics, and get the much-needed improvement in the brand’s online presence.
