Even though we’re only mid-way through 2021, 2022 content marketing planning has already begun. As we plan for 2022, many brands are choosing a video-first approach to content creation. The CEO of Instagram recently announced that they will be promoting video content over static imagery, making brands rethink the way they plan a content calendar.
If video is part of your strategy, there’s a way to incorporate it into your content and social media schedule without going over budget. Like many businesses, you might be going into your video strategy thinking you’ll need to hire top-notch video editors, scout locations and book talent to produce video content. Luckily, this does not have to be the reality for your brand.
From live streaming to Instagram stories, there are dozens of fresh and unique video paths for your brand to take to elevate its video marketing strategy, but one technology in particular that will allow you to scale production at a fraction of the cost is story-led video automation.
Here are four considerations your brand should be thinking about when planning your 2022 video strategy, and why story-led video automation can help you achieve your brand marketing goals.
Storytelling is Everything
Stories are all around us, in the books we read, in the shows we watch, and yes, even in the ads we see. Tossing around statistics and facts is no longer the best strategy to gain new customers. Instead, you must create believable stories surrounding your brand and product. Implementing storytelling into your brand strategy can help shape the narrative around your brand and influence current and future customers’ purchasing decisions. Video becomes the best medium to convey a story by your brand.
“Video is the ultimate vehicle for storytelling,” says StoryTap CEO Bernadette Butler.
Videos enable you to take your customers on a journey that engages them and builds trust. However, it’s not enough to hire a production company to fabricate a good story. Customers want authentic and believable stories that come from real people.
The Importance of Authenticity
Customers trust one another more than the brands they buy from. High-production video content isn’t guaranteed to land with customers the way it used to, and it’s necessary to adapt to this changing landscape or risk being left behind. With the rise of video product reviews, believable and authentic videos are proven to resonate with customers. Customers want to see themselves represented in your brand’s content. They want authentic stories from the real people who use your brand, and video is without a doubt the best way to achieve this level of honesty.
Video Makes Things Easier
Providing simplified and helpful information can influence purchasing decisions.
Pages and pages of written content are not a good idea because your customers have to scan to find what they’re looking for. “Video is so accessible because you have closed captioning, you have audio/visual clues of what’s being talked about,” says Butler. “With text, it’s really one-dimensional, and it takes a lot of work to read 500 words to understand what you’re trying to do.”
By implementing videos to your website and product pages, your customer’s purchasing journey will become that much easier. Videos convey information faster and more efficiently. With video, your customers can find out exactly what they need to know in a shorter amount of time.
Video Boosts Your SEO
Another major reason to consider adding more video into your brand’s marketing strategy is that video can improve your SEO ranking. Since Google owns YouTube, it prioritizes video in search engine results, often putting YouTube results at the top or near the top. Integrating video can give you a significant boost in your reach compared to competitors who aren’t prioritizing video.
“Your customers are going to YouTube to figure it out without you. You’re either a part of the conversation, or you’re not,” says Butler. “Google cares a lot about video, whether it’s on your retention side or your acquisition side. Thinking about video as part of the customer journey, end to end, is really important, especially when it comes to being discovered for the first time.”
Automation is the Answer
How do you actually go about building your video library? We understand that the process may seem daunting at first. Here’s where StoryTap’s story-led video automation comes in. Our patented technology lets brands easily produce and distribute authentic video stories from their real customers.
Gone are the days of spending an exorbitant amount of money towards high-production content with no guaranteed results. From video reviews of your best customers to video Q&As that answer all of their frequently asked questions, StoryTap’s story-led video automation platform is a fully customizable process that is tailored to your brand’s video goals. With videos sourced directly from your real customers, it allows you to produce a large number of authentic videos that drive conversation, push new customers to cart checkout, and most importantly, tell meaningful stories.
StoryTap’s video experts can help you optimize your 2022 video strategy for maximum results and success. Book a demo with StoryTap to learn exactly how you can easily start marketing your brand with truth and authenticity through video.
For information about video marketing, download our eBook: Video Marketing 101
