By now most businesses recognize the important role of promo videos in illuminating a topic and expanding the reach of their marketing message. In fact, a Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs survey found that 70% of content marketers use video as part of their marketing arsenal.
However, when it comes to public relations content, such as press releases, many companies have yet to leverage the value that visual storytelling can bring to their message. According to a survey conducted by PR Newswire, an overwhelming majority of communications professionals (79%) felt that video is underutilized in PR strategy. Interestingly, in 2014, 79% of those surveyed plan to incorporate more visual storytelling in their content. Along those lines, let’s explore the potential of how you can combine video with PR for maximum impact.
Breathe Life into Your Message with Promo Video
The goal of your PR strategy is to get attention and build awareness. But most press releases follow a dull format that provides very little insight or story. Storytelling can help to gain that coveted audience attention.
In a world with hectic schedules and varied learning styles, videos are particularly effective at communicating, especially when you’re targeting the C-suite. According to Forbes, video has “evolved from a novelty into a mainstream method for [senior] executives to receive business information. Younger executives in particular appear more inclined not only to view video, but also to create it and share it.” Because 59% of senior executives prefer to view promo video on a page with related text, a video promo embedded in a press release page makes for a powerful combination. Additionally, video thumbnails can be seen in Google search results, so you can dramatically improve click through rates (more on that here and here).
Of course, this works best when you have a compelling story, told in a compelling fashion.
Drive Customer Engagement
In the midst of increasing marketing noise, a PR strategy that incorporates video in your press releases can help capture and hold your audience’s attention. Your video can both entertain and provide valuable insights that correspond with your PR message.
Since we humans are hard-wired for story, the multi-sensory nature of video makes the medium perfect for engaging viewers. Limelight’s Jason Thibeault, Sr. recently cited research supporting the notion that seeing a human face and hearing a human voice helps audiences connect with the content and inspires trust (click here for the details). So, on-camera interviews and testimonials can be helpful assets.
Videos that address real business issues that are important to your target audience help drive revenue. Customer-centric video marketing uses the voice of the customer to make the content very relevant to target audiences. This means the stories being told in your PR video should address business issues and present useful ideas and approaches to help your customers resolve those issues.
Stretch Your Promo Video Investment
Some marketers may look at a promotional video as a costly investment with a one-time use, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
When producing a promo video you can leverage different pieces of information gathered in the creation process to craft derivative content. Extra footage left over after editing could be repurposed to support other content. Audio clips featuring subject matter experts could be re-used as podcasts. To get the most out of your video investment, be on the lookout for various ways you can repurpose or repackage the content you already have.
Rethinking PR Strategy
The recent shift we’ve seen in marketing leaning more towards storytelling is a natural fit for your PR strategy. Video can provide communications professionals new and exciting ways of spicing up their PR message delivery. It offers busy reporters and prospective customers an interesting means of consuming your content, as well as providing you with a strategic way of amplifying your PR message.
Borrowing from former Governor Tom Kean’s slogan, “NJ and you: perfect together,” I think we can safely say that promo videos and PR are two things that are also perfect together.
For more information on how to captivate your audience with video, check out the white paper, “Promotional Video for Customer-centric Marketing.”
