In this article the authors argue that the product explainer videos can be used as a powerful branding tool to present product proposition and to build customer engagement, by aligning the marketing strategy and the video content in line with the business goals.

Vision is the most dominant sense for all of us, most of the information and entertainment is consumed visually. Visual media can synthesize huge amounts of information and present it in compelling manner. This is the reason behind popularity of video as content, and effectiveness of video marketing for all content marketers.

Preferred format for Pre-purchase Research

Videos are regarded as an engaging form of content by all of us as viewers. It is rated as quality content by search engines. Videos have been proved to increase conversion rates significantly in certain product categories. Brands are creating newer ways to personalize the entire customer experience. Used as an integral part of content marketing strategy and product communication, video content creation and marketing can generate traffic to the business website. It is a preferred watch while researching on the product. As per reports, 40% of YouTube users research the product online before purchasing it.

“If picture is worth of thousand words, then video is worth a million. Nowadays Video has fully gained its strength and has become No.1 source for marketing.”, says Sriram Ramanujam, elaborating on the power of product explainer video to present and illustrate a core feature or proposition.

Video Marketing as main-stream

Moreover, videos have been growing at an exponential pace with the key drivers being the penetration of smartphones, proliferation of social sharing networks, and advances in visual technology and tools. Creativity, innovation and quality are the hallmarks of a great video content marketing strategy, and this can be accomplished with a systematic approach using brand, product and customer insights imaginatively. Video marketing thus has become a regular and mainstream part of digital marketing, aided by the establishment of a firm and expansive 4G eco-system.

Tremendous growth of User-Generated Content

Users have become content creators with the advent of digital channels, and user-generated content (UGC) is shaping up as the primary driver of content consumption in the digital platforms. Business is no exception with smart, agile enterprises increasingly transforming themselves as content creators and creating exciting, relevant content, as well as showcasing brand experiences and customer experiences. Be it the coolest local restaurant in town or the leading blue-chip multi-national company, the social enterprises or the information technology business – B2C marketing, Direct-to-home marketing or B2B marketing – everyone is participating in the content marketing arena. This is the new normal in a ‘digital-first’ world.

Need for ‘Productized Content’ in Video Marketing

Product or business explainer videos comes into play here to fulfil this business need for an engaging, visually rich content. The video content has to present the key product message, features and benefits. It has to represent both the overarching business proposition and the specific competencies, that enable to deliver the core solution. Moreover, video content ought to reflect the brand promise, and retain the brand identity consistently across themes and formats.

In other words, the subjective content has to be transformed to ‘Productized Content’, which is relevant, refined and compelling. Productized content according to us denotes the richness of content which markets your business and builds brand salience. It means content which provides information to the search queries, engages with your prospects, motivates your leads and delights your customers. This delivers usability to the customer, marketability for the product and credibility for the business.

Refer https://bygeorge.in/why-productised-content/

Focus of marketing campaign to be in sync with business goals

The key question is about the goals that a product explainer video can help accomplish. It has to be in sync with the business goals and emanate from the business strategy. Once the business goals are clearly stated, the marketing goals can be suitably framed and accordingly campaign objectives can be determined. Here it is imperative to note that a great video campaign always springs forth from the business goals, exhibiting a tight and consistent fit with the underlying business narrative.

Business goals which can be targetted with Explainer Video Marketing

 Typically, the following business goals can be achieved with a Product Explainer Video.

• Brand-building :This takes the form of brand intent, communication and brand positioning to be accomplished. Campaign goals can be specifically in terms of brand reach, exposures and perceptions.
• Reaching the right audience : The profiling of the core customer and customer segments, identifying preferred social media networks and thereby selection and promotion in the relevant digital channels, using custom and look-alike audiences.
• Launching a new product or category :Presenting the product and its core purpose and brand promise to the target audience; in a richer, engaging and interactive fashion with the use of sub-modalities.
• Promoting the product features :Highlighting a key feature or a solving a specific problem can be illustrated, many a time this becomes the clincher for generating product acceptance and trial.
• Influencer marketing : The brand can leverage the influencer’s popularity to reach a wider audience through social channels and social media marketing. Macro and micro-influencers may be willing and interested to promote or collaborate using the video format.
• Stating societal commitment & core values : This can be brought out in a story-telling format using videos, which effectively enhances the authority and brand positioning of the enterprise in B2B marketing.
• Attracting employees :Millennials and digital natives demonstrate a ‘digital first’ behaviour, and are actively present in digital media and new-age media. Videos is perceived as a form of high-quality content, and hence directly influences the impressions about the business and the corporate.

It is the strategic thought, clarity of marketing goals and selection of communication channels applied at the planning stage, which elevates a video campaign and gives it a head-start, as a core driver of brand reach and engagement with the target audience.

Increasing popularity of Explainer Videos

Explainer videos can deliver organic reach for the featured proposition and enable engagement with the product. Video as a quality content providing an enriching experience, with multiple modalities applied, the brand engagement levels are high. Videos are widely used by customers during the research-based buying process and information gathering through digital platforms. The persuasive power of videos can heighten the product consideration levels, leading to higher product acceptance delivering increased website visitors.

The popularity of videos is that it is multi-modal, light and easy to share. Widely accepted platforms like YouTube have been able to leverage the efficacy of videos as a form of engaging content with product explainer format. These same qualities make it suitable for mobile advertising and social media marketing, to garner digital acquisitions and customer engagement.

About the Authors

Jimmy George C.

Jimmy George is a seasoned management professional with expertise in content marketing and product marketing. He brings in strategic marketing changes for the business and its digital platforms- through interventions in branded content, digital design, user experience and brand positioning. He has more than 20 years of experience in marketing of consumer goods, telecommunications and technology services. Jimmy George is the Creative Director and Business Head of ByGeorge Content Solutions. He can be reached at jimmygeorge@bygeorge.in

Sriram Ramanujam

Sriram Ramanujam is a visual media strategist and an expert in visual storyboarding. He is the co-founder of chiiz.com, a digital photography magazine which is also an online platform to connect photography related initiatives, domains and events.