Video is a great way to deliver content, enabling you to both tell and show. It also allows you to add a more personal, human element to your brand in a way that the written word is not always able to (by literally showing people in the video).
So, what makes video so good? And how can you use it to add a human element to your brand? And how does email fit in to all of this? Well, let’s start off by looking at just how effective video is…
People love video
When TV first started to get popular decades ago, studio executive Darryl F. Zanuck said that it wouldn’t take off, claiming no one would spend their time “staring at a plywood box every night.” Fast-forward years later, and we can see he was wrong. Why? Because people love watching video! And now that video has evolved out of the TV and on to the internet (and in your emails!) the statistics still back that up:
- 78% percent of people online watch videos every week; 55 percent of those watch videos every DAY
- Video now accounts for 50% of mobile traffic
These numbers start (or should I say continue) to tell the story of the power of video, and should give you a clear incentive to create some videos of your own, or even repurpose some of your existing content into video. In marketing, how we deliver content is largely based on how our audience wants to consume our content, and these numbers make it clear – people want video.
The human story
Video certainly gives you the opportunity to deliver informative content to your audience, but it can do so much more. Video let’s you to tell a story, and that story can help your viewers to connect with you, your brand and your product. And a good story also has another strong effect; it makes people THINK.
Here are some great examples, from our friends at Wistia and Moz, of videos that tell a story, incorporating educational content with the human element:
- Editing Basics for Business Video
- On-Page SEO in 2016: The 8 Principles for Success – Whiteboard Friday
Both of those examples encompass two things; one, educating the viewer on a topic, and two, having a human (and some humor) in it as well. Now, both of those videos are done by people who are used to making those kinds of videos and used to being on camera – but don’t be discouraged! Making a good video can be done by anyone, with a little know-how (like what we covered in our Anatomy Of A Good Video post) and a little step out of your comfort zone.
Don’t try to hard to be an entertainer on camera. Just be yourself and talk about what you know best, your business and your product. The human element of a video doesn’t necessarily come from being great on camera – it comes from being natural and knowledgeable.
Video in email
Adding video to your email is not only easy, but it’s what people want. Just take a look at the stats below from HighQ; they tell a pretty clear tale:
- Using the term “Video” in the subject line increased opens by 19 percent
- Videos increase click-through rates by 65 percent
- Videos reduce unsubscribes by 25 percent
One might infer that the driving force behind those numbers is the fact that many prefer to consume content in video form. Also, the increase in click-through rates can easily be attributed to the idea that people are conditioned to hit a “play” button when they see one.
Did I mention that adding video to your email is easy with AWeber’s drag and drop editor?
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to put a video in every email you send; make sure you’re not doing a video just for the sake of doing a video. The audience needs to take something away from your video, and topics that are perfect for videos include:
- Announcements – new product releases, or changes in your service
- Demos – teaching a skill, or a tutorial on how to use your product
- Invitation – giving reasons to join a upcoming webinar, meetup, conference, etc.
- Culture – showing a “behind-the-scenes” look into your company
What should I do now?
Make a video, and get it out to your subscribers! I know, I know, easier said than done – but we’re here to help! In the videos linked below, you’ll learn more about how to create a video together, whether you want to get in front of the camera or just do a screen recording and getting that video into your email.
Check out this video for tips on live filming, being on camera and script reading
And this video covers things like how to host your video, CTA’s and using AWeber’s video element
The important next step is put together something. It doesn’t have to be the most well produced piece ever, just remember; you want to tell a story about your brand, engaging your audience on the human level and making them think about your business.
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