If content is king, then rich media is the gold standard when it comes to optimal online engagement with your target audience.

Consumers are forever seeking deeper, more rewarding internet experiences, which means there are high expectations upon brands to ramp up their game.

Conversely, we all have diminishing attention spans and viewers want to be able to digest high-quality content quickly.

Visuals are a big driver for brands with video material particularly effective. Marketers are continuing to see an uptick in the number of interactions with videos that are more likely to be enjoyed (and then shared) than any standalone text.

Viral-style short videos – with or without sound – can be simply created, are easily digested and can be instantly shared across all social media platforms. But what if you are seeking a more professional approach to engagement with your target audience?

Statistics

1. Cisco predicts that video will account for 82% of global consumer internet traffic by 2020
2. Slideshare suggests video on any brand’s landing page can increase conversions by more than 80%
3. 43% of B2C marketers believe pre-produced video is the most successful type of content for marketing purposes
4. According to Google, more than a billion hours of video is watched every day on YouTube.

Video brings a brand to life. It can simplify key points that may get lost in a sea of words and, in a fast-pasted world that has made speed-readers of us all, a video that conveys your brand’s major marketing messages is much more likely to grab the attention than a page of text.

Your storytelling needs to appeal to a target audience at all levels and adding video to your marketing arsenal can unlock new opportunities for your brand. They are now an essential part of any brand’s promotional toolbox.

Video content also ticks boxes for the visual and aural learners among us who rely on seeing images and listening rather than the reading and understanding of words.

So, when it comes to choosing the right video advertising agency that suits your brand, it is important to ask the right questions… 

Points to consider when choosing your next video advertising agency
How do they work for you and with you? 
Ask to see a portfolio of their work. Whilst not every creative will appeal or match your own brand’s requirements, it’s an important exercise in gauging video quality and creative ability. Ask how much input they will need from you to ascertain your brand’s goals and objectives. How will they familiarise themselves with your target audience and communicate your USP? Talking of which, miscommunication can be a huge problem between client and agency, so do find out if you have an account manager that handles your project throughout the whole process. And take a step back after meeting them to consider if there is workable chemistry between you and the team? Good outcomes are built on trust and well-nurtured relationships so do look for transparency and honesty when it comes to discussions about what they can achieve on your behalf – and with what budget. Remember, you don’t have to start big. Small and simple – but professional – videos are a great first effort and a fantastic way to kick-start user engagement.

How quickly can they turn around a video for your brand so that you remain relevant? Using a big media story as a hook can catapult a brand into the limelight, so do ascertain their turnaround speed – from conception to production to fully finished content. In an article for The Drum, Antoine Bouchacourt, Vice President Asia at Shootsta, comments: ‘Amidst this digital transformation is the growing culture of instantaneous expectations. Brands have a responsibility to cater to consumers’ hunger. Fast turnaround of video allows a brand to stand out from the crowd. It doesn’t have to be limited to sombre news, light-hearted ideas are a perfectly good reason to allocate resources to creating video fast.’

Is the video created for all platforms and all devices? Reportedly, consumers grow ever more comfortable watching content on all devices, with videos often watched on whatever screen is available at the time – a fact that strongly supports the need for instant and relevant video content. This also means that video needs to be delivered in high-quality mobile-specific formats and should form a major pillar in any brand’s online marketing strategy. The videos need to be spread far and wide and posted on a number of different platforms – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and your own website – so that as many people see them as possible. Videos posted on social media do not have to be the whole thing – little snippets will do, alongside a link to a longer video posted on your brand website. It is important you steer users towards your website as this is where conversions happen. Add hyperlinks to all of your videos on social media – and, of course, double-check with the agency that all of your videos are accessible on smartphones. Like most marketing, frequency is vital in order to keep your brand at the forefront of an audience’s mind.

Do they tailor content? A sustained and constant stream of content is important and variety in how it is presented equally so. Your brand story should generate excitement and engage with every post so ask how they edit content to suit the different audiences across all relevant platforms. Additionally, will the visuals match the copy used elsewhere in your brand messaging? Consistency in content is key, too!

Are audience insights their best friend? Once up and running, will the agency also use data to help inform your campaign? If the video is not quite working, will they diversify to match audience expectations or hone content to target more successfully? Demographics, location and online activity can all help to establish where and when and why (as well as why not) consumers are engaging. Your video agency should identify your goals and measure how well the video content they produce is helping to meet them.

Conclusion
Video is the ultimate in an online experience, marrying up sight, sound and motion to best effect. If the creative is eye-catching, the story-telling compelling and the message shareable, it can be a great communication tool with your target consumer, particularly if edited to various lengths and tailored for various touch points.

That said, be sure to strike a balance between pictures, text and video – one should never outweigh the others. There is a place for all marketing approaches, so do ask the agency if it encourages a ‘pick and mix’ approach to interactive content. 

Investing in a team who understand the workings of rich content and social media will go a long way. It’s a key way to help channel people through your sales funnel. Your video content and its distribution campaign should always be created with your brand’s ultimate end goal driving them.