Do you know how to build your video’s reach through paid media?

When an organization tells its story through video, it has an opportunity to create an emotional connection with the consumer. That connection creates engagement with the brand and boosts long-term favorability, but the video needs to be seen for this beneficial impact.

Often, the organic reach offered through posting videos to social channels or a brand website is not large enough to impact the target community. In those cases, we recommend turning to guaranteed options to expand the reach of a message.

CTV / OTT

Connected television and over-the-top media options bypass the traditional route of broadcast or cable to deliver content and advertising directly to consumers’ TVs through the internet. Examples of outlets reached by CTV / OTT include Crackle, Paramount+, PlutoTV, and Tubi.

Strengths

• Delivered in the same large-screen format as traditional television.
• Offers more in-depth targeting by location or behavior than traditional outlets.
• With more consumers shifting to CTV / OTT options, the inventory is growing.

Location-Based

Using the enhanced location offered by modern mobile devices, virtual lines can be drawn on the map to target users based on their current and past locations. For example, virtual fences could be drawn around local competitors to target their frequent customers, serving their shoppers video ads to build awareness of an alternative offer.

Strengths

• Reach the right customers based on their personal, geographic activity.
• Less expensive on a per impression than other video options.
• Detailed reporting highlights the locations generating the most interaction.

Social (paid)

From Facebook to Instagram to Snapchat to TikTok, social media users actively favor video posts, with an average of 48% more views on video than on photo posts. While brands continue to create more video content for social channels to meet this demand, they still face the persistent problem of throttled organic reach. For example, an average post on Facebook reaches only 5% of a brand’s followers.

To account for the lack of influence through organic channels, marketers can use paid promotion to boost a brand and offer an opportunity to reach beyond their followers with an engaging video message.

Strengths

• With over 70% of the US population using social media, these platforms offer one of the most prominent outlets to reach general consumers.
• Established social media platforms offer comprehensive targeting options, ranging from buying intention to demographic information to psychographic profiles.
• Impactful video content has an opportunity to exceed its purchased audience through viral sharing.

Premium Direct

YouTube and HULU are the reigning kings of premium video platforms. Their immense size, ability to target advertising, and deliver an audience make them darlings of the advertising world.

 Strengths

• Direct buys with premium outlets offer the assurance of knowing where your message will appear on the internet.
• With their immense size, these platforms can effectively reach most markets.
• Similar to primetime television, premium video destinations provide access to engaged users who have arrived and expect to watch a video with the associated advertising.

Programmatic

Offering the broadest possible reach and the most targeting options, programmatic video advertising is the marketers’ go-to option when they encounter a difficult-to-reach or narrow audience. Programmatic advertising can target behaviors, content, credit scores, demographics, purchase history, psychographics, and more.

Strengths

• A programmatic buy unlocks the largest audience with the most varied targeting options.
• By using multi-site whitelists, an ad hoc network of smaller sites can be built programmatically to expand the reach of a video campaign.
• Through content targeting, marketers can align their video message to the consumer as they enter the discovery phase of the purchase funnel and surround their message with similar on-page subject matter.

 

As consumers are watching more videos than ever before, doubling their consumption since 2018, and more delivery options come online with associated targeting vectors, video is an essential component of any marketing campaign.

If this choosing your video outreach strategy feels daunting, you are not alone. The media team at Martin Communications can help you launch a successful video campaign. Reach out today and let us help you build your customized plan.

Are you ready to successfully launch your next advertising campaign?

Advertisers should accomplish three tasks at the start of their planning process to effectively prepare an advertising campaign. By completing these tasks, they will ensure an understanding of the project’s scope and be prepared to build a program that will effectively meet their objectives.

A new advertiser should consider the following:

What is the goal?

A clear, concise goal is essential. It will define the next steps on the road to effective marketing communication.

Below are a few sample goals to consider for an advertising campaign:

• Build name recognition in the community
• Directly sell goods or services
• Drive traffic to a website
• Hire new staff
• Promote an upcoming event
• Share important and/or new information

Other goals can be chosen, but whatever goal is decided upon should have a clear objective and a way to measure the program’s effectiveness. For example, if driving website traffic is the goal, compare traffic year-over-year to determine if the campaign was a good use of the money and time spent.

Who is the audience?

With a goal in mind, the next step is determining who should receive the campaign message reach. Consider the demographics, behaviors, and location of the ideal audience.

Demographics:

• Age
• Credit Score
• Gender
• Homeowner or Renter
• Household Income
• Ethnicity
• Education

Behaviors:

• An enthusiast for a particular activity or brand
• Has used a product or service in the past
• Hobbyist or Pastime participant
• Actively in the market for a product or service
• Political leaning

Location:

• Zip Code(s)
• City
• County
• State
• National

More accurate decisions can be made throughout the planning process by developing a complete picture of whom the campaign will target. Also, as a bonus, the demographics, behaviors, and locations highlighted in this step can be used for targeting through digital advertising platforms.

What is the budget?

Consider the size of the market, the estimated conversion rate of the campaign, and the value of each contact who completes the goal. A conversion rate is the percentage of contacts who become customers.

(Size of the market X estimated conversion rate) X percentage of lifetime value = budget

For example, in Pittsburgh, PA, a local credit union wants to promote its credit card program. Pittsburgh has 420,000 credit union users (Nielsen Scarborough 2022), a sample conversation rate is .05%, and the estimated lifetime value of a credit card user is $4,000 (FinanceTrainingCourse.com).

(420,000 x .005%) x ($4,000 x 25%) = $21,000

This calculation will reveal the estimated size of the budget for the campaign.

Alternatively, budgets can be determined by looking at the baseline provided by referencing examples from others in the industry.

• Alternative Energy Providers: 1.3% of total sales
• Credit Unions: .1% of managed assets
• Financial Advisers: 1.9% of total sales
• Funeral Homes: 11.1% of retail sales
• Heating and Air Conditioning Installers: 3% of total sales
• Physical Therapy: 5% of total sales
• Restaurants: 5% of total sales
• Substance Abuse Centers: 4.3% of total sales

With the goal, target audience, and budget decided, the last steps in building the campaign can be completed.

Which advertising outlets should be used?

The advertising marketplace provides numerous outlets for brands to connect with a target audience. When deciding which outlet to use, consider how it aligns with the target audience.

Media Outlets:

• Broadcast Television
• Cable Television
• Direct Mail
• Email
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• OTT / Connected TV
• Outdoor (billboards and transit)
• Programmatic Digital
• Radio
• Streaming Audio

For example, in Pennsylvania, newspapers offer a wider reach than drivetime radio, with 6.8 million readers compared to 5.7 million listeners, but drivetime radio listeners have a higher average household income, $77,000 for radio listeners compared to $59,000 for newspaper readers. Which of these options aligns better with your target audience?

What creative should be used?

The advertising outlets chosen for the campaign will determine the creative to be built. For example, a television ad will need a video to launch, while a print ad will need a PDF to go to press.

• Animated Digital Banners
• Audio
• HTML Email
• Website Landing Page(s)
• Print
• Static Digital Banners
• Video

At the start of the process, build a master creative to ensure that the brand imagery stays in line and consistent no matter what outlet the message appears on.

When should the campaign go live?

Not all timelines are created equally. As the date is set to launch the campaign, consider the following questions:

• How long will it take to build the creative?
• When is the best time to connect with the intended audience?
• When will the organization be staffed and prepared to respond?

With the answers to each of these questions consulted, a start date can be set for the campaign.

For the overall length of the campaign, return to the overall goal. For example, when promoting attendance to an event, the campaign should end before registration closes, or, for hiring, the campaign should end when the candidate pipeline has been filled.

By checking off these steps, your organization can prepare to launch a successful advertising campaign. If you are feeling overwhelmed, then call in the experts from Martin Communications. Our team can provide the partner you need to complete your communication goals.

Download the flyer to help you organize your next campaign.

 

 

When an organization tells its story through video, it has an opportunity to create an emotional connection with the consumer. That connection creates engagement with the brand and boosts long-term favorability, but the video needs to be seen for this beneficial impact.

At Martin Communications, we recommend the following six video strategies to improve consumer video engagement.

Use an engaging thumbnail.

A thumbnail image is often a viewer’s first exposure to a video. An appealing image will drive higher click-through rates. When designing a thumbnail, consider the following aspects to increase your click-through rate (CTR):

• Use high-contrast colors. It is crucial to ensure your image stands out in the cluttered space of social media or a video feed on YouTube. While adhering to a brand’s style guide, choose colors opposite on the color wheel to achieve the highest contrast, particularly when overlaying text on an image.
• Leverage human nature. People are naturally attracted to the human face, prioritizing it when reviewing a cluttered environment. If a thumbnail includes a face, particularly with an eye line looking toward them, they are more likely to engage.

“When designing your video thumbnail, remember that over 60% of US web traffic is mobile. The thumbnail should work equally well on a widescreen monitor as on a smartphone. Be sure to make text and imagery large enough to be read on small screens. Position important elements toward the middle of the thumbnail.” Michael Keesee, Lead Designer, Martin Communications

When considering the other elements, text and imagery that will go into the thumbnail, keep in mind that they should be relevant to the topic of the video. This will build trust. Conversely, when users click through to a video that does not relate to thumbnail elements, they will leave, lowering the completion rate.

Build for a silent environment.

More than 80% of videos through social media are viewed without sound*. Considering the majority of viewers will never hear background music or voice-over tracks, it is essential to assess how your video will be viewed without sound.

• Is the message still evident in a sound-free world?
• Will the consumer understand the critical information the video is trying to convey without audio support?

To ensure a video message reaches the consumer, build in alternatives. For example, including an SRT file will allow subtitles to be included on many platforms.

“Reporting from Facebook shows the inclusion of subtitles will increase view time by 12% on their platform.” Colleen Jones, Media Director, Martin Communications

Consider the length of your video.

The length of your video should be adjusted to fit the ideal length of its environment. We recommend the following video lengths by placement:

• Facebook: 2 minutes
• Instagram: 30 (reels) to 60 (feed) seconds
• Twitter: 45 seconds
• LinkedIn: 5 minutes
• YouTube: 15 minutes
• TikTok: 15 to 30 seconds

“When creating a video, look for the key information that can be distilled to meet the shorter length requirements of social media.” Michael Keesee, Lead Designer, Martin Communications

By adhering to the recommended video lengths videos have a higher completion rate. When a viewer completes a video, they have been exposed to the entire brand message.

Use content that reflects your target audience.

Consumers want to see themselves reflected in the media they access. When creating a video, it is important to consider who the intended audience is. Before creation starts, consider the demographics you want to highlight:

• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Location

Each of these demographics provides an opportunity to create a touchstone with the consumer. The more touchstones reflected in the video, the greater likelihood of more prolonged and deeper engagement.

“We have seen an increase in importance on consumer data, particularly first-party data. We encourage our clients to collect demographic, behavioral, and psychographic information. This type of information, when shared with the creative development team, can improve response and drive higher engagement.” Colleen Jones, Media Director, Martin Communications

Engage your audience early.

The consumers you want to reach live and work in a busy world. They have multiple screens at their fingertips, and vast amounts of information pushed to them throughout the day. An engaging, related headline and thumbnail will help drive viewers, but to keep viewers from clicking away, a video needs to engage the audience early in the process.

When working with videos over 30 seconds in length, there is an initial 8-second window to connect with the audience. During these 8 seconds, the viewer asks, “what’s in this for me?”
This early connection can use multiple tactics to create more extended viewership.

• Feature a well-known spokesperson or celebrity, local, or national.
• Highlight the value to the user of the information that will be shared in the video.
• Share impressive facts that will be further explained in the video.

“When measuring the effectiveness of your video opening, test different approaches and rely on the reporting provided by most video platforms. Every audience is different, and tactics will yield unique responses. Until you test, you will not know what works best.” Michael Keesee, Lead Designer, Martin Communications

Revisit your evergreen video content.

Evergreen content represents information intended to have a long shelf life. It is an integral part of a video communications strategy. Evergreen content can be a how-to, glossary, or other educational videos. No matter the format, it provides an avenue for new and current customers to re-engage weekly without the pressure of creating new content tackling trending topics and issues.

While evergreen content is highly valued for its ability to drive engagement over long periods, it cannot be left untouched indefinitely. It is important to review longstanding content every one to two years. When reviewing, ask the following questions:

• Are the statements and facts expressed in this video still valid?
• Has key information (names, addresses, or contacts) remained unchanged?
• If staff is featured, are they still with the company?

If any of these questions are answered with a “no,” the video will need to be reviewed.

“Video content is a powerful tool, but to be effective, it requires an investment of time. From gathering subject matter experts, to filming, editing, and after-launch reviews, video projects require more time than the average person expects.” Michael Keesee, Lead Designer, Martin Communications

If users are met with old, inaccurate information, they are less likely to complete a video or watch more of your video content. To ensure the overall effectiveness of your video strategy, revisit your evergreen content and ensure its accuracy.

What should you consider before you launch your next video campaign?

As consumers are watching more videos than ever before, doubling their consumption since 2018**, and more delivery options come online with associated targeting vectors, video is an essential component of any marketing campaign. To successfully tap into the strengths of video, consider the following before building your next video:

• Who is your target audience?
• Do you know the audience’s demographic information?
• Where do you want to release your video?
• Can you build the right length of video for the medium?
• Does your design work when viewed without sound?
• Do your intended graphics work in a large (widescreen monitor) and small (phone) environment?

If this process feels daunting, you are not alone. The creative team at Martin Communications can help you launch a successful video strategy. Reach out today and let us help you build your customized plan.

*American Press Institute, 2016
**Wyzowl Video Marketing Statistics 2022

Shared Experiences Bring Togetherness

Over the course of the COVID-19 global pandemic, it was a challenge for people to stay in touch with friends and family. Our means of communication turned to social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and more. Social media became a huge news outlet in gathering the latest details about the deadly disease spreading across the globe. The pandemic became a common interest that everyone was talking about. To return to normalcy, we had to remain separated from friends and family. Strangely enough, that united us. Karen North, a professor of digital social media at the University of Southern California, said, “One thing that brings people together is shared experiences … All of a sudden we all have a shared experience.” As social media use continued, many people became uncertain what was considered appropriate to talk about as the world crumbled around us.

Use and Successes of Social Platforms

Americans spent around 80 minutes per day on social media in 2020 — a seven-minute increase from 2019 (Molla, 2021). Facebook took the lead with 34 minutes. Each platform allowed people to share thoughts and experiences differently. Instagram stories became useful for social justice slideshows and mental health awareness. TikTok became a huge success in 2020 (growing nearly 600% compared to 2019), because of its appeal in sharing short videos and types of content that felt real to everyone struggling during the pandemic. Messaging apps and messaging portions of social apps grew during the pandemic and allowed for a more private feel. Social media use will likely decline in the coming years but will remain higher than before the pandemic.

Unrealistic Portrayals: A Thing of the Past

As many of us shifted to work-from-home culture, the frequency of social posts varied. Some reported to be posting less — being stuck at home doing the same thing every day and simply not having engaging content. On the other hand, some were posting more due to isolation and boredom. Social media content went from depicting unrealistic portrayals of people’s lives, to a more accurate representation of a day-to-day life (children making a mess in the house, dressing down, wearing less makeup, etc.). Then there were those who didn’t post at all, simply because they were afraid of sharing content that didn’t follow COVID-19 safety guidelines.

The global health crisis was at the epicenter of surrounding other historical events in 2020. We shared feelings of sadness, fear, and uncertainty across the board. However, our shared experiences online and in real life gave a settling perception of togetherness that helped push through the thick of it all. A more realistic standard has been set for the content we publish online. The expectation to lead a perfect, polished lifestyle in our online presence is no longer as strong as it was prior to the pandemic. Our behavior online will continue to change in years to come — hopefully for the better.

Click here to learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on social media.