Page 6 - ENGAGE -- Issue #10 -- Fall 2017

INSIGHTS
Fall 2017
NEWS | REVIEWS | IDEAS | OPINION |
TRENDING »
The Value of the Vlog
Video blogging presents brands with incredible opportunity to get creative
and professional network marketer, “Unless you specifically direct your viewers to take a measurable action, it’s entertainment.”
A Cost-Effective and Innovative Way to Increase Your Brand Awareness
Take Tasty, for instance, BuzzFeed’s short-form video property that’s dominated newsfeeds
for the past few years. Brands are jumping on board with product placement opportunities, and they’re seeing serious results: Newell Brands tested out its Oster grill in a minute-long Tasty video in March 2016 and experienced a direct sales lift—as well as 310 million views.
Non-lifestyle-focused brands can use vlogging to create tutorials, influencer-infused product demos, and technical support with personality. And it’s not just massive brands with beaucoup bucks that are delving into the space: start-ups such as Ethical Coffee Chain, Unroll.me, MuleSoft, and Dollar Shave Club have produced exceptionally well-done how-to videos that deliver clear-cut explanations on how
(and why) to use their products. If video is the beloved darling of the social media marketing world, vlogging is perhaps the next frontier for branded content—and there’s nearly limitless opportunity for companies to get creative. n
By Stephanie Walden
Marketing metrics regarding video continue to be astounding: 68% of marketers feel that video is essential for their business, and according to an analysis by Extreme Reach, video-ad engagement has seen about a 20% boost recently, with both time-spent and completion rates on the rise. With nearly one-third of all people on the Internet using YouTube to watch a billion hours of video each day, these numbers translate to a staggering amount of potential influencer and purchasing power.
Vlogging—or video blogging—isn’t new to the game as a marketing medium, but the success of influencer marketing on video- centric services ranging from experimental
platforms, such as Vine (RIP) and Periscope, to tried-and-true virtual destinations, such as YouTube, have marketers paying attention to the incredible power vloggers have
over their audiences, as it represents an attractive option to reach young, digitally savvy consumers.
Vlogs are personality driven and allow you to quickly build a relationship with your audience. The possibilities for content run the gamut both in terms of topic and delivery style, but you’ll need to decide how much direct selling you want to do—whether
your vlogs are to generate leads or build a following for the purpose of humanizing your brand. According to Ron Gelok, entrepreneur
Parting Thoughts on Vlogging
Collaboration
and CTAs
There’s no easier way to invoke the Internet’s bite than an inauthentic marketing campaign. If you’re planning to work with vloggers
who have large and established viewership bases, be sure that your brand is a natural t for the content— or that the vlogger is talented enough to work your product into the message in a way that doesn’t feel forced. Careful collaboration and deciding how the call to action is integrated into the content are key.
Vlog Interviews
Consider two-minute street interviews with your CEO, managers, or industry experts. Your company leaders are incredibly interesting people with great stories and o -the-cu responses to surprise questions. Interviewing them further humanizes your company and builds trust and empathy with your audience. Unlike Facebook Live, where you can’t take it
back, you only post what works when vlogging!
Event/Conference/
Trade Show Recaps
Younger consumers and audiences love to share experiences. Whether you’re exhibiting at or attending an industry event, seek out a digitally savvy millennial or gen Zer and assign them the task of nding cool innovations and
technology to share or vlog from behind
the scenes with the event sta or speakers.
Daily Doses
Daily doses of humor, trivia, or positive stories are always a great way to start the day or the week. Your audience will look forward to hearing from you or your coworkers if you can start their day with a smile or hearty laugh.