Websites such as Flickr and YouTube have exploded in popularity for photo and video sharing. Comscore, a marketing research company, revealed that the popular social network YouTube has reached 100 million viewers alone.
Using videos and photos are a fun and inexpensive way to showcase to potential customers the “feeling” or “personality” of your brand. Giving them a visual can help solidify a decision to buy your product or to use your services. In addition, pictures and video aren’t only fun, they show proven results. According to Forrester Research, videos raise click-through rates up to 200%.
Videos are dynamic marketing and public relations tool. They can be used in several ways to enhance your brand.
- Create Buzz. Producing a video can be used to create buzz about an event you a participating in or a promotion you are launching. For
example, Shane Thompson, founder of Shane’s Rib Shack, used a video to create a buzz about Shane’s 100 Days of BBQ promotion, which gave 100 free racks of ribs to customers at every location around the country. The video was easy to make and generated real buzz leading up to the promotion. - Demonstrate. Videos are a great tool to use when you want to demonstrate a new product you are launching or when you are unveiling a new
location or service. Blendtec, a blender manufacturer, uses a video series “Will it Blend?” to demonstrate to potential customers the power of their blenders. Blendtec’s fun videos have secured them interest all across the globe. - Call to Action. Videos can also be used to strike an emotional appeal with viewers. The Salvation Army has a video series called “Hope
Stories” which shares the stories of those who have benefited from the Salvation Army. The videos call to action those who are watching to volunteer their time and money to contribute to the Salvation Army.
The Bottom Line? Using videos and pictures is an inexpensive way to market your brand. Using digital cameras, video cameras such as the Flip (which can be purchased at www.ritzcamera.com) and cellular devices with video and picture capabilities(such as the Verizon Wireless Blackberry Storm) to create your videos and pictures allows you to connect your device to your computer for fast editing and uploading capabilities. The key is to create an original video that appeals to your target audience.
For more information on how to upload your pictures and videos, visit Flickr and YouTube to get started.
By Kelly Ronna
