Enhancing Content with Video Marketing How-To Guide

1. How-To Guide Enhancing Content with Video Marketing By Kristen Maida, Research Analyst January 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As discussed in our Content Marketing Plan Methodology, video is just one of the content types popular among marketers today. Video falls under the larger umbrella of “content” along with articles, guides, whitepapers, case studies, eBooks, etc. However, the sheer growth of online video watching over the past two years has analysts believing that video could be the “go-to” content marketing format of the future. “Watching online videos is now a mainstream activity. 78% of people watch at least once a week and 55% watch every day” (www.threemotion.co.uk). Videos are not only affecting the Content Marketing realm, they are also making a big impact on Social Media. According to www.zuum.com, “Video is the most shared brand content on Facebook.” Furthermore, “500 years of YouTube video are watched every day on Facebook, and over 700 YouTube videos are shared on Twitter each minute” (www.youtube.com). These statistics on video viewing and sharing behaviors are enough to make any marketer immediately invest time in researching a Video Marketing program. Likewise, these statistics will certainly help when building a business case for Video Marketing to gain buy-in from senior management. © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

2. How-To Guide This How-To Guide discusses why Video Marketing is the Content Marketing format for 2014, shares the benefits of Video Marketing, and introduces actionable items to get started on your Video Marketing program. WHY VIDEO IS THE CONTENT CHOICE FOR 2014 The rapid growth of video viewing and sharing provides marketers with many substantial motivations for utilizing video as a catalyst for a content marketing initiative. Video has become so popular; in fact, many researchers believe that video is the content choice of the future. While the list of reasons to choose video to support content marketing is lengthy, here is a short list of the most compelling justifications: Consumers process visual content faster. “90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000X faster in the brain than text” (3M Corporation & Zabisco). Biologically, consumers are programmed to handle visuals better. Theoretically, then, videos will illicit action to content well before their text counterparts. Video is an extremely effective medium. “If your video ads prove enjoyable to a viewer, your chances of getting a sale increase by 97%, brand preference by 35%, and brand association, 139%” (www.unrulymedia.com). Brand recognition, brand selection and revenue are highly-coveted objectives for any organization. Therefore, it seems that video would be a means to an end for those objectives. Search engines love video. According toVisibility IQ, “You can double your search traffic by having a video thumbnail in your search result.” It is clear that engaging in video marketing will increase the likelihood of garnering higher SEO rankings. Ultimately, your rankings will create more organic traffic to your website and lead to more interest in your company/brand. Video is highly preferred by Internet users. “One-third of all online activity is spent watching video” (www.mainstreetanalyst.com). There are hundreds of statistics, just like this one, illuminating the fact that video is the content format preferred by Internet users. Consumers are letting the marketing world know how they prefer to get their information. © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

3. How-To Guide BENEFITS OF VIDEO MARKETING Just as there are many reasons to develop a Video Marketing program under your Content Marketing umbrella, there is plenty of ROI that will follow a Video Marketing initiative. Below is a broad compilation of the projected benefits to a Video Marketing program: Augments Content Marketing Initiatives –As mentioned above, video falls under the unified umbrella of Content Marketing. Although Video Marketing is taking on its own entity, the ultimate goal is to supplement current content initiatives with the highly effective medium of video. Provides Collateral for Social Media Marketing –Once videos have been produced, they are powerful entities that should be shared on all of an organization’s Social Media channels. Current statistics prove that video is one of the most highly shared content formats on the Internet right now. Increases User Engagement –By choosing to “play” a video, a viewer is already showing interest in your topic/product/service. With videos viewers have the option of actively choosing content rather than just passively receiving content via email, advertisements, etc. Produces Realistic Customer Experience –For those organizations that have little one-on-one contact with their clients, video provides a platform for organizations to show the faces of the organization and personalize communication to specific buyer segments. In comparison to other content formats (i.e. whitepapers, case studies, eBooks, etc.), video content allows organizations to gain a manufactured face-to-face interaction that allows them to connect personally with clients. Generates Engaged and Qualified Leads –When video content is strategically planned, produced and distributed for a particular audience, it is more likely to generate prospects that are invested in your product/brand/company.One-minute of relevant, engaging video content can be very powerful to the right audience and increase the likelihood of a viewer following a call-to-action. Enhances Brand Identity –Gaining an audience for your videos, will improve viewers’ connection between your brand and the message you are providing in the video. For this reason, it is © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

4. How-To Guide important to create a clear, relevant story that highlights the most appealing attributes of your organization. Improves SEO Efforts–As previously discussed, “search engines love video.” Consequently, the more videos your program produces, the higher your SEO rankings will become. Creates Revenue –Some organizations choose to make their videos fee-based, which would certainly provide more revenue, if presented properly. However, even organizations that open video content to everyone should expect a hike in revenue due to the other projected benefits listed above. A strategic plan for the production and distribution of a video marketing program will, eventually, help generate revenue. ACTION PLAN In order to begin your Video Marketing program, you will need to gain buy-in from senior executives to obtain support and budget for the initiative. Follow these steps to prepare for your Video Marketing project: 1.Learn more about Content and Video Marketing –Download our Content Marketing Plan Methodology and Video Marketing Plan Methodology. Review these methodologies to see how they work together and how you can get started on a Video Marketing program to enhance your Content Marketing initiatives. 2.Evaluate Your Organization’s Preparedness for Video Marketing – Utilize our Video Marketing Readiness Assessment to evaluate if your organization is ready to begin a Video Marketing program. This assessment will provide you with recommendations to improve any area that may not be ready to handle this initiative. 3.Create a Business Case for Video Marketing –Download our Video Marketing Business Case, to be completed with your marketing team, to provide senior management a detailed report on your intended plan for Video Marketing. Your business case should highlight the results of your Readiness Assessment and Strategy Scorecard to ensure senior executives that marketing is well-prepared for this initiative. © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

5. How-To Guide 4.Strategize for Your Video Marketing Initiative –Use our Video Marketing Strategy Scorecard to make an overall strategic plan for your program that will align with your company’s business and marketing goals for the next 12-18 months. BOTTOM LINE Content Marketing covers a broad spectrum of formats; and each format has its unique purposes and advantages. However, current consumer behaviors and statistics are suggesting the viewers’ content choice for the upcoming year – video. The compelling justifications and extensive list of projected benefits for a video campaign encourage marketers to pursue executive support for this initiative. Furthermore, analyst predictions suggest video will be the content choice of the future; thus, it would be in the best interest of any organization to, at a minimum, prepare for a Video Marketing project this year. © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.