‘Video marketing just has too many benefits to ignore,’ says Keith Ireland, group sales and marketing support manager for EDM Group. The information management provider decided to invest in video marketing following the revamp of its website last year.
‘While we still utilise traditional marketing tools, such as brochures and case studies, it can often be difficult to get across the essence of what we do,’ adds Ireland, who says that the solution was to shoot a series of client testimonial videos. ‘As the words are coming straight from the customer’s mouth it’s far more vivid and believable.’
But video marketing goes far beyond client testimonials. Other companies have created humorous videos that they hope will ‘go viral’ – in other words, spread as ordinary internet users share them.
Moixa Energy created just such a video to promote its USBCELL, an AA battery that can be charged through a computer’s USB port. ‘We thought it would be fun to do a web viral to increase awareness,’ says CEO Simon Daniel. The resulting one-minute short, which features animated bunnies and a catchy jingle, has now won around 40,000 views, which Daniel says is ‘very good for a product demonstration’.
Into the limelight
A video can be a handy tool for start-ups looking to make a speedy impression on their market. Insurance IT systems provider SaaSinsure launched in February and a commissioned video was at the heart of the initiation.
Kevin Wallis-Eade, director at SaaSinsure says, ‘We felt rather than having people sit through an hour of presentations, a seven-minute video could get more across.’ The film, which is a scripted animated production with fictional characters, demonstrates the firm’s product. ‘We have since taken it to YouTube and are driving people there with a social media campaign,’ notes Wallis-Eade.
Video doesn’t have to cost the earth, but naturally you’ll pay more for that professional polish. Daniel says, ‘Prices can vary considerably depending on content.’ Moixa, EDM and SaaSinsure all used professional animators and video creators.
Related: How to film a YouTube video
Wallis-Eade adds, ‘We used a combination of in-house and external talent. We wrote the audio script ourselves and created screen captures of our computer systems and then we took this to the professional studio.’
Ireland maintains the cost is well worth it. ‘We opted to use a specialist video production company which obviously incurred some cost. Despite this it’s still extremely cost-effective when compared to traditional advertising.’
