ARE YOU SHOWING HOW AMAZING YOU ARE?

Megan Trimble • June 30, 2021

For years, we’ve heard about the power of SEO and how words matter to make the connection between your customers and you, your products, or services. The right phrase and a photo used to be enough to connect with online shoppers, but as the space gets more competitive and mindsets are changing, more often than not videos and authentic reviews are how businesses are sealing the deal.

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Have you ever been handed a phone and thought “OK, sooo who is going to show me how to use this thing?” We live in a world where we’re expected to know how to use everything that hits the market. But the reality is that “how to boil an egg” is searched for every single day on YouTube. More and more, product/service videos are transforming from traditional commercials to customer comfort tools. Whether it’s a 15 second-long fashion video that shows how a dress falls and swooshes when a model walks or a how-to video about charging and storing batteries for a new device, customers want to know and be comfortable before they buy. Smart businesses use videos to problem-solve through the entire process of selling and retaining a customer.


Businesses aren’t acting alone in digitally displaying their products, and videos from outside sources can be the greatest sale tool or the death of a product line. Giants, like Amazon, are relying on customers to provide customer satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) reviews and have been expanding to allow for more pictures and longer videos. YouTubers have long been monetizing unboxing videos and the concept is popular for nearly every niche. Businesses can get ahead by creating great videos that take out the mystery or solve “issues” for customers before bad reviews can even be created.


Live videos have their place, too. Facebook Live stores, for example, are raking it in with their mini-QVC-esque productions. Customers want to see items glitter under the lights. They want an up-close and realistic review of the size and quality of a product, how complicated something is, and any tips that can make their lives easier. You know you’ve watched a hack video or two and thought “wow, they are geniuses.” (Or maybe you asked who ties their shoes in the morning… we’re looking at you 5-Minute Crafts.)


In Q4 of 2020, YouTube reported that it has an active 30 million watchers per day, watching a billion videos per day, with the average mobile viewing session lasting approximately 40 minutes. The point is people watch videos. They consume them. They will go out of their way to find a video rather than read a manual that is in the box in front of them. Buyers want you to SHOW them your product, the options, the quality, and alllllll of the functions. Much like how a staged house sells a home faster, videos can sell a product faster.

SEO IS NOT DEAD


SEO is still very much alive and important, maybe even more so with video. Think about a basic product and how many ways you could make a video — what is it, how many colors does the product come in, what’s it made of, how do you use it, how do you clean it, what’s the best way to maintain it, how do you install it — just that small list has the potential for seven videos and they can all have value. The phrasing of “how to clean” is very much different than “how to maintain” and that matters to consumers who want to know they are doing the right thing. Answering both questions instills consumer confidence, which is by no means a new concept but accessibility to videos is changing the approach. Video titles, page titles, headlines and descriptions all work together to connect buyers with the “right” videos.


One way to win the SEO game is to pay attention to how your customers search for answers. Do customers search for “how to fix my phone screen” or do they type “phone screen repair”? Vastly different phrases, and one may get you way more views than the other. Search engines recognize these behaviors and are getting smarter but using the correct phrases for your customers now provides solutions today. Does that mean pick one and *fingers crossed* hope it’s the best? No, it means taking the time to create duplicate pages and adjusting each page to match a searched phrases. We’ve talked about this before in previous AMM articles, and it remains true. Don’t fight the process, remain flexible and adapt to how SEO and consumer behaviors modify.


HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH VIDEOS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO MAKE?


That is a million dollar question. Maybe more, depending on who is making your videos. Branding videos matters, capturing your target market’s attention matters, absolutely, but, at the end of the day, how many videos do you really need? Start by checking your industry and see what’s trending. It’s a good foundation to learn how many videos are consumers watching. Pay attention to reviews and see if there are videos related to the discussion. Next, do market testing. Testing panelists can help ultimately answer “what do you want to know about this product/service?” Once reviews start appearing, videos can be created or modified to be solution-providers and maximize SEO.


THE TAKEAWAY


  • By creating their own videos, businesses control the message and the connection.
  • Videos can help manage expectation, trust, and transparency.
  • Authentic videos instill consumer confidence and grow customer loyalty.
  • Investing in video marketing can be time well spent.

Stimulating Your Cause-Marketing with Graphics

By Megan Trimble • December 6, 2021
Determine your campaign’s emotional journey and highlight your branding through graphics.

Budget-Friendly Ideas for Cause-Marketing Campaigns

By Megan Trimble • December 2, 2021
We all want to give... the question is how much.

Cause-Marketing Through the Holidays

By Megan Trimble • November 29, 2021
First, let’s define cause-marketing: It is a type of Corporate Social Responsibility where a for-profit business selects one or more nonprofits to receive a benefit achieved through marketing efforts. Oftentimes, it is a gateway to show a shared affinity with members of a targeted community. Some organizations market almost exclusively through cause-marketing while others use it as a supplement, seasonal, or single campaign. What does that look like in the real world? Some of us are familiar with cause-marketing when we drive through a McDonald’s and we’re asked if we want to contribute to the Ronald McDonald House or we get asked by a cashier at our grocery store if we want to donate a dollar to the charity of the month. We see events around us that benefit a certain group and we know what month the world dons all things pink. Cause-marketing can be very powerful in the ways it draws attention of loyal supporters and in its ability to make an impact. Of course, it’s best to select a nonprofit who aligns with your social beliefs and has good standing, otherwise, why mindfully select them? A successful cause-marketing campaign begins with a conversation with the nonprofit. This is where you set expectations, explore what other businesses have done in the past, get a feel for what worked and didn’t work, and understand what, if any, campaign support you can expect from the nonprofit’s side and how metrics can be measured to determine success. Does a nonprofit have to participate in every cause-marketing idea? Absolutely not. Nonprofits are like any other business and need to keep focused on their work and relationships. They are also not obligated to fulfill collaborative requests. Be mindful that a “no” or “not something our team can do right now” is not necessarily a reflection of your organization but it should be a consideration as you move forward. Once you meet with the nonprofit and get a snapshot of your involvement together, now’s the time to get creative. Depending on the time and energy you have, this can be something simple like a jar on the counter or it can be elaborate like hosting a VIP event.

STOP. PAUSE. REFLECT.

By April Monroe • November 17, 2021
REFRESHING OUR MINDS TO RETHINK OUR WORKSPACE

2021 SPRING REFRESH – MARKETING TIPS TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE “NEW NORMAL”

By Megan Trimble • May 18, 2021
Birds are singing, bees are buzzing, and your existing and potential customers are exiting their pandemic cocoons. Customers are looking for help and they are very wary because they’ve hit bumps and confusion during the past year. Stores they thought were open were closed, services they counted on were discontinued, and they’ve been staring at screens for way too long. Some are still scared, some are not, but all are ready to return to a “new normal”. What is the “new normal”? Well, that’s the interesting part, customers are willing to flex a little bit, to adapt as businesses have had to adapt, but ultimately, too much change is scary unless it’s managed well. So, when doing your 2021 Spring Refresh, we’re recommending to business owners and managers that they start customers on an informed, well-planned path.

THE PEARLS OF PODCAST MARKETING

By Megan Trimble • April 30, 2021
“What’s on your strategic plan?” “I want to start a podcast.” “Wow, that’s ambitious, about what?” “I don’t know, I haven’t thought that far ahead, I just think I should have one.” If you’re a professional anything, that exchange seems very familiar. The “I want this but I don’t really know why or how any of it works” conversation can either make your brain ignite with fireworks or you can feel your whole body cringe. For us, we love podcasts and podcast marketing so we’re often very excited when someone wants to venture into podcasting. We take the “I don’t know conversation” and dive deep into what the person is trying to accomplish. Sometimes, the person truly does want to start podcasting, a few times they just want to work for a podcast. Often times, what business owners really want to do is discuss how they can utilize podcasting to make their business or brand more successful, and that’s when podcast marketing comes in to play.

PODCAST MARKETING

By Megan Trimble • March 17, 2021
PODCASTS ARE IN DEMAND There are millions of podcast listeners around the world, and that number is growing every single day. All ages, races, income-brackets, education levels… nearly every demographic can find a subject or niche that interests them and keeps them downloading. Podcasts are a way for individuals and organizations to deliver content as an easy-to-consume experience. It can be a fresh way to reach your intended audience and gain new followers. PODCASTS SHOULD NOT STAND ALONE Marketing a podcast is encompassing and downloads increase when podcasts are part of a larger, more engaging experience. Much like a radio or tv show, a book launch, or a webinar, a podcast should be strategically planned to get the most out of your marketing efforts. SHOULD I START OR GROW MY PODCAST? Is podcasting a good idea for you? How do you reach your target audience? What’s the right time and place to promote your episodes? Can you partner and cross-promote to reach your goals? There are a lot of questions, and the answers can be quite technical. The first step is to listen to a podcast. Ask a few friends which podcasts they listen to. Search for a favorite personality and see if they pop-up as a podcast hot or guest and give an episode a listen. You’ll probably get hooked pretty quickly and your mind will race with possibilities. Already know you want to podcast or have an existing podcast and want to improve your reach? Let’s get started. A Media Marketing can help strategically plan your podcast marketing. Our team can train you to complete the plan or we can augment your team to manage your efforts. Contact Leslie Laney today for more details.