Traditional methods like phone and email will always be popular communication methods.
However, people prefer interacting with brands on social media and direct messages more than ever now.
Recently, video messaging has emerged as a popular technique for increasing customer and audience engagement.
In fact, video consumption on mobile devices has doubled each year for the past several years.
Video has become commonplace on websites and social media platforms. Several companies are also recognizing the value of sharing videos directly with customers.
Using videos in a marketing campaign requires some planning and a clear understanding of how to create an effective message.
To help you prepare for launching a video messaging campaign I have put together this guide. Let’s explore video messaging resources, data, and best practices.
In this guide you will learn how to use data from your video messaging campaigns to inform your broader marketing efforts.
What is a Video Message?
As the name implies, a video message is simply a video media clip that is shared through a standard Short Messaging Service (SMS) text.
SMS texting is available on most modern smartphones, it is one of the easiest and most direct ways to contact consumers.
Savvy marketers also know that text messages are 4.5 times more likely to receive a reply versus emails.
In recent years, data speed improvements on cellular and internet services have made it much easier to send larger files smoothly and with little delay.
Marketers can use video messages to add a personal touch to traditional texts and increase customer engagement.
Like traditional text messages or emails, video messages can be used to share promotional offers, company news, product announcements, and other important information.
Since video messages can be optimized for mobile use, they provide an excellent form of direct and personalized communication.
Let’s discuss how these video messages can improve click through rates and help your business get noticed.
Why Should You Consider Video Messaging for Your Business?
The transition to video messaging is as easy as sending your first video. There are several benefits of using video messaging.
Let’s discuss five of the most influential factors to keep in mind for your video marketing campaigns.
- Relevance. Like email newsletters, your customers must opt-in to receive text messages from your business. This means that the people on your text messaging list are there because they want to be. Sharing video content directly with a relevant audience helps increase the likelihood of engagement.
- Ease of Sharing. Text messages are delivered directly to a person’s phone and are very easy to share with others by simply forwarding a message, image, or video clip. Video content is 12 times more likely to be shared on social media when compared to text or images, making it an excellent choice.
- Timely Delivery. Text messages require less effort than launching a formal campaign using paid ads or preparing blog posts or print articles. Like messages posted on social media, you can even repurpose existing video content into bite-sized clips perfect for viewing on mobile devices. Many people prioritize text messages, and they are often viewed very quickly after being received.
- Retention. Video content is very easy for most people to understand, and you can communicate a lot of information in a very short amount of time. In a poll conducted by Social Media Week, viewers reported retaining nearly 95% of a message when it is received via video. It’s difficult to find another format with that same level of performance.
- Influence. The number one reason for marketing is to influence customers’ behavior so they make a purchase from your brand. Data from Google shows that over half of online shoppers find online video helpful when choosing a brand or product to purchase. To influence your audience, your video messages must be informative and helpful for your audience.
How Can You Use Video Messaging for Marketing?
Video messaging has many use cases that can support marketing campaigns. Successful marketing requires the use of many practices and tactics that complement each other.
Sharing short video clips is an excellent way to provide dynamic and engaging content directly to your audience. When designing your marketing plans, try to keep these three important use cases in mind.
1.) Following Up with Existing Customers
Your current customers are a powerful resource, and you can certainly use videos to keep in touch.
Existing customers who are happy with your products or services are likely to recommend your business to other people within their network.
When creating video messages for existing customers, try to use a personal style that seeks to strengthen your current relationships.
It’s also a good practice to share company news, product updates and other information without focusing solely on sales offers.
2.) Collecting New Leads
One of the most significant benefits of modern technology is the ability to personalize content for individuals at scale.
Some video creation platforms allow you to automatically insert customer info, such as their name and company, into an existing video clip.
This creates a truly customized experience for your lead when they view your video message.
3.) Capturing and Using Testimonials
Customer testimonials are an excellent tool to use when demonstrating social proof and building confidence in your brand.
You can ask customers to send you testimonials as video messages and then compile these clips into powerful marketing videos to post on your landing pages, share in your email newsletter, or post to social media.
Video testimonials create a personal connection which appeals to both existing customers and potential leads.
What Types of Data Can You Track with Video Messaging?
Because video messages are shared over a digital platform, companies can collect a wealth of data to help them make better marketing decisions.
When preparing video content for your own marketing campaigns, it’s a good idea to understand what data will be available to you.
Here are a few examples of video messaging data that you can collect and monitor to engage your audience and monitor campaign performance.
1.) Number of Watches
Most video platforms track the number of watches per video and make this data available to the creator. If you share a link to your video content, you can monitor the click-through rate for each message.
You will also be able to compare this number to past levels of engagement and see how your video messages are performing relative to other content types and what topics your audience is most interested in.
2.) Viewer Demographics
Video messages can also be used to track which members of your audience are opening the videos.
This can help a marketing team understand which demographic groups are interested in certain types of videos.
You’ll also gain more insight into your audience as a whole and can leverage this data to ensure that your other marketing messages effectively target your ideal buyer.
3.) Comments
People that feel strongly about a video, either positive or negative, may leave a comment that you can read and learn from.
The comments on your videos are a great resource for identifying future improvements and understanding what’s working well, so you can do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
It’s common for users to ask questions in comments, which you can utilize to create future video content that answers them or develop a FAQ resource (either in written or video format – or both).
4.) Responses
It’s a good idea to track responses to comments as well, whether they’re responses to your reply to a previous comment or users responding to other users’ comments.
If your video message has many responses, it can indicate that your audience is highly engaged and interested in learning more.
Video messaging on today’s SMS and social media platforms is not only efficient, but it also generates valuable data to inform your marketing strategy.
Let’s talk about other ways to leverage this data to improve upon your existing marketing strategies and tactics.
How to Leverage Video Messaging Data to Inform Your Marketing Campaigns?
Digital marketing has transformed the way that businesses use data and leveraging the video messaging information that is available to your teams can help you develop smarter campaigns.
Video messages can be used to direct viewers to more substantial pieces of content such as a blog post, guide, or lengthier YouTube video.
Directing your audience to other online content also creates a larger data set by increasing the number of relevant links and pages that can be accessed.
It also enables you to track how many recipients clicked on those relevant links and pages.
With this data, you can identify the topics, types of video messages, and resources that your audience engages with the most.
Additionally, you can leverage this data to inform other marketing efforts. For instance, by learning what topics your audience is most interested in you can create written guides, landing pages, and longer videos to post on YouTube or social media to cater to those interests.
By tracking what types of resource links your audience is most likely to click on, you can create similar resources on related or other relevant topics.
You can also include links to your video messages inside other content such press releases, emails, and PDF handouts.
This has the benefit of increasing the reach of your content while also allowing you to track the unique links independently for monitoring the source of each video click.
Regardless of how you choose to use video messages, always think about data collection ahead of time and be mindful about links and your approach for each individual platform.
What Do You Need to Get Started with Video Messaging?
Today, it’s easy for brands to get started with video messaging, even if they’re working with a small budget.
Most smartphones today are capable of recording HD video in 720p or 1080p quality and can certainly be used to create professional and high-quality video messages.
Other businesses may choose to invest in more expensive recording, editing, and distribution technology. Here are a few of the major video messaging resources to keep in mind.
1.) Video Recording
Real life videos can be easily recorded using a smartphone camera or video camera.
It is recommended to use a tripod to capture sharp videos, and you should also take care to learn the settings of your camera.
When preparing for a recording you may also want to use an external microphone and additional lighting to create a broadcast-quality video.
For other situations, natural lighting and a minimalist approach can create an organic and personal feel. Many companies also use screen capture software to record a computer screen when creating tutorials or product demonstrations.
2.) Video Editing
You can edit your video messages using existing smartphone software, mobile apps, or desktop programs.
The most important consideration is creating a repeatable workflow that your staff can follow routinely and improve over time.
3.) Video Distribution
There are many software programs available for automating your message distribution.
As mentioned previously, you can use automation software to add personalized greetings to your videos or send different videos to different market segments.
The goal of your video message distribution should be to deliver your content quickly and efficiently to the right users at the right time while collecting high-quality data.
Best Practices for Effective Video Messaging Campaigns
After developing a video production workflow, you’ll want to keep some best practices in mind before making your first video.
Learning from the successes and failures of others will help reduce mistakes and shorten the time needed to have successful video messaging campaigns.
1.) Welcome New Customers
A video is an excellent way to introduce a new customer to your brand after a purchase or sign-up.
Many communications take place online these days, and today’s consumers appreciate being able to see and hear someone speaking instead of reading more text.
2.) Provide CTA Buttons
Each piece of marketing content should be connected to a desired call-to-action (CTA). Just as you would with a web page, you should include a CTA button with your video messages.
It can be embedded with the video on some platforms and can also be shared as a link alongside the clip.
You can use your CTA button to encourage customers to take an action such as setting up an appointment, downloading an e-book, or making a purchase.
3.) Recognize Customer Milestones
In addition to new customers, don’t forget to also send regular messages to your existing customers.
A video message can be used to recognize customer milestones like birthdays or anniversaries.
You can also congratulate a customer for a recent purchase or for achieving a certain level within your customer loyalty program.
4.) Consider Animated Videos
In addition to live-action clips, you can also include images and animations in your video messages. This not only provides some variety to your content but also helps you explain complex topics. Infographics and animations are great options for instructional videos and product demonstrations.
In conclusion
Video messaging has become a mainstream tactic that marketing teams can use to engage with customers.
The high level of engagement makes video an excellent choice for improving click-through rates and increasing the quality of your marketing campaigns.
With a little upfront planning, a team can design, record, and deliver video messages that truly resonate with customers and help communicate the value of their brand.