19 billion views on average for online video
…your retail business too can engage audiences with video
Judging by the astounding growth of online video viewership (close to 125% in 2009), there is no doubt about the tremendous opportunity that has emerged for marketers. Sure, online video still has a long way to go before it gets close to television viewership but eMarketer predicts that online video viewership will nearly double to 11.8 billion total hours in 2010.
As a retail business owner, you strive to educate your customers and prospects about your products and services. Now think about one of the most effective ways that people learn – it’s the interactive audio-visual medium (a.k.a. Video)! There can be no better way to show the use of your products, make a presentation about a new concept, share information and ideas to encourage better utilization of your products and services, promote an event, discuss success stories or a case study, and so much more. Using the combined power of voice, text, image, music and perhaps, a little bit of drama (for effect!), a simple video can engage your target audience like nothing else can.
If you’re thinking, “Video is expensive”, “I don’t have time to create videos”, “Video marketing is too slow”, “Video takes too much technical knowledge, skills and effort”…STOP! From retailers to chefs, MLM pros to fitness instructors, chocolate makers to computer manufacturers, everyone has used online video and very successfully at that. You don’t need to hire an expert videographer or have fancy cameras, lights and software. There are ways to create and market online videos quickly, affordably and efficiently. You just need to know what market trends prevail and which best practices yield the best results.
Online video is not all about what you can show…
…it’s about what your audience can imagine!
Google’s 2010 Super Bowl Ad was a 52 second video. If you haven’t seen it before, take a quick look now.
Lost in Paris aren’t you? The video didn’t do that. You did! As your eyes followed the text and online search on your screen, your mind wandered off picturing everything from chocolate to coffee, Le Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, Parisian models to French couture, and more! See how plain text scrolling on a screen and simple, really subtle, unobtrusive music can have that effect on you? No images, no photographs, no fancy graphics or use of color, and yet, the video makes you see so much, within the realm of your own imagination! That’s the power of online video.
Sure, Google is one of the biggest, most well-known companies in the world today and they paid an astronomical figure to play this video during Super Bowl. (CBS charged 3 million dollars for a 30 second commercial!). But think about it, you could create a video like that sitting in your own office or home. The most important thing is to get your retail brand into the mind of your customer. And to do that, you have to think like the customer and find the niche that you’d like to occupy.
Understanding market trends and following best practices in online video marketing can help you gain terrific results without having to spend too much time, money or effort on it.
