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Video Marketing as a Public Relations Tool

Published on December 4, 2017, at 3:22 p.m.
by Kirby Tifverman.

According to Forbes, “a third of all the time people spend online is dedicated to watching videos.” Video content is taking over the internet and is projected to make up more than 80 percent of all web traffic by 2019.

Video marketing (or brand-specific video campaigns) is an integral public relations tool in the digital sphere. Whether your objective is to bring more traffic to a website, to obtain more “likes” on a page or to gain more followers on a profile — video content is key.

In a sea of online videos, how do you make yours stand out?

A story worth sharing
From media relations to award proposals to video campaigns, public relations boils down to storytelling. We tell stories, we start conversations, and we shape attitudes.

Photo by ROverhate on Pixabay

When creating and sharing video content, know your target audience. Who do you want to appeal to, and what do they enjoy viewing? Furthermore, would they actively share your story with someone else in their life?

BuzzFeed struck gold when it created its Tasty recipe video channel. With 500 million monthly viewers, the videos are repeatedly shared across the internet. Those “shares” were Buzzfeed’s goal from the channel’s conception.

Tasty’s general manager, Ashley McCollum, said at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, “we … build content around the concept that people would share it with people in their lives. It’s not just how to make the recipe … It gives you a reason to reach out to your friend.”

Branch out
Online video campaigns aren’t limited to YouTube anymore. For example, Facebook users watch 100 million hours of video every day .

In order to reach a broad audience, disseminate consistent messaging across multiple online platforms, and utilize various social media video tools.

From Facebook Live video-streaming to the Instagram “story” function, there have never been better tools to organically increase awareness of a brand.

Involve your audience

Photo by Aaron Escobar

Consider using interactive video to engage viewers and maintain their attention. In this approach, the intended audience transitions from third-party observers to active participants in the brand experience.

For example, nonprofit organization Mended Little Hearts used interactive video in the “Give A Fuller Life” campaign to encourage donations.

“The video is simple but surprisingly emotive, effectively highlighting how a small act (which often involves just a few clicks online) can dramatically transform a child’s life,” Nikki Gilliland, an econsultancy.com reporter, said.

When creating video content for a campaign, consider how to best engage your audience, which platforms to use and the unique story you wish to share. As a 2017 public relations practitioner, knowing how to “go viral” is part of the job description.

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