Marketing Strategy Archives

5 Video Content Marketing Ideas For Software Brands To Use

In the latest of our Marketing Tips vlog series, Chris Tongue, Creative Director at Dead Ready Productions, explains 5 video content ideas that software brands should implement into their marketing strategy.

The content of which can be found below.

Hi! This time we’re going to look at 5 video content ideas that suit software brands.

Software platforms are becoming more and more powerful, but with that comes complexity.

Video offers the opportunity to highlight the benefits of your offering without having to send a sales rep to do a demo.

So here are 5 ideas for demystifying the power of your software through video.

1. Promo

The promotional video for your product is the banner advert for your product. This video should offer a teaser of the power of your products and excite your audience.

Don’t worry about granular detail here, just make sure that your product looks impressive; consider representing key facets of your product through metaphor and don’t be afraid to swing for the fences – this really is an advert for your product, so make it look great!

2. Case Study

As is so often true in video marketing, case studies present a really compelling reason for your potential clients to buy your product.

Firstly, identify your evangelists from your existing client base and incentivise them to be involved by offering them something of value as a thank you.

Send your production team to their place of business and shoot an interview with your customer, plus loads of content of the software in action, helping your customer achieve their business goals.

Potential customers relate to these videos and they can be a massive sales driver.

3. Demos

These videos are often animated demonstrations of how your software works when addressing a common issue your clients face.

These videos should be seen as mini-showreels for different corners of the software so make sure you keep the production values

4. Tips

This is where the granular detail comes in. Help your customers see how easy it is to work with your programme by demonstrating how to use the software to complete common tasks.

These easily can be shown through screen capture videos recorded by your sales team – just make sure that they are recorded clearly using a professional microphone, not the mic on the laptop.

5. Update Vlogs

Make sure that your customers are informed and excited by any new developments or features by creating a regular vlog.

Your customers will always be interested in new features so humanise your brand by going on camera and talking to them directly.

So, there you are, 5 video ideas for software content campaigns.

For more helpful information, top tips and useful guides on video production, keep an eye out for our next vlog – coming soon!

If you would like to discuss how Dead Ready Productions could help you to further enjoy the benefits of video for your business, please get in touch via the button below or by calling +44 (0)208 339 6139.

5 Video Content Marketing Ideas For Pharmaceutical Brands To Apply

In the latest of our marketing tips vlog series, Chris Tongue, Creative Director at Dead Ready Productions, explains 5 video content ideas that pharmaceutical brands should apply to their marketing strategy. The content of which can be found below.

Hi, this month I’m suggesting 5 effective video approaches to support content campaigns for pharmaceutical brands.

So, if you’re an in-house marketeer for a pharmaceutical brand or working at an agency for pharmaceutical clients, I’d hope this content is useful to you.

It’s worth saying that often your most useful resource will be your Key Opinion Leaders (KOL), so be prepared to get them on-side for filming.

Many KOLs take it upon themselves to get some media training, but it’ll really help the quality of your content if your KOL’s are good on camera.

Number 1: Communicating Study Findings

Traditionally, study findings are reported to audiences via PowerPoint presentations, but you can more powerfully connect the KOL to the content through video.

The simplest way to enliven these findings is the classic talking head in a box approach, where the heavy data can take up most of the screen. However, if you involve a greenscreen, there is a whole world of ways that we can enliven the environment and content.

Feel free to add as much imagination as you feel is appropriate for your audience.

We’ve brought pop up green screen studios to locations worldwide, so it’s easy to bring the production to a location that’s convenient for your KOL.

Number 2: Case Studies

In almost any market, video case studies are a great way to highlight the efficacy of a product. When it comes to pharma, case studies are usually led by a KOL discussing how well treatment is going with a particular patient or group of patients.

These can be effectively communicated through a simple interview-style video, shot at the KOLs institute or place of work. Adding testimonial interview quotes from patients can present an even more compelling case study.

Number 3: Update Vlogs

Consider creating a channel for a particular product in development and have a specialist on the development team deliver regular updates on progress.

These thought leadership videos should only be a couple of minutes long and delivered regularly – providing a touch point for your KOLs and any other interested parties.

Number 4: News

Become a resource for a specific therapy area by attending congresses and organise the filming of update videos from a range of key speakers.

These can easily be shot by a single camera operator and provided they are scheduled in advance, you can shoot and even edit up to fifty 2-3 minute update videos a day!

Number 5: Interactive Video

Your e-learning resources become more engaging, impactful and effective when presented as an interactive video.

In one example, we were asked to help teach GPs how to recognise the right symptom profile to apply certain treatments.

We therefore created a video putting the audience in the shoes of a doctor as patient characters described their symptoms.

Audiences were given options as to what steps to take and guided to a resolution that benefited the patient. Requiring your audience to actively engage with the content in this way dramatically increases the likelihood that the learning objectives are fully absorbed.

So that’s it, 5 simple ideas for pharmaceutical campaigns. But before I go, a useful compliance tip is to use an autocue.

It seems strange to script interviews or other natural interactions but allowing the messaging to be signed off in advance drastically reduces the risk of projects being cancelled in post production – we’ve even held up a script on an iPad before and used post production to make it feel natural, so we’re big advocates of this approach.

As always, put yourself in the shoes of your audience and create videos that solve problems or inspire.

Thanks for watching.

For more helpful information, top tips and useful guides on video production, keep an eye out for our next 60 second marketing tips vlog – coming soon!

In the meantime, if you have a filming brief, or you would like to find out more about the animation, photography and graphic design services Dead Ready Productions can offer your business, simply get in touch via the button below or by calling +44 (0)208 339 6139.

6 Ways To Excel Your Marketing Strategy Using Explainer Videos

Whether you’re using them for marketing, education or internal communications, creating an explainer video is a great way to explain complex information to your audience.

Explainer videos are typically 1-2 minutes long and use animated graphics, typography and voiceover to explain what something is or how it works in an engaging, easy to understand way.

They are often placed on a website homepage, a dedicated landing page or a prominent product page and can help increase brand awareness, drive website traffic or boost sales – 96% of consumers said that they’ve watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. (Wyzowl)

In this article, we’ll explore 6 steps you can take to ensure your explainer video helps to excel your marketing strategy.

Have A Clear Message

It’s essential to start with a clear message. Define the problem you’re solving, your solution, and the benefits your audience will derive from your product or service.

The most successful explainer videos are always brief, straight to the point and most importantly, have a clear call-to-action at the end.

The ideal script length for an explainer video should be 150 words per minute, so a voiceover should be 300 words maximum for a 2 minute video.

Keep It Short And Engaging

Your audience’s attention span is limited, so it’s crucial to get your message across quickly and in an interesting way. According to Adage, the average attention span for consumers is 8.25 seconds.

It’s therefore crucial that you grab the viewer’s attention in the first 30 seconds, otherwise they will lose interest. Also, make sure your video has a clear structure and flows smoothly from beginning to end.

Focus On The Benefits And Include Statistics

People care more about the benefits they’ll get from your product or service than its features.

Use your explainer video to highlight how your solution will make their lives easier, save them time and money or solve a particular problem they’re facing.

Incorporating data and or figures within the script can also help to reinforce your message. Explainer videos lend themselves particularly well to this style of animation.

Consider using brand colours and or visuals within the video as this can strengthen the connection to your brand and help to make it more identifiable.

Use A Conversational Tone

The main benefit of an explainer video is that it simplifies complex information, so language should be accessible. Your explainer video should have a conversational tone, as if you’re talking to a friend.

Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your audience may not understand and instead use simple language and explain your information in a way that anyone can comprehend.

Video is often watched by people with the audio switched off, particularly when viewing on mobile, so always include subtitles to ensure viewers are not reliant on the voiceover.

Subtitles are also a great way to maximise the reach of your video and enhance viewer experience across the board, and so should be considered for all your video content.

Include A Call To Action

Your explainer video should end with a call to action that encourages your audience to take the next step. This could be visiting your website, signing up for a trial, or making a purchase.

Ensure your call to action is clear and visible, so your audience knows what to do next.

Test And Refine

Once you’ve created your explainer video, it’s essential to test it with your target audience to see how they respond to it.

Use analytics tools to track how many people view your video, how long they watch it and what actions they take after watching it.

In Summary

Explainer videos are an effective tool for engaging and educating your audience on complex ideas, products, or services. By following the above steps you can ensure that your videos are not only entertaining but also informative and impactful.

So, start with a clear message that addresses your audience’s needs, keep your video concise and engaging, highlight the benefits of your product or service and use a conversational tone that is easy to understand.

Additionally, include a clear and compelling call to action that will encourage your audience to take the next step towards becoming a customer and finally, test and refine your video based on feedback – this will ensure you can continue to improve and optimise your explainer videos for maximum impact.

Understanding Aspect Ratios In Video Production: A Comprehensive Guide

Whether you’re working in-house as a marketer, or you’re an agency tasked with creating video content for clients, it’s important to have a solid grasp on the technicalities of producing high-quality videos.

And one of the biggest factors that can make or break the success of your video is the aspect ratio.

In this article, we’re going to dive deep into aspect ratios – what they are, why they matter and why it’s crucial for clients to consider them when planning their video projects.

We’ll also look at some of the most common aspect ratios used in the industry, so you’ll be armed with all the knowledge you need to brief in video projects that will be highly effective on any platform.

What is aspect ratio?

Aspect ratio refers to the proportion between the width and height of a video or image. You’ll often see it expressed as two numbers separated by a colon, like 16:9 – the first number represents the width, and the second number represents the height.

Now, you might be thinking, “why does aspect ratio even matter?” Well, it’s significantly important because it can impact everything from the overall visual layout of your content to how it appears on different platforms.

So, whether you’re creating videos for social media, a website, or even a cinema screen, understanding aspect ratio is key to making sure your content looks amazing and is easily digestible for your audience.

What are the most common aspect ratios and where are they used?

16:9 – this is the standard aspect ratio for most modern screens and is widely used in video production. It’s the recommended aspect ratio for most social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

9:16 – is a vertical aspect ratio that is commonly used for creating content in portrait mode for mobile devices, which is how people naturally hold their phones. It’s especially popular for social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

4:3 – this aspect ratio was common in older televisions and is still used in some video production applications such as live streaming and webinars.

1:1 – is a square aspect ratio used primarily in social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

2.35:1 – also known as the CinemaScope aspect ratio, it is commonly used in film production to create a cinematic feel.

How does aspect ratio impact video success?

When it comes to video success, aspect ratio is a major player. In fact, choosing the right aspect ratio can have a huge impact on the viewing experience, engagement levels and overall impact of your video.

So, let’s take a closer look at some of the ways aspect ratio can make or break the success of your video content:

Viewability

This refers to how easily and seamlessly your video can be viewed across various devices and platforms. It is therefore essential to adhere to the aspect ratio requirements of different devices and platforms to avoid distorted or awkward-looking videos.

By selecting the right aspect ratio, you can ensure that your video content appears visually appealing and is viewable on all devices and platforms.

Engagement

Believe it or not, the aspect ratio of your video can impact viewer engagement. Certain aspect ratios can create a more immersive viewing experience, drawing your audience in and keeping them engaged from start to finish.

And as we all know, higher engagement can lead to higher conversion rates.

Aesthetics

Finally, aspect ratio can have a big impact on the overall aesthetic appeal of your video content. Choosing the right aspect ratio can help you achieve a specific look or mood, making your video more visually appealing and memorable.

So, whether you’re going for a cinematic widescreen look or a more intimate square aspect ratio, the right choice can really elevate your video content to the next level.

Why is aspect ratio important for clients to consider when planning video projects?

When it comes to planning video projects, aspect ratio is a key consideration that can make or break the success of your content.

Choosing the wrong aspect ratio can result in a suboptimal viewing experience, lower engagement, and ultimately, lower ROI. That’s why it’s crucial to consider aspect ratio during the planning phase of your video projects.

By doing so, you can ensure that content creation is planned accordingly, rather than awkwardly trying to retrofit graphics and footage to different aspect ratios later. This approach helps ensure that your videos are optimised for maximum impact across all social platforms and devices from the get-go.

So, if you want to make sure your video content is hitting all the right notes with your audience, paying attention to aspect ratio is an absolute must.

To sum it all up

Aspect ratio is an absolute game-changer when it comes to video production. It’s a critical component that you simply can’t afford to overlook when planning your video projects.

The right aspect ratio can make all the difference – enhancing the viewing experience, increasing engagement, and ultimately leading to higher ROI.

But to achieve these results, it’s essential to carefully consider aspect ratio and select the appropriate one for each platform and device. By doing so, you can ensure your videos are optimised for maximum impact and success.

So if you want to take your video content to the next level, be sure to give aspect ratio the attention it deserves. Trust us, your audience will thank you for it.

To find out more about the video, animation, photography and graphic design services Dead Ready Productions can offer your business, please feel free to get in touch via the button below or by calling +44 (0)208 339 6139.

The Benefits Of Video And Why It Is Essential To Any Marketing Strategy

Video has proven itself to be a highly effective marketing tool for businesses. It helps spread the message of your brand, products and services in a uniquely compelling way, delivering a host of benefits unmatched by other mediums.

By incorporating video into their marketing strategies, marketers enjoy a range of advantages to help their business connect in a more engaging and impactful way with their target audience.

In this article, we explore the benefits of video and why it should be an integral part of any successful marketing plan.

Increased Engagement

The dynamic nature of video means it has the power to keep people interested and engaged for longer.

According to Optinmonster, 72% of customers say they would rather learn about a product or service by way of video, whilst 83% of video marketers claim that video has helped increase the average time visitors spend on their website pages (Wyzwol).

This increased engagement can translate into higher levels of brand awareness, increased website traffic and stronger relationships with your target audience, making it a powerful tool for communicating your message and ultimately leading to more people buying from your brand.

Greater Emotional Impact

Research by Insivia, found that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in the text.

With the help of social-sharing platforms, video content that is emotional, educational, and relatable is the most likely to go viral within hours, potentially acquiring millions of views for your business.

So, whether you’re trying to evoke laughter, sadness, joy or any other emotion, creating an emotional connection with your audience can be a powerful motivator for them to take action.

This powerful and thought provoking video, Real Beauty Sketches, which is one of the most famous Dove films is a great example of the power of emotion to hook an audience.

The video explores the gap between how others perceive us and how we perceive ourselves as each woman is the subject of two portraits drawn by FBI-trained forensic artist Gil Zamora: one based on her own description and the other using a stranger’s observations.

Another example is the below video by Getup! – an independent movement of more than one million people who are working to build a progressive Australia and help put people back into politics.

This video highlights the support of marriage equality and although now over 11 years old, it’s message is as impactful and thought provoking as it was when first released.

Better Reach

Video content is shared 1200% more times than links and written content combined, with people two times more likely to share videos with their friends than any other type of content. So, when it comes to potential reach, video is unbeaten.

As a result, video can help you connect with the right people and reach your target audience on a scale that would be difficult to achieve with other marketing methods.

Add into the mix the popularity of social media platforms and when people share video content, it exposes your business to an audience outside of your original target market.

According to The Marketing Helpline, posts on social media that contain video get 48% more views. As a result, word-of-mouth marketing can have a significant impact on conversions as people are more likely to watch a video shared by those they know.

This is why video has the highest organic reach of all types of content.

Improved Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Video is a powerful tool for improving your search engine optimisation efforts, with search engines such as Google, favouring websites that incorporate video into their content.

One of the biggest ways that video content can improve your SEO has to do with Google’s internal algorithm for generating search engine results pages.

Google values two things above all others – the quality of your content and its relevance to someone’s original search terms. So, if your website features a mixture of text and quality visuals, like video, it means your pages are as varied as they are informative.

You can also leverage the power of video SEO through YouTube, which is the second-largest search engine after Google with more than 1.3 billion users and over 15 billion videos watched every day. (monsterinsights)

By featuring your video content on platforms such as these, it will help improve your search engine rankings and drive more organic traffic to your site, thus leading to increased brand exposure and a higher return on investment for your marketing efforts.

Increased Conversion Rates

Video has been proven to boost conversion rates. This is backed up by research carried out by WordStream, which found that including a video on your landing page can boost your conversion rate by up to 80%. In fact, 84% of people say they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video. (Optinmonster)

These stats show that by showcasing your products or services in a visual and engaging way such as video, you can persuade more people to act and make a purchase.

This video which we produced for Wrapmaster to highlight their new 98% recycled foil product, had some great results for them, specifically within trade media, causing a spike in page views on the Wrapmaster website.

Some fantastic results were also achieved on social media, with high impressions, engagements, and media views.

Cost-Effective

Video is one of the most cost-effective marketing tools available. With varied production approaches that can be tailored as needed to match specific marketing budgets, cost is no barrier to harnessing the benefits that video can offer.

Compared to traditional advertising methods such as print or television adverts, video provides a higher return on investment. According to research by WordStream, marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users, making it a smart choice for businesses of all sizes.

Once produced, video can be easily shared and distributed across multiple platforms, ultimately maximising investment and providing long-term benefits to your business.

In Conclusion

Not only is consumer appetite for video content continually growing, but there is now a wide body of research demonstrating the significant impact such content can have for a business. We’ve outlined some of these research findings in this article, but this is really just scratching the surface.

By showcasing your products or services in an engaging way, video can persuade more people to act upon your call to action, driving awareness and sales, and increasing revenue for your business. What more could you want?