Youtube vs. Vimeo: Choosing a Video Platform

Once you make a video, the next question is where to post it. Each video platform on the web has different advantages, depending on what you’re looking for. Two of the most popular ones are Youtube and Vimeo. Continue reading on to our comparison to decide which of these is a better video platform for your business:

YouTube

Budget: Low
Clutter: High
Key Benefit: Reach

YouTube is the easiest and most obvious choice for a variety of reasons. With more than 2 billion users visiting the site each month, it has the most traffic and largest reach of any video hosting site. If you want your video to be searchable on Google, it certainly doesn’t hurt that Google owns YouTube. In addition, YouTube is free and you can upload as many videos as your heart desires. You can also customize your channel’s look to reflect your brand. There is even the option to pay to promote your videos to help increase views.

Despite all of this, YouTube is not always the best choice, especially for small and medium sized businesses. The ease, flexibility, and budget-friendliness of YouTube can be a plus, but it also means that anyone can post. The site is cluttered with distractions, both in the form of other videos and advertisements.

Sometimes it is hard to stand out when your high-end, professionally-produced video is competing for views with low-end homemade pieces and all of your competitors’ videos. Also, every video has ads (which is why users can post for free), meaning there’s always the chance a competitor’s advertisement will appear with your video. And although YouTube has a built-in analytics tool (Insight), the interface is still relatively basic in its capabilities.

Censorship

Additionally, a new feature to Youtube is censorship. According to The Sun, Youtube is now, “putting videos into a ‘limited state’ if they are deemed controversial enough to be considered objectionable, but not hateful, pornographic or violent enough to be banned altogether.” Those who are successful Youtubers for a living won’t be recognized or payed by Youtube if they display controversial or potentially racy material. If you’re someone who doesn’t produce PG videos, then this may no longer be the right platform for you.

All in all, Youtube is a great video platform for SEO (search engine optimization), reach, and familiarity purposes. When you hear of a video going viral – your first instinct is probably that it’s on Youtube.

Vimeo

Budget: Medium
Clutter: Low
Key Benefit: B2B Outreach

If you care more about image than reach, Vimeo might be the site for you. Vimeo has built a reputation as a high quality video platform where users are much more likely to find professionally-produced videos. In addition, Vimeo offers “complete customization,” meaning you can embed your logo and branding into the player itself. The analytics tool Vimeo offers tends to be viewed more favorably than YouTube’s. Paid users can even choose to disable in-video advertising, minimizing distractions to more easily convey a message.

Of course, in comparison to YouTube, Vimeo only has about 13% of the user base, with around 240 million unique users each month. Additionally, budget conscious potential users should be aware that many of Vimeo’s best features are only available to paying users. In fact, if you plan to promote a product or service with your videos, Vimeo requires that you have a paid Vimeo Pro account. There are also Vimeo Business and Vimeo Premium accounts. Each upgrade gets increasingly more expensive (with premium being $75 per month), but the more you pay, the more benefits you receive. Needless to say, costs can grow very quickly.

Overall, Vimeo is successful in engaging a community of users, allowing people to create their own channels, start groups, and organize videos into albums. There is much less clutter and distractions compared to Youtube, so you are much more likely to hold the attention of your viewers. It is a well-respected site for serious videographers and cinematographers who want to share their high-quality videos.

Updated on February 10, 2020.

Jaclyn Rosenberg, Content Creation at Green Buzz Agency. Alanna Goodman and Emily Herman contributed to this post.

The Basics of Lighting for Video Production

It is impossible to overstate the importance of lighting for video production. The lighting completely changes how a shot looks, affects the mood, and directly influences the overall quality of a scene. If you’re not a professional videographer, look to a video production company for advice. You need to have a game plan for your lighting. Here are some of the essentials to get you started:

Equipment

According to Tubular Insights, key lights, fill lights and backlights (three-point lighting) will be your best friend while you’re shooting.

The key light is your first and most important light. This is used on the main subject of a shot. Its purpose is to “highlight the form and dimension of the subject.” It provides surface and forms details. Ideally, this lighting should be pointed 45 degrees upward and off the camera axis.

The fill light supports the key light. It’s considered a soft light that helps reduce some of the deep shadows on the face of any three-point lighting setup. It should be placed opposite of the key light, and pointed at a 30 degree vertical angle.

Lastly, the backlight is used to separate the subject from the background. Its main purpose is to provide depth. As opposed to the other lights, this one is placed directly behind the subject and on a 45 degree vertical angle downward. The backlight should be roughly 1.5 times brighter than the key light.

With “flat lighting,” the three lights are of equal brightness. This is often used for news broadcasts and the like.

There are also source lights, which are lights that are organically part of a scene. If there is a lamp, candle, window (ambient light), etc. in the shot, that needs to be accounted for when considering the rest of your lighting.

Angles

There are different angles at which you can direct light. This is especially prevalent when filming living beings (rather than scenery).

Amongst countless other things, lighting can establish power dynamics. When casting light from a high angle, it can create an angelic or sweet aura and make someone or something look important. It generates a spotlight effect and tells the audience where to focus their eyes.

Lighting from a low angle creates a dramatic effect. This is typically used to make someone look more powerful or intimidating. This is commonly used on villains in horror films.

Colors and Temperatures

“Lighting and color are part of the backbone of emotion,” says Danielle Feinberg, director of photography at Pixar. Different colored lighting has different meanings. If you choose a particularly unusual color, there needs to be logic behind it – it needs to flow with what’s happening on screen.

According to Film Education, colors like oranges and pinks portray warmth, while colors like blues and greys portray coldness. Darker colors like black and red can mean passion, anger, or danger, while white almost always means purity and innocence. Yellow can mean happiness and energy, green can mean jealousy, and the list goes on and on.

Pay attention to the different lighting choices in this Moonlight trailer. For example, the woman yelling at 0:48 is drenched in a neon pink and reddish light, starkly contrasted with 0:50 where the young boy stands there enduring her torment in a darker, more melancholy lighting.

“Moody lighting” is called just that for a reason – it is one of the biggest contributors establishing mood. Colored lighting is subtle and often overlooked by the audience, but is dire in creating the atmosphere of your scene. You can convey love, energy, depression – pretty much anything – with color. Choose wisely.

Severity of Light

There are different degrees of brightness. The two umbrella categories are hard light and soft light. Hard light can be compared to a very sunny day. It is sharp, concentrated light coming from a small source. This produces defined shadows.

Soft light, on the other hand, more closely resembles a cloudy day. It is diffused over a large space or area. This light is transmitted from a larger light source and hides surface detail. With softer light, there are fewer shadows and harsh lines.

There is also high key lighting, in which all of the three-point lights are being used at full blast with little room for shadows or depth. This is more often used for things like theatre performances.

Then there is low key lighting, which creates contrast, shadows and depth in your shots. You accomplish this by mostly using just your key light, with little use of your fill light and backlight.

Just like with colors, each of these creates a different mood. It all depends on what you want to achieve. However, soft light is the most forgiving and is used in most corporate circumstances.

These are just a few of the fundamentals of lighting. It is a complex, but important art that needs careful thought and consideration in every video.

Updated on January 24, 2020

Alanna Goodman, Marketing and Communication at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Social Media and the Fashion Industry

Social media is the gas in the fashion industry’s car. On social media, a good marketing strategy will spark conversation between the company and customers, changing the way brands introduce new products to the public.

The key is to keep people interested and invested in following your brand. Some traditional forms of marketing are starting to tire. Many fashion brands realize this and are coming up with innovative ways to market to their audiences.

What Each Platform Can Do For Your Brand

Social media may not seem like a new trend, but it is constantly evolving. High-end labels, generic labels, fashion magazines, and everything in between are connecting with audiences online and through apps. Platforms like Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Youtube, and Instagram are especially prevalent.

Twitter

Twitter is a great place for designers and brands to gain a huge following and let their audience know what they’re up to, promote their newest projects, and easily see what other Twitter users are saying about them. A good tweet can get thousands of retweets, which is a massive asset to increase brand awareness and engagement.

The trending topics and hashtag features of Twitter also encourage those who may not usually engage with a topic to take a look at what everyone else is talking about. If a given brand or designer does something newsworthy, Twitter provides many opportunities for that news to spread like wildfire across the social media platform.

Pinterest is a great social media forum for fashion brands to use because it’s a visual platform that attracts people in and around the industry. A brand can separate its apparel into different boards, or categories, to make it easy for potential customers to decide what they want to look at.

For example, a few of PacSun’s boards include “essentials,” “street style” and “denim.” According to Vibe Fashion Consulting, fashion accounts for 45% of Pinterest’s searches and pins. Consumers are also 10% more likely to purchase from an e-commerce website when directed from Pinterest than from any other social media platform.

Snapchat

When it comes to Snapchat, fashion video content thrives. Snapchat stories are often used for providing viewers with exclusive “behind the scenes” looks at designers and events, including Fashion Week. More than any other social media platform, Snapchat users can feel like they are having an informal, personal experience with a fashion designer, model, or iconic industry figure like Anna Wintour.

People can follow and subscribe to huge fashion designers and influencers like Alexander Wang, Glamour Magazine and Kim Kardashian, as well as hundreds of others. Snapchat is well liked because video content is more captivating than text or photographs, brands and influencers usually update it multiple times every day, and it is less censored and carefully curated than platforms like Instagram or even Twitter. This is one of the rawest and realest forms of social media.

YouTube

On YouTube, fashion brands are constantly creating innovative ways to connect with consumers, especially through active video content. For example, fashion brand Ted Baker found an inventive way to promote products through YouTube. In September 2016, he shared “Mission Impeccable.”

The three-minute video is a narrative-driven classic spy story that showcases the Ted Baker line. At the bottom of the video and in the description there are links to “shop the film.” The tag allows you to shop through specific items the actors wore in the video. This is an engaging strategy that promotes the product without pushing the product. Viewers were able to enjoy the video without feeling forced to make a purchase.

There are also pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll fashion advertisements. This is great exposure for any brand or company, especially when a viewer isn’t given the option of skipping. Companies can pick which Youtube videos to advertise on so they have a particular knowledge of who their audience will be.

The fashion industry has continued to penetrate the market of YouTube video content by sponsoring beauty and fashion influencers. They pay influencers to review and market their products. In these types of partnerships, the influencers act as spokespeople for the brand, and the brand reaches millions of subscribers through the influencers’ audiences.

Instagram

Instagram, however, is arguably the biggest asset to the fashion industry. Fashion is a highly visual industry, so using a trendy photo-driven app like Instagram is a perfect match. With over 800 million active users, there is massive brand reach potential.

A recently added feature to Instagram stories is the “see more” option. Verified accounts, like those of celebrities, influencers, and recognized brands, can post Instagram story content with a relevant link. If users swipe up, they are taken directly to the web address associated with the link. For example, Macy’s could post a video of a woman modeling their newest dress, add the “see more” button, and with a quick swipe up the customer is taken to the link where they can buy that exact dress. This makes it effortless for the customer. The brand is dropping the product in their lap.

“Compared with other social media platforms, the viral nature of Instagram is much more potent in spreading a commercial message when it comes to fashion.” –The Independent

Endorsing celebrities to promote your brand’s products can astronomically increase sales as well. Since not every company can afford an A-list celebrity to promote their products on Instagram, B-list celebrities (who have more followers than you) are impactful too. According to Forbes, “Instagram images posted by influencers and celebrities earn an additional 4x engagement rate, for an 8x increase.” This also makes a product seem more credible and reliable if an influencer is willing to attach his or her name to it.

The Future of Fashion Marketing

Every social media outlet can and should be accessed to promote a company’s brand. The more exposure, the better. This B2C fashion industry will only continue to evolve as new apps are developed and innovative ways of connecting with consumers are created.

Updated February 11, 2020.

Alanna Goodman, Marketing and Communications at Green Buzz Agency. Katie Murray and Emily Herman contributed to this post.

5 Tips to Make The Best Instagram Live Video

Live video is opening up a whole new channel for brands to reach right across the digital space and speak almost directly to their audience. We’re seeing a huge trend towards live video, with multiple video platforms optimizing for live video, including Instagram. Instagram is the perfect platform to connect right with your viewers. With a more personal feel, you can hype-up new products, go behind the scenes, or even just ask for feedback. There are a multitude of ways to use Instagram Live to enhance a brand.

Here are five tips to implement to make the best Instagram Live video for your audience:

1. What is your purpose?

Just like with all things in life, you have to know what you want to make before you make it. What is going to be the topic, the theme, the point of the video? Make sure you know what you want to do before you start the video.

With live video, when you make a mistake or take a false step there is no editing to help you smooth out the kinks. There are so many possibilities with live video, but that means you have to take a moment to prioritize what would best serve the brand. Is it a behind the scenes look at the production of your product? Maybe it’s an interview with a member of the team. We are at the forefront of digital marketing, so push the boundaries, get creative! But make sure you know what you are doing before you start.

2. Promote Your Live Video Before Streaming

Live video is great and all, but it doesn’t matter how amazing the platform and your ideas are if no one watches your videos. Hype your video up, make sure that you’re putting out the info on social media before your live video even starts. Instagram Live is so unique because it could almost classify as an event. Instagram Live also has a unique feature – it disappears once the show is done. In this way, Instagram is unlike Facebook Live video, which is saved and can be watched after your live event. This makes it even more important to promote Instagram Live videos, because once it’s over there is no going back.

The benefit to the finality of Instagram Live is that viewers will begin to feel higher stakes surrounding their viewership. If viewers feel that they might missing a one-time broadcast, they’ll feel more obligated to tune in.

3. Test Your Video and Audio Quality

You don’t want to start your Instagram Live Video and have something go wrong with the sound. It ruins the whole vibe of the video, and makes you and your company look unprepared. And, of course, people will stop watching if they can’t hear or see you. Especially if you have been hyping up the video for days or weeks, when it comes time to finally start the live show, and something as basic as video or audio quality is not up to par, it will reflect badly and disappoint your audience. Don’t forget your lighting and angles as well. Make sure everything is in the shot, not too bright and not too dark. And most importantly, make sure your sound is on.

4. Incentivize Viewers

It can be anything from a coupon to a piece of advice. Anything that will make more people tune in and be exposed to your brand is helpful. An Instagram Live video can be classified as an event. Reward your viewers for watching, and they will continue to come back for more. Many brands use Instagram Live to hype up a promotion, but what really helps to sell the brand is offering incentives.

J. Crew is a master at this form of marketing. The fashion brand regularly offers exclusive deals through their Instagram Live videos. Users have to click through the Instagram link, and it only lasts for a limited time – as long as they’re still streaming. This tactic rewards your most faithful followers, and encourages more casual fans to find value in following your brand.

5. Q&A Sessions

Instagram Live is a fantastic way to get more connected with your audience. Instagram live is already more personal and dynamic than a static post, which makes it perfect for question and answer sessions.

Flockler says that “real-time interactions can help you to build stronger relationships with your customers and show the personal side of your brand.”

Stronger relationships mean better returns on the backend and in the future. As with all marketing ventures, you should always think about the logistics. If you do a Q&A session there will need to be at least two people working the video. One person is the host, but you will also need someone who is receiving the questions from the audience and feeding them to the person on camera. Invite your followers to take part in the session and get some great feedback directly from your audience. Getting feedback not only helps you in the long run, but it makes the customer feel heard and more connected to your brand. A win/win for everyone.

Marques Brownlee, or better known as MKBHD, broadcasted a live Q&A on October 26th to his massive 5 million followers — and it proved to be an extremely effective way to grow. The day he went live on YouTube, he talked with his audience and answered any questions they might have, he actually gained more subscribers and views than he would have by posting a normal video to his page.

Live video is all about giving your audience a new and unique reason to follow you. Live video provides a more intimate and connected relationship with your audience, which allows for increased brand awareness and loyalty. Marketing live might seem scary, but the element of the unknown is what draws in video content consumers. However, make sure that while there is always that feeling of authenticity, try your best to eliminate as many unknown variables as possible. Know the purpose of your video before you begin, test your visuals and audio, hype up and promote your video before it even starts. Whether your are giving incentives, answering questions or even giving a behind the scenes look at your brand and company, live video is a great tool to connect with your audience.

Updated on February 12, 2020.

Maya Mandell, Video Production and Marketing at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, Post-Roll: Which Ad Placement is Best?

Advertisements are the backbone of the marketing industry. Radio, television, billboards, newspapers, those pre-, pre- trailers at the movie theaters: anything you can see, read, or hear is embedded with an advertisement. I’m sure you’ve noticed your social media over the years gradually filling with ads. But with so many ad placement options, what is the most effective choice for your company and for your social video campaign?

We all know that video marketing is the key to any good campaign, but the next step is how you show off all that hard work. Where do you put that video advertisement so you get the most bang for your buck? Pre-roll ads like Youtube, mid-roll like Facebook or even post-roll – each have their benefits as well as their pitfalls.

The Oldie but a Goodie

Pre-roll is the forefather of digital video advertisements. It is a tried and true model of video ad placement. Running an advertisement before the desired content is the practical course of action, as the audience is still engaged and interested in the forthcoming content. Pre-roll ad placement accesses consumers while they’re still willing to sit through an advertisement. With this strategy, there is a higher chance the advertisement will be watched at least for a few seconds, if not in its entirety.

In a recent study by IPG Media Lab and YuMe, pre-roll video ad formats were found to resonate better with mobile users compared to mid-roll and outstream executions. Only 17% of participants claimed that pre-roll ads interrupt the user experience.

One of the larger benefits that pre-roll advertising brings is its ability to build brand awareness. Showcasing the brand or the product before the actual content means that the consumer is still locked in and curious, making them open to advertisements from brands unknown to them.

YuMe found that “pre-roll ads are extremely effective across several metrics, including brand association, brand engagement, brand favorability and intent to purchase.”

Youtube is a great example of a platform that is extremely adept at using pre-roll ads for the companies and brands advertising on their site. The use of this form of ad placement has brought YouTube, its parent company Google, and the advertisers themselves a great deal of revenue. But with the ability to skip through the advertisement after only five seconds, based on the Truview method, does pre-roll placement allow for the most viewership or revenue?

According to Local Solutions, “Brands that created ads and video that were viewed for less than one second still saw increased ad recall, brand awareness and even purchase consideration.” So even if the TruView Method allows for the viewer to skip an ad after only five seconds, that small amount of time is still more than enough to increase brand awareness and even direct revenue from purchases .

When Pre-Roll Doesn’t Work

However, pre-roll ad placement is incompatible with the Facebook newsfeed algorithm. That is a hard hit on both Facebook and the advertisers who want to take advantage of the social platform’s far reaching network and popularity. While pre-roll videos might be the least disruptive, they don’t exactly inspire people scrolling through Facebook to stop and watch an ad, before getting a glimpse of the actual video content.

The Newcomer

Now, it’s clear that a pre-roll ad is perfect for platforms like Youtube. But, due to Facebook’s timeline setup, it has been as struggle for the platform’s executives to figure out how to monetize the popular videos on the site. Facebook is a passive discovery mechanism, which means the news feed would be full of pre-roll ads and not the video itself. With a side full of advertisements autoplaying all at once, it becomes impossible to keep users invested in the site’s content. So, do you change the format of the platform or do you change the ad placement?

Enter mid-roll placement: the solution to Facebook’s problem. But is it truly lucrative enough to justify its usage?

Local Solutions writes that “[by] many measurements mid-roll advertising can offer some pretty solid returns. Mid-roll ads enjoy a higher completion rate than both pre- and post-roll ads. Viewers have already watched some of the video content; if they make it to a mid-roll ad, it means they have remained engaged through roughly half of the video. Because such a large chunk of video remains, they are more willing to be patient.”

Engagement is what keeps a viewer patient enough to sit through a fifteen second ad that has just disrupted their video. However, many people have protested the mid-roll ad due to inelegant placement – advertisements cutting abruptly into the video, or breaking the flow of a conversation. Since implementing mid-roll advertisements, Facebook has already doctored the formula to make users happier and less caught off guard by the advertisements.

Previously, videos had to be only ninety seconds long to qualify for an ad break, and the ad could be inserted as soon as twenty seconds into a video. Facebook heard the cry of the annoyed public and has now transitioned to using a three-minute minimum on videos with a mid-roll ad break.

Mid-Roll and Audience Engagement

One other problem with mid-roll ads is that an audience member may decide that they don’t want to watch the video anymore, meaning they never make it to the advertisement. Recode argues that “the problem is that the mid-rolls, people don’t tend to get to or they switch off as soon as they go to and just move onto the next thing.”

While mid-roll ad placement fixes the problem for Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm, would it still work for other websites and social platforms? More importantly, is it worth it for brands and companies to spend money on an ad no one might even watch?

The Underdog

It seems counterintuitive to put your ad after the main content, but surprisingly, post-roll ad placement can go a long way. However, you have to use this placement strategically. Post-roll works best in some very specific circumstances. For instance, this ad placement works great as a call-to-action following branded content. If you want to stir the fire within your audience, to make them truly feel the call- to- action, then post-roll is the best option.

If you want to make sure your post-roll ad is a success, there are a few techniques you can try. For example, adding music to the end of a video that transitions into your post-roll ad will keep the audience engaged for those extra few seconds. Keeping that interest flowing is key to the post-roll placement. That being said, since it does require such specific circumstances, post-roll may not be the go-to placement for most content.

The Decision

Each of these video ad placements have their benefits and their pitfalls. Ad placement is a personalized choice and the decision should be made based on the content and feel of each advertisement.

Pre-roll is a great form of ad placement for increased brand awareness, purchase consideration and ad recall as a whole. It is an ad-placement that uses audience engagement with the yet to be viewed desired content, to their advantage, and in turn is a proven method of lucrative video advertising.

Mid-roll ad placement is right for for an advertisement if the platform has a more passive discovery mechanism, like Facebook. Mid-roll ad placement also has a higher completion rate than pre-roll or post-roll, which makes it a good choice for any company who wants, or even needs the audience to watch the whole ad. That means your viewers will get the most out of what the brand or company has put into the ad.

Last but not least is post-roll. Post-roll is the best option if you have a call-to-action within the advertisement. If you really want to make your audience feel that immediate response, then post-roll is the the best placement for the advertisement.

While each ad placement has some specific strategies that are most compatible with the format, there is no one size fits all method. What works for one ad campaign may not work for another, and it is up to the marketers to understand the best placement for each advertisement and each brand.

And, ultimately, ad placements are most effective when the video itself is well-made and optimized for its specific distribution platform. In our current attention economy, viewers are overstimulated, making it even more difficult to engage an audience in your content – no matter how it’s placed. So before you rush to distribution, set your ad up for success with a skilled video team that can deliver a compelling story.

Updated on February 12, 2020.

Maya Mandell, Video Production and Marketing at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Video Marketing Showdown: Dunkin’ Donuts v. Starbucks

Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts? Ask anyone this question and you’re sure to get a heated answer. These two companies are locked in a fierce competition to be the best coffee joint of them all. According to Investopedia’s comparison, Starbucks grew aggressively, despite being founded 20 years after Dunkin’ Donuts, and is now the larger company raking in $16.8 billion in revenue while Dunkin’ reported only $828.9 million in 2017.

The differences don’t stop there, Forbes reports that Dunkin’ is a primarily U.S. based company while Starbucks gets a great deal of its revenue from markets outside the United States. These are significantly different companies fighting for the top spot as the King of Coffee, and marketing is key to this title.

Years have gone by, marketing tactics have changed and now video marketing is where the treasure lies. Sit back relax as we take a look closer look at Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts’ video marketing strategies. It’s showdown time.

STARBUCKS’ STRATEGY:

Starbucks has never been a typical company, especially in the realm of marketing. Preferring to stick with local advertisements, it wasn’t until 2007 that they created their first national video campaign, “Starbucks Red Cup”. Even after this first national television campaign, Starbucks still kept their video marketing on a different level compared to other companies.

Starbucks looks to sell an experience, not just a cup of coffee. They wanted to provide a “third place” atmosphere, somewhere a person can go outside their regular domain to have a cup of coffee and to relax. It was never just the coffee; it’s how the coffee makes you feel.

A new campaign from Starbucks showcases the wide range of answers people have to the question: “What does good feel like?” This campaign was created for Teavana, Starbucks’s brand of tea, to promote the launch of three flavored shaken iced tea drinks.

What Starbucks does well

Starbucks does an amazing job of casting for this campaign, with an extremely diverse range of young, hip, and eclectic people. The video associates the Starbucks brand with the image of these people as well as their experiences. Beauty, pops of color, and the emotional focus of what “good” feels like, sets up the memorable “Starbucks Vibe” of the video. In this environment, Starbucks explores the feelings of happiness and bliss to suggest to the audience that taking a break with their Teavana tea can help you feel those very same emotions. Even with the only mention of the tea in the last ten seconds of the videos, the casting strategy and the honest interview feel certainly keeps with the theme of promoting a feeling, instead of the product.

Starbucks goes even further with this branded entertainment, in the form of its YouTube channel where it has just begun its second season of it’s original series Upstanders.

This series showcases the people who do not sit by the wayside: when things go wrong. In fact, they do the opposite: they stand up for what’s right. This emphasis on people doing good in this world paired with the Starbucks brand through video is extremely well done. It showcases that the Starbucks marketing team is using video marketing to its full potential. It’s hard to fabricate authenticity, and sharing the stories of these real people is far more powerful than a contrived storyline. Starbucks uses these deep rooted emotions, subtly joining those feelings of pride and accomplishment to the Starbucks brand. This strong, emotional connection with what their customer cares about solidifies the brand experience, and Starbucks takes full advantage of what they have created.

What Could Be Improved?

While Starbucks is all about selling the experience through branded entertainment and telling the stories of others, the downside is that the brand forgets to tell a lucid story of its own product. The “Good Feels Good” is a great concept; however, it’s not extremely memorable because it’s vague. Unlike many other brands, there is no slogan to tie together a campaign or showcase a new product.

Starbucks instead has to lean on the “look and feel” of their video to communicate their brand, and that might be asking the audience to connect the dots between their advertising campaigns. While aesthetic is an important factor of branding and video marketing, it cannot be the only factor your audience connects with. Sometimes, it is better for the messaging to be clear. The audience might be intelligent, but making them work too hard to figure out what your video is even about isn’t good for any brand. The feel of Starbucks is important; however, it is the product that makes the money – and the product is almost nonexistent in Starbucks video campaigns.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS’ STRATEGY

Compared to Starbucks, Dunkin’ uses a far more traditional approach to video marketing. They focus their videos around their product with a catchy slogan that comes at the end of almost every video they create. Currently, this slogan is the well-known “America Runs on Dunkin’ .” But that’s not the only slogan they’ve ever had. In fact, since their opening they have changed their slogan 21 times! It’s not just their slogan that changes to keep up with the times. Dunkin’ is evolving constantly to keep up with the ever-changing market, making it more adaptable than Starbucks, whose advertising does not necessarily reflect their business changes. One of Dunkin’ Donuts’ more recent campaigns showcases their drive to keep up with current trends: the promotion of their mobile app.

The specific video campaign highlights what Dunkin’ does best. This video is narrative. Through this storyline, viewers are drawn in by the sense of excitement and accomplishment which helps to connect the viewer to the product as well as the brand. Throughout the video, they showcase Dunkin’ iced coffee, hot coffee, and the app itself consistently, allowing the viewer to associate the advertisement with the brand and its products seamlessly. However, the main focus of this ad is not only on the products, but also the convenience of their app. As they relate to the main character, viewers are drawn in by the narrative-style, making them wonder, “what could I achieve with the Dunkin’ App?” This question connects the audience to the brand in a way that is personal and unique.

Dunkin’ also takes advantage of partnerships with sports teams and sports franchises. Sports are deeply rooted in American Culture. Those who play sports usually hold the qualities that most Americans wish they themselves possessed. Dunkin’ reflected those very sentiments in their advertisement, creating an extremely poignant and effective way to get the audience to connect with the brand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHtapgcS2FY

For example, this advertisement video connects the Dunkin’ brand to early mornings, hard work and game time. Using the slogan “Brewed for this” to encapsulate the satisfaction of their video’s characters, Dunkin’ succeeds in instilling those very same emotions in the audience viewing the advertisement.

Adding onto their existing video marketing strategies, Dunkin’ has also been using 360 videos and VR to promote their brand. This is an interesting move and one that adheres to their forward thinking marketing strategies, especially in relation to mobile.

What Dunkin’ Does Well

Dunkin’ doesn’t force their brand into these videos. It’s very subtle: a Dunkin’ cup here, a man drinking coffee there. With these 360 videos, it’s more about the beauty and the aesthetic of the video itself, rather than it’s connection with the brand. They made sure they did not ruin this piece of branded content with heavy-handed product placement. Unlike Starbucks, however, it was still clear who created this video, and their product placement hit just right.

What Could Be Improved?

It can be argued that, while Dunkin’ has a cohesive message, they have so many different forms of advertising that there is no specific visual look to their video marketing tactics. While it has a well-known slogan, if the audience misses that one frame where the slogan pops up will they truly know that it’s a Dunkin’ commercial?

And the Winner is…..

This is a tough decision. Both companies excel in video marketing, and both have radically different strategies. Starbucks is a powerhouse in branded entertainment, connecting the good in the world with its own brand. This form of video marketing makes an impact on its audience, who are typically interested in these feel-good stories.

On the other hand, Dunkin’ creates extremely memorable video marketing campaigns. It has a slogan that sticks.This catchphrase doesn’t just appeal to one specific audience, it appeals to many audiences. What’s more, the very same branded entertainment that Starbucks has, Dunkin’ uses in a more traditional format.

Certainly, Starbucks’s amazing original series definitely gives it an edge, but while Dunkin’ might not have its own channel, its collaborations with sports franchises and use of sports as a way to connect the audience to their product is genius. This is America, the land of overzealous sports fans, so using athletics to sell product is always the way to go.

Dunkin’ is also far more forward-thinking than Starbucks. DD stays ahead of the times, whether that be with their slogan or with their video marketing. Their use of 360 videos to showcase their brand and their products is a great example of their innovation. What it comes down to is innovation, connecting with a broad audience, and clear branding. On all those points, Dunkin’ Donuts delivers.

Updated on January 24, 2020

Maya, Video Production and Marketing at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

How to Reach Customers in an Age of Value Based Marketing

With 2018 still a blank canvas, we gathered great ideas about value based marketing at PCMA’s Convening Leaders in Nashville, Tennessee. Right now, the marketing and events industries are at a huge turning point – and the big question is how leaders can innovate their traditional experiences to appeal to an audience that has rapidly changed how they choose the products and services they consume.

A poignant message came from Greg Bogue’s Keynote “More than a Meeting: A Movement.” Based on his extensive research, he’s found that instead of focusing on purchases that feel secure or communicate success, customers are now making buying decisions based on their personal values. This is a huge shift that can help reframe our ideas into a value based marketing strategy.

That means your brand needs to clearly answer this question for your customers: “What can you offer me?”

Here’s how Bogue explained how to do it – and we’ll show you a brand that’s doing it right.

Authenticity is Key

Bogue mentioned that with all the ads and content people are forced to consume each day, they’re over being “sold to.” Viewers are not interested in your “marketing speak,” and they certainly don’t want to feel tricked into researching your product.

On top of that, when potential customers are looking to find products that align with their values, a list of product features won’t convince them to buy. Instead, you have to tell your product’s story.

So, throw away any of your copy or campaigns that don’t feel like storytelling and don’t feel relatable to your audience. Stick with an authentic voice instead.

People Want Experiences, Not Things

You want proof of this? Just think of the explosion of the sharing economy, says Bogue. If you want to “Live like a Local,” all you have to do is to check into an AirBnB. In a world where daily moments are being scrutinized on social media, people want to spend their money on eye-catching experiences instead of typical vacations.

That means you can’t just see your product or service as a “thing,” and you can’t market it that way. Instead, consider how your brand can fit into your target’s lifestyle. How do your service and product enhance the way your users live?

Products and Services are a Means of Self-Expression

With the help of social media, the content that people consume – videos, memes, articles – now easily become a part of their curated self-image when they share on their profiles. This means you have to be extremely in-tune with what your customers think of themselves and their aspirations.

It can be easy to get too inspirational here, however. Remember: you want to keep everything authentic. If you’re telling your viewers about how cool your product will make them and your campaign comes off corny, suddenly you look like Hillary Clinton doing the Nae-Nae (good try Hillary).

Customers Want to Be Connected

Whether you realize it or not, what you sell creates a community. Bogue says that this can be as literal as a community created by an association through membership, or as abstract as uniting people who feel they make a difference by buying organic. Either way, these groups of people are inspired by something bigger than themselves.

How can you facilitate these connections further? How can you illustrate that community through your marketing?

Streamline the Experience

People are busier than ever. And we’re getting used to streamlined user experiences. That’s why you can’t expect your audience to feel excited while they’re dragged on a complicated venture to buy your product or make it work.

You need to offer people a full, complete service that’s easy to use and understand. Make yourself a convenient, one-stop shop.

Value Based Marketing Strategies that Work

Ancestry.com has a product where you can send in your genetic material to find out your cultural heritage and make family connections. It’s called AncestryDNA. To make an impact on their target market, Ancestry.com decided to tell the stories of those who have used their product to reclaim a lost sense of community and truly connect to their past.

How does this video successfully align the product with consumer values? Let’s take a look.

Authenticity: This is the true story of someone who used their product. On top of that, it’s an extremely interesting and engaging story with many layers to the plot and an overall positive message. Told in a documentary style, this video invites the viewers to experience Thomas Evans’ point of view on the product and how it inspired him.

Experience: The message of this story is clear: AncestryDNA is more than just a product. It’s a starting point for a journey you can take into your heritage.

Self-Expression: Perhaps the most successful aspect of this campaign is that it illustrates how Ancestry.com’s product helps their customers express themselves. By learning from Thomas Evans’ story, the audience has clear knowledge that AncestryDNA can help someone further understand their identity.

Connection: The video not only showed the connection of Thomas Evans’ community, but also helped po

tential customers understand that AncestryDNA can connect them to the higher purpose of exploring their roots.

Streamlined: AncestryDNA is easy to use, with a clean interface shown in the video. It provided enough information for Evans to be inspired to create an artistic movement – so it should be enough for the average user!

When you market towards your target audience’s values, you’re communicating in a much more impactful way than traditional marketing. To use value based marketing successfully, you need to truly understand the needs of your customers. In the end, taking the time to know your audience, not just trying to sell them, can only lead to a better relationship between you and your potential clients.

Updated on February 10, 2020.

Leah Eder, Marketing Coordinator and Blog Editor at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Why Live Video is an Important Part of Your Marketing Strategy

Last summer Ted Yoder, a folk artist from Goshen, IN, tuned into a Facebook Live video to play Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ on a hammered dulcimer.

I always love some good hammered dulcimer.

Just kidding. I don’t know what a hammered dulcimer is either. But it sure sounds great – and a few others seem to agree because the video now has over 101 million views. And, just in case you’re not one of the 101 million people who have already watched the video, we’ll include it below.

Here you go:

Tears for Fears – "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" on hammered dulcimer.
Posted by Ted Yoder on Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Now, why did this video take off? Not only is Ted Yoder an incredible musician, but the live aspect of the performance makes viewers feel included, and makes the moment feel more ‘real.’ Especially at the end when Ted decides to introduce people to his raccoon on the spur of the moment. It exemplifies one of the best things that Live Video offers its viewers – real moments from real people. Authenticity.

Which is why live video has really taken off in the last year or so, and is continuing to grow in popularity today.

Growth of the Streaming Industry

According to a study from Research and Markets, the streaming industry is estimated to reach 70.05 billion dollars by 2021.

In comparison, the industry was worth $30.29 billion in 2016. So the industry is expanding at an incredibly high rate. Which means that the prominence of the streaming industry isn’t dwindling any time soon – at least not in the near future.

Moreover, according to a FreeWheel Video Monetization Report from Q3 2015, Live Video is far outpacing the growth of other forms of online video.

This image from a Yahoo Marketing Report shows that the year over year ad view growth for Live Video was 113% in 2016, whereas the year over year ad growth for Long-form Video and Short-form Video was only 30% and 9% respectively.

So if companies are looking to further include video in their marketing strategy, Live Video certainly appears to be the way to go.

Live Streaming and Social Media

On social media, the advent of Facebook Live has turned out to be an overwhelming success for the platform.

1 in every 5 Facebook Videos are live broadcasts. And over the last year, daily watch time for Facebook Live Broadcasts has grown more than 4 times over.

Not only has the amount of Live Video skyrocketed over the last year or so, but viewer engagement for Live Video tends to be much higher than for non-live content. For example, Facebook Live Videos are watched 3x longer than non-live videos on the platform, and users comment on Facebook Live Videos at 10x the rate of regular videos. Live Video gets your viewers involved.

What’s Popular?

According to a Livestream and New York Magazine survey, breaking news makes up 56% of most-watched live content, and conferences and speakers are tied with concerts and festivals at 43%. This all goes to show that people want to be included in events going on in the world around them. They want to feel as if they are a part of something.

On top of that, the same survey found that behind-the scenes access is some of the most popular content for Live Video. This also stems from people’s desire to be included, or have an exclusive inside look. In fact, 87% of audiences would prefer to watch online video instead of traditional television if it meant they had more access to behind-the-scenes content.

Emerging Trends

As video technology develops, Live Video will become an even more in-demand way to include consumers in events and experiences. With the advancement of Virtual Reality technology and 360 video, Live Video will become increasingly more realistic. What’s more, the development of drones will allow viewers unique viewpoints and greater access to Live events.

And, being able to realistically experience something via Live Video will often result in action from consumers. For example, according to Zero Gravity Marketing, after viewing a live stream of an event or concert, as much as 67% of viewers would then purchase a ticket for a similar event. So if you give people a taste of an experience with Live Video, they’ll likely be more inclined to buy into the event or brand if they like what they see.

This is all to say, if you can find a way to incorporate Live Video into your marketing strategy, definitely take that opportunity.

It’s a great way to engage with consumers on a more personal level, and a great way to make consumers feel included in your brand. Because it’s live and unedited it comes across as authentic to the viewers, and if done correctly, it can help build a trusting relationship between you and your target audience.

Updated on February 7, 2020

Dana High, Marketing and Communication at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Video Marketing Showdown: McDonald’s v. Burger King

It’s a tale as old as time: the Big Mac versus the Whopper, Ronald McDonald versus the King™.

Since their beginnings, both McDonald’s and Burger King have remained at the top of the fast food burger hierarchy. And with both fast food franchises launching within just a couple of years of each other – Burger King in 1953 and McDonald’s in 1955 – this fast food burger war has been in full force for well over half a century.

But while the goal of the war has remained the same – to win over the most customers – the tactics have evolved. As video marketing has grown, it has become more and more essential for top companies to create strong video marketing strategies to win over consumers.

While both companies have made a splash or two in the video marketing world with their ads, we’ve decided to take a closer look at McDonald’s and Burger King’s video marketing strategies to see who is currently coming out on top. Gear up for the showdown.

McDonald’s Current Strategy

Today, McDonald’s has embraced various social media platforms in their video marketing strategy. In 2015 they launched a “Choose Lovin” campaign on Snapchat that preempted a national television campaign. More recently they launched a series of 10 second ads on Snapchat with the goal of hiring 250,000 new employees. This use of Snapchat for advertising and recruiting purposes allows McDonald’s to reach new customer bases and to grow their current ones.

McDonald’s current active advertisements on TV and Youtube include the ‘Nothing Comes before Coffee’ ads, as well as the ‘Buttermilk Crispy Tenders Grandma’ ads. McDonald’s also includes shorter versions of these second set of ads on their Twitter account with the hashtag: #ButtermilkCrispyTenders.

While these commercials aren’t bad, there’s nothing especially attention-grabbing about them. Even though they are meant to be comedic, they’re not funny enough to make a lasting impact. Although I will give some props to the way the older man says, “did we getcha?” towards the end of the spot.

Again, just like with the ‘Nothing Comes before Coffee’ ads, these also fall a little short of ‘funny.’ They’re not terrible, they’re just not memorable enough, especially when pitted against other major fast food chains.

In addition to these commercials, McDonald’s has also been known to partner with current kids movies or TV shows as a part of their marketing strategy. They include toys from the movie or show in their Happy Meals and then base commercial ads on these partnerships. Their current commercials that incorporate this strategy include the LEGO movie commercials and the My Little Pony ads.

What does McDonald’s do well?

Integrating partnerships with kids movies and TV shows into their video marketing strategy has allowed McDonald’s to remain the top preference for young children, as well as for the parents of those children. They’ve consistently and successfully branded themselves as a family-friendly restaurant.

In fact, McDonald’s video marketing strategy has always helped them maintain strong brand awareness. The yellow-arched ‘M’ and catchy “ba da ba ba ba” jingle are both thoroughly recognizable and integral to their brand recognition. In addition, McDonald’s has also been able to maintain a considerably positive consumer perception of their brand, with average perception steadily increasing over the last few years. It’s clear that with the help of their various video marketing strategies, consumers still seem to be ‘lovin’ it.’

What are their pitfalls?

Even though their brand awareness is still strong, their current active ads aren’t as memorable or as creative as they have been in the past. They lack an emotional backbone, a story to follow – something that demands the viewer pay attention to them.

And while they have taken the leap into video advertising on social media platforms, they would benefit by taking this strategy even further. According to a study from MediaKix, the average person will spend over 5 years of their lives scrolling through social media. (Yes, over 5 years!) This means there is a lot of opportunity for companies to grab the attention of their target audience through these platforms.

Now let’s take a look at Burger King.

Burger King’s Current Strategy

In recent years Burger King has decided to emphasize the ‘flame-grilled’ characteristic of their burgers in advertisements. This has inspired their recent ‘flame-grilled Whopper comparison commercials.’ In these commercials they compare burgers that are flame-grilled to burgers cooked on a flat top stove.

This commercial starts off slow and grabs the viewer’s attention halfway through when the music starts playing. However, at this point the viewer has pretty much missed the message Burger King is trying to convey about the flame-grilled burgers. Here, Burger King should work on trying to hook the viewer from the start.

In addition to their ‘flame-grilled burgers’ commercials, they have also developed a series of commercials advertising their spicy chicken nuggets – one of which includes a rendition of ‘Ice Ice Baby’ turned into ‘Spice Spice Baby.’

Now this commercial does a decent job of grabbing the viewer’s attention from the start. With ‘Spice Spice Baby’ playing immediately over a close up shot of the Burger King™, it’s likely that the viewer will at least give this commercial a second glance.

Burger King’s Google Homes Ad

Burger King made some noise in the advertisement world with their controversial “What is the Whopper Burger?” commercial earlier this year. In the TV ad, a Burger King employee notes that he doesn’t have enough time to explain what a Whopper is before leaning closer to the camera and saying, “Okay Google, what is the Whopper Burger?”.

The ad is meant to trigger consumers’ own Google Home’s devices to read the first line of the ‘Whopper Burger’ Wikipedia page. While this is an interesting concept, it was called out for being invasive and for not involving Google in the process. It also involved a lot of trust on Burger King’s part that nobody would edit the ‘Whopper Burger’ Wikipedia page to say something…unpleasant. (Spoiler alert: people edited the Wikipedia page.)

Needless to say, they pulled the ad.

What does Burger King do well?

Burger King is able to consistently create comical content. Their video advertisements successfully mix in random humor and witty dialogue, and they’ve been able to incorporate this humor throughout their entire advertising strategy.

Moreover, while their Google Homes Ad may have missed the mark, they at least get some points for taking risks. Burger King is aware of changing technology and evolving social platforms, and they’re attempting to adapt their video marketing strategy to play to these changes.

Not to mention, they’re creative. Their ads stand out. Regardless of whether or not their ads motivate audiences to get up and go purchase a ‘flame-grilled’ whopper, they at least make a consumer look twice when they hear a rendition of ‘Spice Spice Baby.’ In fact, Burger King was named as this year’s Cannes Lions Festival’s creative marketer of the year. So congratulations, Burger King.

What are their pitfalls?

While Burger King gets points for humor and innovation, in comparison to McDonald’s they lose points for slightly muddled branding. Amidst all of their creativity, there doesn’t seem to be a consistent message. Do you know what Burger King’s official slogan is? I’m not sure I do. Also, I’m not entirely convinced that pushing the ‘flame-grilled’ feature of their burgers is what will truly gain consumers’ loyalty.

On top of that, they haven’t taken too much advantage of social media platforms for creative video advertisements at all. And of course, their most recent advertisement that took off in the media (the “What is the Whopper Burger” ad) took off for negative reasons. Not all viral videos foster positive attention. They annoyed some consumers by triggering their in-home devices and most likely took a small hit in consumer perception for it.

Final Verdict

So who comes out on top in this showdown between video marketing strategies? McDonald’s marketing has the more consistent branding, but Burger King has stronger humor and more creative commercial advertisements.

It’s a close fight, but I’d say Burger King TKO’ed itself with their Google Homes ad. Especially because they overlooked that anyone can edit a Wikipedia page. I could go edit the ‘Whopper Burger’ Wikipedia page right now so that it starts off with: “The Big Mac is better.” Then what, Burger King?

And in the end, strong branding and consumer perception are essential for a company’s success. So congratulations, McDonald’s – and better luck next time, Burger King.

Updated on February 10, 2020.

Dana High, Marketing and Communications at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Why Authenticity is Important in Video Influencer Marketing

According to a 2016 video consumer insights report from Google, 60% of YouTube subscribers said they would follow advice from their favorite video influencer on products to buy over advice from their favorite traditional Hollywood celebrity. Clearly, using social influencers in video marketing can be a powerful and effective tactic for brands, especially for the digitally-tuned-in Gen Z and Millennial generations.

On the other hand, the power of influencer marketing in video can have lasting damaging effects if it’s executed poorly. How can influencer marketing fail? Well, according to a market research survey from Deep Focus, when it comes to advertising, 67% of Gen Z prefer to be engaged by “real people” and people they can relate to.

That means if your influencer video marketing comes across as inauthentic to the viewer, it’s likely your campaign will flop. As brands create a video influencer marketing strategy for appealing to a younger generation, they need to keep in mind that Millennials and Gen Z are looking for authenticity in their brands and in the influencers they follow.

So, in order to use influencer marketing in a way that will appeal to viewers, brands need to create authentic content.

How can you make sure your video content is authentic?

1. Content Relevance

Because a younger audience is looking for authenticity from their influencers, breaking the trust of those consumers can be the downfall of the influencer as well as a brand. In a Bloglovin consumer survey on the ‘Global Power of Influencers,’ it was found that 61% of women said the number one reason they wouldn’t engage with an influencer’s post at all is if it felt inauthentic. So, what makes a post inauthentic? 59% of women said inconsistency.

If a sponsored post is inconsistent with the influencer’s already established brand, the post is sure to come across as inauthentic. Consider this, if a beauty vlogger who has previously posted about being against animal testing suddenly starts promoting a makeup brand that tests on animals, wouldn’t the audience feel like they are being deceived? The inconsistency with the influencer’s original content will create distrust between the audience and the influencer, as well as between the audience and the company being promoted. So when companies are searching for influencer’s to partner with, they should search for influencers whose values and interests intersect with their own.

This doesn’t mean that the influencer’s original content or brand has to fall exactly into the category of the company sponsoring them. But it does mean that there should be some intersection between the interests of the influencer and the sponsored brand to make the partnership feel more organic.

Examples to Follow

Jack Douglass, better know as JacksFilms, is a popular YouTuber and comedian who is known for creating humorous content for his viewers. He partnered with Lynda.com, an online platform that helps people learn software and technology skills, and encouraged his viewers to use the platform to learn how to create their own funny videos. He then featured some of these edits in a few of his videos. Although Jack’s channel doesn’t specifically deal with learning software or online skills, Jack and Lynda.com found that their partnership allowed his audience to emulate their favorite YouTuber, while also exploring a new learning platform.

2. Honest Feedback

If an influencer isn’t able to give their honest opinions about a brand or product, their audience will more than likely be able to detect their deception. Honesty is key when it comes to authenticity, and a brand wants their influencer’s honest opinions to reflect positively on their products. So not only should an influencer be able to be honest about a brand, but they should also genuinely like or trust the brand.

“43% of millennials rank authenticity over content.” – Forbes

If an influencer believes that audiobooks are annoying, then Audible should probably pass on that influencer. In a Forbes breakdown of the millennial consumer, it was found that 43% of millennials rank authenticity over content. So honesty and authenticity need to be established before they will even consider buying into the brands being presented to them.

3. Transparent Sponsorships

While having an influencer admit that their video is sponsored may initially seem like a negative, the honesty will create a stronger sense of trust between the influencer and their audience. More often than not, viewer’s can recognize when an influencer is advertising a product or brand –regardless of whether or not the influencer discloses the information. So by not disclosing that a video post is sponsored, influencers will make their audience feel as if they are being deceived. Or, like the influencer is trying to ‘pull one over’ on them. This could cause the viewer to develop an aversion toward that influencer, brand, and even other influencers participating in different sponsorships.

4. Personalized Promotion

In addition to inconsistency making a video feel inauthentic, 34% of women said they felt as if a post was disingenuous when other influencers’ were promoting the same product in the same way, on the same day.

If a company is targeting a certain niche with their video influencer marketing strategy, they are likely to find some overlap in the influencers’ audiences. This is all right. But, if the same people are seeing different influencers saying the exact same thing about a product, it begins to feel inauthentic. If a video is too scripted, nobody is going to believe that 10 different influencers genuinely believe the script they’re giving. Allow the influencer the flexibility to express their opinion about the product in their own way, while still touching on the key features the brand is interested in promoting.

Takeaways

All in all, relying on influencers in video marketing is not as simple as sending in a script and a product to any available influencer and asking them to post at exactly 3pm est. Effectively employing a video influencer marketing strategy requires building a relationship between the brand and the influencer, as well as maintaining the relationship between the influencer and their viewers. This can only be achieved through authentic content planning

Influencer Authenticity Recap:

Honesty. Be honest with influencer, and allow the influencer the freedom to be honest with their audience.

Interest. The interests of the influencer and their audience should clearly intersect with interests of the company and their customers.

Trust. The influencer should trust the company sponsoring them, as well as the product or brand they are promoting. This way their honest opinions will reflect positively on the company.

Personalization. Adding a personal touch to the influencer marketing video will come across as more genuine to the influencer’s audience.

In the end, all four of these key aspects should be integrated into your video influencer marketing strategy if you want to successfully appeal to your target audience. Without these tips, inauthenticity might just push viewers away from your brand.

Updated on February 10, 2020.

Dana High, Marketing and Communications at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.