In the modern days of instant gratification, the average person is less likely to be captivated by content in the form of text. Businesses all across the world are now seeing a sharp increase in the demand for video and image content, partially due to the ever-growing social media presence.
On Facebook, for example, the amount of video content seen on the average newsfeed has increased 3.6X year-over-year (MediaFB.com). On Twitter, tweets with images receive 18% more clicks, 89% more favorites and 150% more re-tweets (BufferSocial.com).
The fact is, image-centric content is becoming the most desired form of marketing due to positive audience reception and high engagement rates.
I recently spoke with two veteran production employees from CGI Communications on these trends and the importance of visual content marketing.
Tim Epner is the managing videographer for CGI, and has been with the company since 2006, using his skills in lighting, sound, camera work, and editing for business all across the nation.
Director of Production, Kevin Baer, was one of CGI’s first graphic artists and has spent time working as a traveling videographer, video editor, and creative director since being hired in 2000.
Kevin and Tim both believe that video content is a great opportunity for businesses.
“A video is a handshake before anybody walks through the door,” Tim said “They get to see what the place looks like. They get to meet the staff. They get to see what your business is like. That’s an important thing.”
Videos are a great way to get prospective clients and customers into your office-space without them having to leave their home. Visually inviting content is a terrific way to encourage potential clients and customers to envision themselves doing business with you.
“Our videos are highlighting all the positives, which is pretty awesome,” Kevin pointed out. “If you do a video with a testimonial…and if that [person] is someone [viewers] can relate to, that’s way better than just reading about it.”
Visual content marketing is all about preparing the consumer’s mindset for walking in the front door of a particular business. Kevin’s example of a testimonial represents how using a relatable person that appreciates a business can help encourage a viewer to imagine themselves with that business.
Businesses should always be on the lookout for ways they can inject visual content into their marketing regimen, as conversion rates fair much better when this is done (MarketingLand.com). In fact, 48% of the respondents in a Demand Metric study found that the return on investment (ROI) for video content is trending upward.
One aspect that often makes the difference in achieving a positive ROI is creativity.
“We make sure we are working creatively for our clients,” Kevin said. “It’s more than about just educating, we want to entertain the audience. The idea that it could be entertaining, as well as educational, might get it forwarded. We make it entertaining enough that it might get shared.”
Getting shared or forwarded is an important aspect of increasing ROI, as 48% of Demand Metric’s marketing respondents claimed that they place an importance on observing shares.
The benefits of producing visually stimulating content on various platforms is clear. However, Tim and Kevin both warn of the potential downside of modern visuals.
Given the advancements of mobile cameras, many business owners make the mistake of trying to add video production to their already long list of duties, which results in low-quality content that only hurts their image.
“There are always a ton of examples of bad video out there,” Kevin added. “The misconception is, ‘I can do that on my phone, and that’s good enough.’ There’s still a need for professional video.”
Tim points out that the convenience of modern cameras and abundance of visual content has resulted in a reduced standard by amateur videographers. “Shaky video is the norm, and they accept it.”
Though technology has given some a false sense that just anyone can make effective video marketing content, there are, however, many creative perks embedded in the latest equipment.
“When I started it was, ‘place the camera, pan it, but be slow, and don’t get too crazy,’” Tim recalled. “Now, I’m telling the videographers, ‘hey, I got you guys Go-Pros. I want you to get wild with it. Send it down a river, or do some handheld stuff.”
Kevin also shares Tim’s excitement for new technologies in his productions.
One of his most prized additions to his repertoire is their new Multi Rotor Copter (MRC), which is remote controlled aerial film technology.
Our new aerial video film technology is here! In this video you can see CGI Director of Production flying it 🙂 #CGICompany
Posted by CGI Communications, Inc. on Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Being able to accurately fly a camera around surely gives their team endless creative possibilities, but Kevin was quick to note that aerial film tech should be used only when appropriate.
“It might not apply to all businesses,” Kevin stated. “But to communities, real estate developers, or landscapers, it might just have production value that’s amazing. Sometimes, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should do it.”
Using the MRC is a blast for the production team, but Kevin joked that “it might not be the best for a dentist.”
Achieving successful ROI when using video content calls for careful, creative and relevant material that is entertaining enough to be shared.
The importance of effective video marketing content for ROI is continuously growing. Businesses should certainly explore the video services of professionals such as Kevin and Tim, as well as advertising agencies, like NEXT! Ad Agency, that can effectively distribute content in an effort to boost ROI.
If you have any questions or comments about video marketing content, be sure to write in our “comment” section!
