People seem hesitant to embrace videos for their marketing, yet they are more than willing to watch them. Below are 5 myths about video that I hear most frequently. I’m pleased to debunk these myths for you and hope it will inspire you to add more video to your strategic marketing plan.
1) Too time consuming
For who? For what? This sounds more like hesitation than an effective argument. I would spelunk into Mammoth Cave, despite my fear of heights (okay, the dark) for a potential client meeting, but that’s because I’m already making videos for my business. You invest in solutions that help you to sell more products and services. People like to receive messages via channels that excite them. So exactly how much time is too much time? If it gets you the attention you’re looking for, do you think you’ll be complaining then? Now get a smart phone, a quiet room, write a target-focused script, and explain what you do with energy. Then when you’re ready to take your video to the next level, hire an agency to help you get there.
2) Too expensive
You should always put quality into any communication, but that doesn’t always translate into additional costs. The two most important things to remember to get the most out of your videos are preparation and self-criticism. While recently advising a friend’s company on some internal training videos, I was shocked at how satisfied they were with such a useless video. The productions were well lit and in-focus, but they were boring and lifeless. The employees who were tasked with watching the video were not engaged. This is a waste of resources no business should abide. The goal of the video was to engage and transmit vital information to the employee and this goal was not being met. When this was pointed out to the manager in charge of the videos, the response was that there is something wrong with the quality of the new employees. The person in charge was consumed by his own ego instead of the critical problem for which they were hired. This reminds me of a saying popular in the military: “the beatings will continue until morale improves.” The highest cost of video is the price you pay not having a goal-oriented plan.
3) Slows down your website
This was true 10 years ago, but not anymore. Thanks to a process called transcoding, you can upload the original video one time and have it converted into various sizes. Visitors will get the right size of video sent automatically to their device It’s not magic, it’s logic. The same logic that is evident when you observe the weather outside your window and then dressing accordingly. YouTube and Vimeo do this automatically, and video hosting companies like Wistia and VidYard are worth checking out too, for these features and more.
4) Can’t prove its ROI
Can you recoup the money you spend on video? Video is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to generating useful metrics and data. Most videos sport their own analytics such as click rates and heat maps. These data collection methods can help to establish the effectiveness of your video marketing. Being able to see when your viewer has stopped watching is a huge advantage that our predecessors would envy. You cannot tell where the effectiveness of your white paper may have waned; you can only know that it was downloaded (I’m pro-whitepaper, but my enthusiasm has a shelf life, I usually watch videos immediately or not at all). While there are some excellent opportunities the internet and modern technology will produce, currently there are no channels that combine engagement and measurable results like video. I like video as a companion. I think it stands alone fine, but its greatest use is in combination with other methods. Add it to an email campaign, an ‘about us’ page, or in addition to text to let the strengths of each tactic shine.
5) It doesn’t work for my business
So you have a boring business…hmm, are you sure your customers think so? There is always an angle that will create interest in somebody who would spend money on your product or service. How did you get into the business? How long has it been around? How has it changed? Will it continue to change? Will this change make it more expensive or cheaper? Somewhere in that company of yours there are characters with a story to tell. If you are honest and real in telling that story, viewers, and customers, will appreciate it.
Marketing with video isn’t a fad. It’s a proven, measurable way to improve your site’s performance. If you’ve got more questions about video, leave me a comment, or contact us to talk about how you can add the power of video to your marketing plan.
