There seems to be an unnecessary debate over video content within digital marketing circles. The debate usually revolves around whether written content is superior to video content for SEO purposes. We say it is unnecessary because the two types of content achieve different results by design. That’s okay. One doesn’t have to be better or worse than the other.
Here at WMV Productions, we believe a better way to address the two formats is to explain that marketing videos can enhance written content. We have seen it so many times in the past. In fact, we even utilize the strategy on behalf of our clients. It starts with an understanding of marketing videos and their purpose.
Quick but Lasting Connections
When you take away all the frills and fancy terms, marketing really has a single purpose: making a connection with consumers. That’s it. Make a connection and you can sell anything. In terms of marketing videos, the goal is to make that connection quickly and in a way that is memorable.
Can it be done? Absolutely. If you need proof, just ask yourself what everybody in the marketing world talks about on the Monday after the annual NFL championship game. It is not the score or the winning team. It’s the commercials. Furthermore, they talk about the ones that made the biggest impressions on them.
A typical TV spot is 30-60 seconds long. Half-a-minute is not enough time to read a 600-word post. But it’s an eternity to a skilled video producer who knows how to make quick connections. Therein lies the value of the marketing video.
A Summary of the Text
There are several different ways in which marketing videos can be utilized to enhance written content. The space we have remaining for this post limits us to just one example. So for that example, let’s look at using marketing videos to summarize long pieces of text.
Without naming names, there is a company that offers online accounting software hosted in the cloud. You can visit their site and find step-by-step guides that walk you through every aspect of setting up and using the software. The guides are text-based. But at the top of each page is a video that summarizes the text while replicating the steps visually.
Some people prefer reading the text while others prefer watching the videos. Still others watch the videos and follow along, then return and read the text later. Regardless of how the content is consumed, customers walk away with a thorough understanding of how the software works.
Written guides give customers access to all the details. The companion videos offer a summary as well as a visual presentation explaining how to get up and running. They act almost like a quick guide to get started. Combined, the text and videos answer just about every question a customer might have.
Forget One-Size-Fits-All
Using marketing videos to enhance written content isn’t an exact science. There isn’t any one-size-fits-all approach guaranteed to work with every marketing strategy. Videos are highly customized specifically because the platform itself offers so much room for individualization. That is one of the beauties of working with video.
Neither written text nor video is superior or inferior to other forms of content. Both constitute tools digital marketers can use to promote brands. So rather than debate which one is better, a wiser strategy is to figure out how to use them together in new and dynamic ways. That is what we are all about at WNV Productions. If you would like to know more about our marketing videos, don’t hesitate to reach out.
