Reaching your target audience is one of the more important parts of marketing. When it comes to video, it's not just about who sees it, but how they respond to it. So let's talk about some ways your videos can be used to engage the right audience.
Know your audience
My first job out of college was making training and marketing videos aimed at college students. Perfect! But what was less prefect was that my boss had no idea what "kids these days" were up to. I was asked to use music from bands that were decades old. I would receive scripts with lines about how lazy Millennials are (for videos that were targeting Millennials!). Once, they even asked me to make an announcement video about how they are giving away a mattress. Really? Is that what an 18yr wants as a prize? These crazy stories are just some examples of how companies can miss the mark when it comes to their audience. Your video should be engaging, using what your audience is already interested in and expanding on that.
Avoid stereotypes
Commercials are one of the forms of media that still rely heavily on stereotypes. Why? At best, it makes the company look lazy and out of touch. At worst, it becomes a PR nightmare you have to apologize for. From "Bic for Her" to dozens of Urban Outfitters "oops" items, relying on stereotypes to make a profit is not a good look for anyone. Even if you are looking at JUST your bottom line (I know, you're company is better than that), using stereotypes in branded videos is isolating potential customers! Yes, dads buy things for their kids. Yes, girls play video games. Yes, non-binary people exist and like to buy things. Why isolate potential customers when you could include them in your brand?
Meet your audience where they are
One of my "best kept secrets" as a videographer is that I'm all over LinkedIn. Yeah, really. Most videographers I work with think LinkedIn is for corporate people who work 9am to 5pm in their office cubicle, not for creative types. Great! As someone who does B2B, I am targeting corporate people. You can't tell your audience where to go; you have to go to them. Not only does this apply to where you post your video, but what you include in your video. Does your target demographic live mostly in cities or suburbs? Do they own a house or do they rent? All of details will help your audience see themselves in your branded video. If they see themselves in your brand, then they are more likely to buy from your brand.
Do you have a specific video question? Schedule a free video analysis call at bit.ly/callawv
#brandvideo #audienceengagement #branding #marketing #targetaudience #knowyouraudience #brandedvideo #socialmediacontent #brandawareness