Selecting Content Types for Videos

1. Selecting Content Types for Videos SELECTING CONTENT TYPES FOR VIDEOS HOW-TO GUIDE

2. 2 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide As we have all experienced, images speak louder than words. Is this because an image produces a more powerful message than words? Not necessarily. However, due to the actual time invested in viewing an image versus reading a page of text, our brains are able to process the meanings and emotional responses associated with viewing an image much faster. Video content functions in much the same way, with much more depth and complexity than a single image. Videos string together a potent combination of elements (ammo) – audio, cast/speaker(s), images, graphics, and text. The addition of each element in a video exponentially increases the power of the video itself, which explains why a one-minute video is worth 1.5 million words. While the production elements (ammo) are critical to a video’s success, video content must be engaging and relevant to your viewers in order to make an impact. For this reason, selecting the proper video content to align with your target viewing audience can be the most powerful ammo for your video. This How-To Guide discusses how to align your video content choices with your audience, the most successful types of video content, and the benefits associated with each content type. HOW-TO GUIDE “If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, then a video is worth a 1,000 words, 25 times a second” www.distilled.net Selecting Content Types for Videos Understanding Your Audience The key to selecting the proper content type for your video(s) is to truly understand the needs and behavior of your target audience. Many organizations conduct demographic studies to understand key target markets for their product/service. The information retrieved from those studies is very useful for the purpose of marketing your video content. However, it is even more important to take those demographics a bit further to understand the behaviors and personas of your clients and prospects. 2 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide As we have all experienced, images speak louder than words. Is this because an image produces a more powerful message than words? Not necessarily. However, due to the actual time invested in viewing an image versus reading a page of text, our brains are able to process the meanings and emotional responses associated with viewing an image much faster. Video content functions in much the same way, with much more depth and complexity than a single image. Videos string together a potent combination of elements (ammo) – audio, cast/speaker(s), images, graphics, and text. The addition of each element in a video exponentially increases the power of the video itself, which explains why a one-minute video is worth 1.5 million words. While the production elements (ammo) are critical to a video’s success, video content must be engaging and relevant to your viewers in order to make an impact. For this reason, selecting the proper video content to align with your target viewing audience can be the most powerful ammo for your video. This How-To Guide discusses how to align your video content choices with your audience, the most successful types of video content, and the benefits associated with each content type. HOW-TO GUIDE “If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, then a video is worth a 1,000 words, 25 times a second” www.distilled.net Selecting Content Types for Videos Understanding Your Audience The key to selecting the proper content type for your video(s) is to truly understand the needs and behavior of your target audience. Many organizations conduct demographic studies to understand key target markets for their product/service. The information retrieved from those studies is very useful for the purpose of marketing your video content. However, it is even more important to take those demographics a bit further to understand the behaviors and personas of your clients and prospects.

3. 3 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Benefits: can be used for targeted campaigns to specific demographics, enhances brand perception, and assists in lead generation Fills Need For: Information Example: View Demand Metric’s Corporate Overview. Promotional – A promotional video typically involves an advertisement for a product/service. This content type can be comparable to a television ad in all aspects including message, images, and branding. Organizations create promotional videos to focus on new products, product updates, and/or overall company information in order to engage existing customers and gain more interest from prospects. Once your project team has settled on the answers to the questions above, you will be prepared to discuss the different content types that may align with your audience. While you can view a wide variety of video content types on YouTube and various websites, there are four main content groups that have the most success for organizations. These video content types are as follows: Video Content Types Selecting Content Types for Videos What does your audience need? Do they need information, education, advice, and/or fun/diversion? What are the key challenges your viewers are trying to address? At what stage in the buying process are the majority of your viewers? What buyer persona(s) will you encounter through this video? What are the media (Internet, TV, radio, etc.) habits of your audience? What are the social media habits of your viewers? Here are some key questions you and your video marketing project team should ask yourselves about your target audience at this stage: Instructional – For an organization, instructional videos can be used to educate customers and prospects on a specific product, or on new features for an existing product. This content type can be promotional; however, it is more beneficial to focus on how your product/service functions to ensure viewers gain knowledge/skills after watching the video. For professionals with little time for attending workshops, instructional videos are a convenient and flexible way for them to learn new skills. 3 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Benefits: can be used for targeted campaigns to specific demographics, enhances brand perception, and assists in lead generation Fills Need For: Information Example: View Demand Metric’s Corporate Overview. Promotional – A promotional video typically involves an advertisement for a product/service. This content type can be comparable to a television ad in all aspects including message, images, and branding. Organizations create promotional videos to focus on new products, product updates, and/or overall company information in order to engage existing customers and gain more interest from prospects. Once your project team has settled on the answers to the questions above, you will be prepared to discuss the different content types that may align with your audience. While you can view a wide variety of video content types on YouTube and various websites, there are four main content groups that have the most success for organizations. These video content types are as follows: Video Content Types Selecting Content Types for Videos What does your audience need? Do they need information, education, advice, and/or fun/diversion? What are the key challenges your viewers are trying to address? At what stage in the buying process are the majority of your viewers? What buyer persona(s) will you encounter through this video? What are the media (Internet, TV, radio, etc.) habits of your audience? What are the social media habits of your viewers? Here are some key questions you and your video marketing project team should ask yourselves about your target audience at this stage: Instructional – For an organization, instructional videos can be used to educate customers and prospects on a specific product, or on new features for an existing product. This content type can be promotional; however, it is more beneficial to focus on how your product/service functions to ensure viewers gain knowledge/skills after watching the video. For professionals with little time for attending workshops, instructional videos are a convenient and flexible way for them to learn new skills.

4. 4 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Benefits: positions organization as an industry leader, helps clients/prospects under- stand key topics, and supports viewers in an effort to optimize best practices Fills Need For: Advice Example: View a pre-recorded Demand Metric webinar with a SME to understand how to utilize industry experts for your video content. Benefits: attracts attention to an organization/brand and enhances an organization’s intended brand perception Fills Need For: Fun/Diversion Example: View one of the most viral entertainment videos made by a company. Thought Leadership – Becoming a thought leader in a particular industry/market is one of the main goals of a video marketing program. The purpose of thought leadership videos is to provide your audience with insights and best practices in a given industry/market. Typically, organizations engage subject matter experts (SMEs) in their industry/market to speak about important topics for their audience. Entertainment – This category is where you will find your “viral” videos. Videos that are deemed “entertaining” or “humorous” are usually used to draw attention to a company/brand. These videos tend to be more outrageous and creative than the other three content types listed above. Selecting Content Types for Videos Videos are an extremely powerful marketing tool that can ignite interest in your company/brand, generate quality leads and provide a new line of revenue for your organization. Therefore, selecting the proper type of video content to attract and engage your viewers is vital to any video marketing program. In order select the video content best suited for your audience, your video marketing team must have a deep understanding of the audience, comprehend the different types of video content and align the audience’s need(s) with the related content type(s). Bottom Line Benefits: supports customer learning and enhances customer experience Fills Need For: Education Example: Learn how to use a Demand Metric tool (product) here 4 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Benefits: positions organization as an industry leader, helps clients/prospects under- stand key topics, and supports viewers in an effort to optimize best practices Fills Need For: Advice Example: View a pre-recorded Demand Metric webinar with a SME to understand how to utilize industry experts for your video content. Benefits: attracts attention to an organization/brand and enhances an organization’s intended brand perception Fills Need For: Fun/Diversion Example: View one of the most viral entertainment videos made by a company. Thought Leadership – Becoming a thought leader in a particular industry/market is one of the main goals of a video marketing program. The purpose of thought leadership videos is to provide your audience with insights and best practices in a given industry/market. Typically, organizations engage subject matter experts (SMEs) in their industry/market to speak about important topics for their audience. Entertainment – This category is where you will find your “viral” videos. Videos that are deemed “entertaining” or “humorous” are usually used to draw attention to a company/brand. These videos tend to be more outrageous and creative than the other three content types listed above. Selecting Content Types for Videos Videos are an extremely powerful marketing tool that can ignite interest in your company/brand, generate quality leads and provide a new line of revenue for your organization. Therefore, selecting the proper type of video content to attract and engage your viewers is vital to any video marketing program. In order select the video content best suited for your audience, your video marketing team must have a deep understanding of the audience, comprehend the different types of video content and align the audience’s need(s) with the related content type(s). Bottom Line Benefits: supports customer learning and enhances customer experience Fills Need For: Education Example: Learn how to use a Demand Metric tool (product) here

5. 5 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Understand your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Manage your Video Content As a marketer, you most likely already have access to this information. If you do not have immediate access to the study results, you can most likely contact someone in your Market Research or Product Development department to acquire this information. Action Plan STEP 1 - Obtain Demographic Study Results Access Demographic Results and Create Plays Market Research Playbook V I E W R E S O U R C E 5 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Understand your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Manage your Video Content As a marketer, you most likely already have access to this information. If you do not have immediate access to the study results, you can most likely contact someone in your Market Research or Product Development department to acquire this information. Action Plan STEP 1 - Obtain Demographic Study Results Access Demographic Results and Create Plays Market Research Playbook V I E W R E S O U R C E

6. 6 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Action Plan STEP 2 - Define your Audience Understand your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Manage your Video Content Use our Customer Profile Template to organize the demographic information you have retrieved. At this stage, you should have enough information to choose which customer profile your video will be geared toward. V I E W R E S O U R C E Customer Profile Template A Customer Profile Template Helps You Shape Your Video 6 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Action Plan STEP 2 - Define your Audience Understand your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Manage your Video Content Use our Customer Profile Template to organize the demographic information you have retrieved. At this stage, you should have enough information to choose which customer profile your video will be geared toward. V I E W R E S O U R C E Customer Profile Template A Customer Profile Template Helps You Shape Your Video

7. 7 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Understand your Audience Action Plan STEP 3 - Understand your Audience Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Manage your Video Content Download and complete our Buyer Persona Template. These two templates allow you to assess your potential audience and gain a deep understanding of your viewers’ needs. V I E W R E S O U R C E Buyer Persona Template The Buyer Persona Template Gives You Audience Insight 7 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Understand your Audience Action Plan STEP 3 - Understand your Audience Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Manage your Video Content Download and complete our Buyer Persona Template. These two templates allow you to assess your potential audience and gain a deep understanding of your viewers’ needs. V I E W R E S O U R C E Buyer Persona Template The Buyer Persona Template Gives You Audience Insight

8. 8 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Once you establish your audience need(s) – information, education, advice, and/or fun/ diversion – review the video content types listed above to see how they align with the associated need. Action Plan STEP 4 - Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s)  Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Understand your Audience Manage your Video Content V I E W R E S O U R C E Buying Process Stage Template Match Your Videos to the Right Audience 8 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) Once you establish your audience need(s) – information, education, advice, and/or fun/ diversion – review the video content types listed above to see how they align with the associated need. Action Plan STEP 4 - Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s)  Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Understand your Audience Manage your Video Content V I E W R E S O U R C E Buying Process Stage Template Match Your Videos to the Right Audience

9. 9 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Manage your Video Content As you engage in your video marketing program, it is important to remember that the needs of your audience may be different for each video you produce. Action Plan STEP 5 - Manage your Video Content Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Understand your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) In order to manage the different videos and video content in your program, utilize our Video Marketing Assets Database. V I E W R E S O U R C E Video Marketing Assets Database Manage Your Content with the Video Assets Database 9 Selecting Content Types for Videos How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 5 Manage your Video Content As you engage in your video marketing program, it is important to remember that the needs of your audience may be different for each video you produce. Action Plan STEP 5 - Manage your Video Content Obtain Demographic Study Results Define your Audience Understand your Audience Align Content Type(s) with Audience Need(s) In order to manage the different videos and video content in your program, utilize our Video Marketing Assets Database. V I E W R E S O U R C E Video Marketing Assets Database Manage Your Content with the Video Assets Database

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