Web videos now one of the most proven marketing tools - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle): 3/7/09 8:35 PM
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Portland Business Journal - March 2, 2009
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/othercities/portland/stories/2009/03/02/smallb3.html?s=smc:2&b=1235970000^1785775
Friday, February 27, 2009
Web videos now one of the most proven
marketing tools
Budget a few thousand dollars per minute of screen time
Portland Business Journal - by Arve Overland and Greg Tozian
When BtoB magazine did its annual “marketer priorities and plans” survey late last year, the
findings were predictable. Most companies chose to trim “traditional” marketing budgets for 2009,
but are dramatically boosting Web-related spending (66 percent on average). Online video was one
strategy identified as a leverage point for attracting new customers this year.
Another survey (Knowledge Storm/Universal McCann) of 5,300 business-to-business professionals
showed 63 percent access online videos at least weekly for vital information. We’re not talking
goldbricking employees laughing over sports bloopers, but millions watching videos regularly to
make better business decisions and purchases.
Web video convinces
Ounce-for-ounce there isn’t a more compelling or convincing marketing form — besides face-to-face
presentations — than video. Video is where you can see and hear people demonstrate products and
services, and where you can hear satisfied customers endorse companies. With video you can tell a
story about what you believe and can educate target audiences on benefits. You can make a pitch in
a truly convincing manner, and create drama and emotional involvement.
Web video is flexible
Until fairly recently, selling with video meant producing and distributing tapes or DVDs, or buying
expensive TV spots, with costs quickly escalating out reach. Today, thanks to the Internet, a
company with a million dollars in annual sales has as much opportunity to tell a story online as a
company with billion-dollar revenues. You may not have a big budget, but the opportunity exists to
create something memorable.
The Internet is great for streaming informational videos that include:
l Products or service demos shot in the studio, factory, or field.
l Short “corporate” videos explaining core competencies.
l Customer testimonials in a studio or on-location.
l “Documentary” styled reports on important business issues you touch.
l Coverage of public events: such as speeches, convention presentations.
l Footage from news conferences, TV appearances, and more.
However, the ultimate, worldwide video distribution channel (the Web) does not mean you should
stream badly conceived, scripted, photographed and edited video. You still need to maintain a
quality consistent with your brand. Videos go out of date faster than other marketing. Clothing,
colors and styles are part of the presentation. Make sure your video looks current.
A rational budget will be in the thousands of dollars per minute of Web video, not the hundreds.
Shorter is better, too. Good Web videos usually run from one minute to three minutes in length.
And you’re better off using professionals to write, shoot and edit the work than to attempt the
process in-house.
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Web videos now one of the most proven marketing tools - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle): 3/7/09 8:35 PM
Plan before shooting
Ask yourself what kind of video suits your company, and know why it has a chance to work. It
depends on what you’re selling, to whom, and the desired outcome. Do you need:
l Product-related info, such as demos and how-to information?
l Brand awareness, company positioning and differentiation?
l Or customer-service-related issues and public relations?
Some companies might benefit from a documentary style piece that interviews industry experts and
analysts and allows on-camera corporate execs to emerge as thought leaders. Through voice-overs
and subtitles, video can even suit foreign languages for global selling, without losing the “story” or
its selling power.
Your online video can move prospects convincingly through the sales cycle for a hand-off to sales,
inspire a knowledge-offering download, or even drive an e-commerce purchase.
Make sure that you pre-plan how it will play on your site. This will drive video content and
execution. Ask yourself:
l Purpose: Is your strategy to get leads through a sign up for more info call-to-action, to promote
products for sale on your site, or to better position your brand? Make sure the interface around the
video and its call-to-action are intuitive.
l Placement: Does the video build brand strength, or represent products and services enough to
deserve the home page? Or will it serve the business better on a secondary page? You can also post
on YouTube, and your own company Facebook page.
l Technology: Adobe Flash is an elegant choice, because more than 90 percent of Internet users have
it. But QuickTime and Windows Media Player are also solid and easier to implement. You can also
post on YouTube and use their tech to stream on your site.
Remember, online video should drive action. Since the Web is measurable, use your analytics tool to
track how much visitor traction you’re getting from the video.
Finally, well-done Web videos can often serve extra duty at business-pitch meetings, public events
and trade shows, and can even be used as leave-behinds.
Whether your company is small or medium-sized, with international marketing potential, weigh
your options. Get more than one bid from digital ad agencies or video production people on a Web
video, and ask to see their “reel” of past work.
If you know why posting company Web videos make sense, and you do a good job with the
production, you may find video opens up a whole new avenue for winning customers.
ARVE OVERLAND is CEO and executive creative director and GREG TOZIAN is vice president of
strategic planning at brand and interactive Portland-based Overland Agency. They write a
monthly column for the Business Journal. They may be contacted at
arve.overland@overlandagency.com and greg.tozian@overlandagency.com.
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