In our regular feature on the array of challenges facing marketers, we zoom in on the benefits and pitfalls of visual marketing, specifically using video to share the key messages behind your brand.
Mia de Rauch started Flipswitch Media in 2017 to create great digital content for businesses, combining her experience in the film and TV industry with her marketing expertise. Based in regional Victoria, Mia works with a lot of local small businesses, as well as servicing bigger, Melbourne-based enterprises.
One of the most common issues she comes across is small businesses that are put off by the price and time it can take to create video, resulting in them commissioning a one-off ‘all in one video’ and expecting that to get their business off and running. “They expect one video to do everything and appeal to each of their audiences,” Mia laments. “This does not work – if you are trying to connect with everyone, you will resonate with no one. Content is better when you understand the audience you are trying to speak to. When you adopt video for your marketing, like all other forms of content, you need to prioritise knowing your audiences and platforms, and testing out what works.”
“The key is planning ‘behind the scenes’ footage and making filming everything a habit.”
Mia points out that putting all your faith into just one video won’t work in the social media age. For one thing, research reveals that, on average, only 10 per cent of your audience will see a one-off post. “The more you post, with engaging content, the higher that percentage will be,” she explains. “I can say with certainty that capturing a range of content pieces is a lot more effective – both in terms of cost and the time you invest – than one long video.
“Investing in video marketing can be an overwhelming task; however, having a strategy will ensure it is effective and has a huge impact on your business.”
Prioritise pre-production
The key to the success of every video you post is systematically planning what you aim to achieve with it. “We look at your data, such as your audiences, the platforms and what style of video will resonate across your networks,” Mia says. “Having all the information and keeping your goals in mind will help you align your content and see it flourish.” She recommends focusing on shorter videos, with the concept of capturing one long-form video and multiple shorter ones being a great strategy for most businesses. “It’s a really efficient way of creating a lot of content, in the exact same way you’d create one video,” Mia explains. She adds that this strategy plays into considering how you can make your footage go further. “Keeping all your clips as ‘stock footage’, in the same way as you would your photos, allows you to use relevant clips in different videos at different times,” Mia explains.
A case study
Flipswitch has a client who is a make-up artist who works ‘both sides of the chair’, not only applying make-up for customers but also creating online educational content for other budding make-up artists. “Footage of her applying make-up to the model was also used in promotional content for her courses, and her make-up artist services,” Mia explains. “It has then also been used as everyday social media content. So, out of one day of filming, she is regularly able to communicate with her audience across all her platforms.”
Getting away from the ‘all in one’ approach
One example of a business that had adopted the ‘all in one video’ approach is a client who owns a holiday park. Mia intervened to help flip the strategy – thereby improving audience engagement with their video marketing.
“They originally asked us to create a video as an advertisement on local television,” Mia says. “The media space was costing them quite a bit of their marketing budget, but they were insistent it would bring in more guests during non-peak times. We talked to them about creating the ad in different lengths and styles so they could also use it on their website and look at the potential of digital ads, which they agreed to.”
Having the video on the website helped potential guests make the final ‘Yes’ decision and confirm a booking because that video showed them exactly the kind of fun they were going to have. Alongside the website video, Mia created digital ads that were pushed out to a more specific audience, namely families from towns within easy travelling time of the park. Through surveys conducted with their guests, the business concluded that the website video and digitals ads were seen more than their TV ad. Only locals saw the TV ad. Not only did they already live in the area, but also the TV ad reached them while they were watching a show, not making decisions on where they would have their next holiday.
Limited budget no barrier to a successful video strategy
“I completely understand how hard video marketing can be for a small business,” Mia admits. “However, a small budget and low manpower shouldn’t stop you from creating an effective video marketing strategy – all it takes is a plan and making video a priority.” She suggests the best starting-off point is creating a content calendar, and then making a list of questions that you can answer for your audience in short videos. The key is planning ‘behind the scenes’ footage and making filming everything a habit. “Remember, we all now have a camera in our pockets,” she points out. “The smartphone is perfect for easy, consistent content. Not every video you create needs to be professionally filmed. If it’s engaging and you are open and communicative with your audience, the production value doesn’t need to be perfect.”
Mia stresses that consistency is key, as that is how you can build a relationship with both current and potential clients. “By building authority and building a rapport, as soon as they are ready to purchase, customers will automatically come to you over a competitor,” she concludes.
This article first appeared in issue 42 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
