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News, project launches and thoughts from our team.
Our Top 4 Tips for Better Brand Video in 2023!
By now we’re all aware that video is the most powerful tool in your toolbox when it comes to capturing that ever-elusive audience – whether it’s new clients, customers or stakeholders. Here in Canada, we have a social network penetration rate of 89 percent, making us one of the world’s most connected online populations. So as we move into the new year, it’s a great time to take a closer look at your social media presence and consider how your brand video content is performing, and how you can keep it consistent and engaging – but most of all – drive results for whatever outcome you’re looking to achieve.
To help you maximize the impact of your brand videos and even go viral, here are our top four tips for crafting better brand video content in the upcoming year.
Tip 1 – Choose your Channel
When it comes to crafting great brand video content, the number one thing you need to consider is your audience. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook all have their own unique demographics, styles, and creative constraints, so it’s important to take some time to research, and choose the platforms that are most suitable for your brand and your goals.
A few stats to help you out. If you’re looking to reach a younger demographic, TikTok is an excellent choice – the social media juggernaut is now the #1 app among Gen Z, or 18-25 year old consumers. But don’t count it out if your ideal customer doesn’t fall within those demographics – 1 in 5 adults over 35 are now TikTok users as well, and growing.
If you’re looking for a more professional and long-form video presence, YouTube may be better suited for you. With 1.7 billion monthly users, YouTube is the world’s second most-visited website. Sports, kids, music and gaming content thrive on the platform, as do how-to videos.. With a third of all internet users watching a tutorial video each week. That being said, the vast majority of YouTube’s viewing audience is between the ages of 18 & 34, skewing slightly male. Keep that in mind when planning content for this channel.
Instagram is the top social media platform for ROI, engagement, and lead generation for sharing marketing videos – and its stories or reels features can also be great for creating fun, short videos that quickly engage with users. Instagram has a wider audience reach, with most users falling between the ages of 18 & 44.
And finally, the mother-of-all social networks – Facebook. Great for reaching a broad audience, Facebook is the most popular social media network for men and women aged 35-44. If you’re looking for a slightly more mature audience – this is the place to be.
Tip 2 – Keep It Short
In the age of digital media, attention spans are shorter than ever. Consumers are used to receiving a lot of information quickly, so you should make sure your brand videos are concise and to the point. Shorter videos will also help you reach more people, as people tend to prefer watching shorter clips over long ones.
Every network has different ideal lengths for video engagement, but one thing is crystal clear – when creating a video, be sure to focus on one message or idea and make sure it’s communicated quickly and clearly. Don’t try to cram too many points into one piece; instead, spread out your content across multiple shorter videos if needed. Keep your video short and sweet, and don’t forget to include a call-to-action at the end to drive conversions.
Tip 3 – Figure out your Funnel
Creating a sales funnel is an important part of any marketing strategy. A sales funnel is a way of visualizing how your customers move through the buying process and can help you better target them with the right content. When it comes to video content, using different videos at different stages of your sales funnel can maximize engagement and increase conversions.
At the top of your funnel, use videos that focus on building awareness and introducing your brand and product. You could create a brief promotional video or even a fun animated explainer video that gives potential customers an overview of what you’re all about.
As prospects move further down the funnel, you can use videos that focus more on driving conversions. This could include customer testimonials, product demos, or educational content that dives deeper into your product and its features.
Finally, at the bottom of your funnel, you could focus on using videos to drive repeat purchases and loyalty. This could include special offers, discounts, and rewards programs. By tailoring your videos to each stage of the sales funnel, you can effectively reach your target audience with the right message at the right time.
Tip 4 – Go Live
Live videos are a great way to engage with your audience and show off your brand’s personality. They’re also easier and faster to produce than edited videos, generate more engagement, and allow you to get more content out quickly and consistently. People are also more forgiving of imperfections on live videos because they know the video is being produced in real-time. You don’t need to worry about lengthy editing processes or finding the perfect soundbite; just hit record and go!
There you have it! Our top 4 tips for better brand videos in 2023. We know that creating content can be overwhelming, and we’re always here to help. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or start a conversation with us about your next brand video project! And good luck with those 2023 goals! If you keep these four tips in mind when crafting your annual campaigns, you’ll be off to a great start.
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We’re Expanding OUR Story
Today is a huge day for the team here at Double Barrel, as we officially open the doors on a new branch – Double Barrel East! Based out of Prince Edward County, we will now be bringing our signature brand of video to the Eastern Ontario region with service to the following areas:
-Oshawa
-Belleville
-Trenton
-Kingston
-Prince Edward County
& everywhere in-between!
Of course, any expansion requires the help of great team members – and that’s why we’re on the hunt for a few new ones! Double Barrel is currently looking for camera operators in the area, so if you’re local and looking for freelance work (or know someone who is!) please send a CV & gear list to hello@doublebarrelstudios.com.
We’re so excited for this next chapter in the story of Double Barrel, and looking forward to meeting new people, telling new stories and exploring all that this beautiful region has to offer! Stay tuned!
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Double Barrel Podcast: Episode 3 ‘Why Production Value?”
Anyone can film a video these days. So what separates an amateur from a professional? It’s something those of us in the industry like to call “production value.” And if you’re a business looking to establish credibility with your customers, it’s something you can’t do without.
Come along for our third episode of the Double Barrel Podcast, where we explore the topic of production value. What is it? How do you get it? And why do you and your brand need to make sure you have it for your next video project?
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5 Reasons Video Is Essential For Your Marketing Strategy
By Keith Jolie
This past weekend I was busy volunteering with the annual Polar Bear Dip for Habitat for Humanity in Toronto. Amid all the interviews, media interactions and watching around 700 people run into icy cold water, I was struck by the prevalence of video at the event.
One of my interviews with a larger news media company was via Facebook Live, and many of the dippers had GoPros strapped to them as they ran into the water. Those videos, shared by a significant percentage of the participants, have allowed the event organizers to market the excitement of the event to a very large audience and to grow the event year after year.
Video has grown to become in many cases, the linchpin of a successful content marketing strategy. While content marketing is a bit of an overused buzzword, the concept is sound. Marketing your business or organization involves engaging several channels in order to attract customers and as with traditional advertising, mediums like search engine marketing ( SEM ), social media marketing, and email marketing all rely on quality content to entice the customer to engage with the medium and for you to meet your marketing objectives.
If you’re not already using video as part of your content marketing strategy, here are five reasons why you should give it a second look:
1 – Critical Mass
Recent statistics gathered by Google pointed out that 53% of consumers on mobile feel more favorable towards companies whose websites feature video content. Video more than ever has reached a critical mass. It is expected by your customers, and much like a business or organization that doesn’t have a website, not having video content will soon be seen as a sign that your business or organization isn’t professional.
2 – Distribution Options Abound
There has never been a better time for businesses to embrace video as part of their content marketing efforts, and with both free and paid distribution options it also has never been easier. Any business can easily (and for free) create a YouTube channel to feature video content and videos can easily be embedded in your website, sales presentations and used as part of conference displays. About 100 million hours of video are watched every day on Facebook. With both Facebook and YouTube (Google Adwords) offering complex targeted distribution through their paid advertising models, more than ever you are able to direct your video content to the most appropriate audience and measure the results.
3 – High Definition and High Speed is Everywhere
In 2017, high speed data is a reality on even the most basic of mobile networks and most newer mobile phones now feature high definition displays and sound that would have been unimaginable even a few years ago. This advancement has caused the global audience for video to grow exponentially. While high quality video looks best on the big screen, it is superbly suited for mobile consumption because it requires no user interaction and it can be shared easily. Video allows a mobile user to take in a large amount of information without having to scroll through lots of text or click through from page to page and the audience is definitely there. On mobile alone in an average week, YouTube reaches more 18+ year-olds during prime time TV hours than any cable TV network. (Google Think, 2016)
4 – It’s a Supercharger for your SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a constantly moving target with search algorithm updates being released frequently. Recent observations by SEO professionals agree that the inclusion of video on your website continues to have a very positive impact on how frequently your website appears in related search engine results pages. The benefits come from a few specific traits of video. First – multimedia content, and graphical (picture) content has for a long time had a positive impact on page SEO. Second, video content is sharable and social media shares are metrics that feed back positive SEO signals for your page. And third – properly embedded and encoded videos with script information expand the relevant keyword possibilities for any page that includes them.
5 – Buying Decisions Are Heavily Influenced By Video
The buying decision process in both the consumer and business to business markets has undergone a massive shift in recent years. Product and service information that was once only available from sales staff can now be readily accessed from a wide variety of sources including review sites, best of lists, and industry publications. For businesses and organizations, ensuring that your content is front and centre during that critical research stage of the buying process is more and more important. With 68% of YouTube users (70% in Canada) indicating that they watched YouTube content to help them make a purchasing decision, the importance of ensuring that it is your message that they receive in that video becomes even more magnified.
While video isn’t the only element of a content marketing solution a business needs to employ, there is a strong argument to be made that most businesses should be prioritizing video as part of their marketing strategy. To find out more you should also check out our video called “Why Video”.
Double Barrel Studios can offer your organization guidance as you consider video – give us a call, and let’s get talking.
