Selecting Content Types for Video How-To Guide

1. How-To Guide Selecting Content Types for Videos By Kristen Maida, Research Analyst January 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY “If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, than a video is worth a 1,000 words, 25 times a second” (www.distilled.net). 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 1,500,000 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. © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

2. How-To Guide 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. Here are some key questions you and your video marketing project team should ask yourselves about your target audience at this stage: 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? VIDEO CONTENT TYPES 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: 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 © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

3. How-To Guide information in order to engage existing customers and gain more interest from prospects. Benefits: can be used for targeted campaigns to specific demographics, enhances brand perception and assists in lead generation Fills Need For: Information Example: ViewDemand Metric’s Corporate Overview Here. 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 professionals to learn new skills. Benefits: supports customer learning and enhances customer experience Fills Need For: Education Example: Learn how-to use a Demand Metric tool (product) Here. 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. Benefits: positions organization as an industry leader, helps clients/prospects understand key topics and supports viewers in an effort to optimize best practices Fills Need For: Advice © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

4. How-To Guide Example: View a pre-recorded Demand Metric webinar with a SME Here to understand how to utilize industry experts for your video content. 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. 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 in 2013 Here. ACTION PLAN In order to select the video content that is best suited to your audience, follow these steps: 1.Obtain Demographic Study Results– 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. 2.Define Your Audience –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 geared toward. 3.Understand Your Audience –Download and complete our Buying Process Stage Template and Buyer Persona Template. These two templates allow you to assess your potential audience and gain a deep understanding of your viewers’ needs. 4.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. © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

5. How-To Guide 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. In order to manage the different videos and video content in your program, utilize our Video Marketing Assets Database. BOTTOM LINE 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). © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.