The rise of the connected digital customer has lead to continuous shifts in the way marketers are managing their mobile, social & engagement marketing strategy.

While it was always obvious that the customer (‘audience’) is less interested in what Brands are trying to ‘sell’ to her, & more interested in knowing‘what's in it for me’;Video Marketing has now become the ‘secret weapon’ for marketers globally as a means to providing the customer with that message.

The reason for this is simple. When faced with a steady onslaught of multiple digital advertising messages, the customer is most likely to gravitate towards a ‘Play’ button.

The rise ofVideo Marketing has been one of the most exciting trends in recent years.96% of B2B advertisers today, globally are utilizing Video to attract audience & differentiating themselves from other marketing & advertising messages. Over 8 billion Videos were being played each day on Facebook alone in 2015. Cisco predicts that by 2019, 80% of all Internet traffic will be Streaming Video Content (up 16% from 2014). Research firm, Demand Metric says that 74% of B2B marketers globally, believe that Video now converts better than other content types.

The insight here is to recognize that Video is not just about attracting attention, but also as a means to enhance the Customer Journey. It’s simply about telling a ‘Brand Story’, rather than just presenting a ‘Advertisement’.

So what’s the secret to creating your own Secret Weapon? Here is a 4-Step Checklist:

1. Video should DRIVE your Customer Journey
Client testimonials, demo recordings & explainer/instructional video content were the best means of Customer Acquisition & Conversions.The ‘multi-sensory’ means of conveying a brand message, that Video provides,does90% of the job of convincing the customer about a brand.

Produce videos for each step of the Customer Journey. Keep it short & provide next steps to the Customer that lead to an action.

Facebook is undoubtedly the master at this. Their ‘How-To’ tutorials are tied directly to the service but they're not ‘pitchy’. Instead, they aim to provide solutions to their users’ most common questions in a way that's actually entertaining. Example:“Need to block your ex (or unblock your ex when you get back together)?” This essentially promotes their How-To Video on their privacy feature.

2. Pay Attention to the ‘Silent Film’
Consider the way you look through your social media feed today. The languid pace of: swipe, click & swipe. Videos now auto-play on Facebook without the Audio. Therefore any audio toward the start of the clip will clearly not be heard by anybody scrolling through their‘feed’. This means that as a marketer, you need to plan your video such that the visuals during those initial few moments can grab the audience. Videos need to be intelligent & more targeted in their screen-play.

Hotels.com was one of the first to release a Silent Video. It kicked off its campaign, using humour and its ‘Captain Obvious’ character, directly addressing this need for a Silent Auto-Play on Facebook.

3. Focus on the Brand Mission, rather than the Product
Thus far, Video content has been a one-to-many type of marketing activity. The Consumer too has been passive, treating it as a ‘recliner experience’ (press play, sit back & consume the message).
To differentiate your strategy, you need to convey your Brand’s Mission (in unique ways), rather than just ‘advertise’ your product. The latter leads to a Consumer Blind-Spot. We know that Videos based on Emotions have a more lasting impact on the consumer. To therefore use an emotional thread & link it to the Brand’s Mission would be a sure-fire success strategy.

A global brand that executes this very well is ‘Dove’. It has crafted stories & encouraged their target community to participate in stories through their various Video Campaigns (#ChooseBeautiful & #RealBeautySketches).
Binding your marketing to a larger mission results in developing a loyal base of customers. According to data by Gallup, customers who are more loyal & emotionally attached to brands bring in 23% more revenue. Emotional triggers certainly seem to drive the numbers.

4. Right Content, Right Time, Right Channel
Amul ads have become a part of our folklore. It effectively connects with the audience by capturing the essence of any trending topic. The topical nature of the brand message, leads to a ‘connect’ with the audience.

Cardsstore.com by American Greetings created a video which focused on #TheWorldsToughestJob, few weeks before Mother’s Day. They used a creative, faux interview process to bring to light the impressive day-to-day routines of Mothers everywhere. Needless to say, the emotional connect coupled with the timing of the campaign, worked very well.
Delivering the Right Video at the Right Time through the Right Channel is as much an Art as it is a Science.

In summary, Video has emerged as the leading medium of choice to differentiate your marketing campaigns, stay relevant and achieve business results. By following the 4-Step Checklist, any marketer can bring their own blend of innovation, while using fundamental theories for effective Video Marketing – your new Secret Weapon.