What about you … are you having a problem getting rid of all your old ideas? And perhaps shaking up your thinking? The heart of most marketing campaigns these days has been the small business website and webdesigning. The biggest problem with most websites … they are instantly forgettable! They are not using the magical ways to spice up your website.
More to discover: Facebook Stories … Have You Heard These Remarkable Ones?
The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get the old ones out,
Dee Hock
Here is the thing. They say the same thing as your competitors. You see two possible results from this problem. The first is that most customers will quickly lose interest and click away from the site.
Check out our thoughts on creative marketing.
The second is that, if they stay, they’ll find no reason to select you, because there’s no discriminating message.
The answer to this problem … using videos to improve customer engagement on your website.
Related: 7 Social Marketing Tips That Can Boost Website Relevance
Adding clever, interesting videos is one of the best ways for you to compel your viewers to stay, absorb, and pass your message to friends.
Simply stated, your video should be entertaining while adding value and meaning.
Have you ever seen the videos of Steve Jobs presenting the new product launch of the Mac, iPod, or iPad? He understood that something could be entertaining yet meaningful at the same time. Videos such as these work as well on the web as they do on television.
The simple objective … turn marketing into content, not content into marketing.
So what is the magic of creating a potentially viral video? Consider the following six elements we recommend to build award winning videos:
Web designing … engage your community
Grab attention … on some problem your community has, and then address the solution. This is the most important part of the video … the part of the video that compels viewers to want to see and hear the entire story/show!
Set up an enlightening experience
Design an experience that will be memorable … create the visual of your value, the core message. Take some risks here to stand out and be different … no risks, no rewards.
Web design examples … enlighten while entertaining
Provide your key discriminating message woven into the central theme of the video. Be entertaining. This is the second most important element of your video … convincing customers your story is the best and the reason to select you. Make sure you are addressing your most important target customers. Avoid selling at all costs!
Strike a nerve
Create a topic that will resonate and connect with your audience. What makes your website such a powerful marketing and branding tool is its ability to communicate through verbal, visual, and metaphoric levels. If you are not using all 3 levels of communications, you are missing opportunities to resonate, connect, and strike a nerve.
Be worth the time
Be memorable and bold … be worth the audience’s time and attention. Use subtle marketing techniques. The challenge is to turn marketing into memorable content that informs, enlightens, and entertains at the same time.
Learn about web design … compel action with a story
We all understand the need for a call to action. However, you can best deliver on the action call by a convincing story. A story catching attention and providing relevant messages for your target customers.
A great example
JetBlue recently launched a brilliant new ad campaign called “Air on the Side of Humanity”. Have you seen it? You might want to check it out.
They ingeniously use pigeons as a transposed metaphor for frequent flyers who are challenged by business travel and crowded flights. Believe me, I can relate. The spot shows crowded skies full of pigeons while an off-camera narrator says “the reality of flying is not very pretty”. It’s a royal headache and a major inconvenience.
They show crowded jostled pigeons on a building ledge lined up single file facing the camera while the narrator says, “They pack you in there, you hardly have any space for yourself. Hey, I’m a big guy and I need some room to breathe”. As the narrator continues talking about the future situation being bleak the camera focuses on a man’s legs sitting on a park bench throwing crumbs to pigeons on the sidewalk as the narrator says, “They throw you crumbs and act as if it’s a 5 course meal”.
Next, they show a lonely pigeon on a busy pedestrian sidewalk as people walk around ignoring a confused bird as the narrator says, “I feel completely ignored”. Then the narrator asks the question, “There’s gotta be a way to fly with a little respect, you know?”
More to study: About Social Media … Ways to Use Social Media for Learning
Then they cut to a different voiceover announcer which says, “Enjoy JetBlue’s award-winning service, free unlimited snacks and the most legroom in coach.” An awesome way to engage customers, isn’t it?
What I love about this engagement approach is that it takes a customer experience perspective that no doubt was derived through deep customer insights. As a frequent flyer myself I was able to relate to the spot on multiple levels. I can just imagine what the creative brainstorming session must’ve looked like.
It probably went something like this… Let’s find a metaphor for flying … pigeons. Put them in crowded lines and jostled frustrating situation … crowded skies of birds flapping their wings. Demonstrate the food is not very good … throw some crumbs. And show how nobody cares about the passenger … show bird on a crowded sidewalk alone being ignored.
Then ask the question, there has to be a better way and the answer from JetBlue is … Air on the side of humanity! Simple, and a brilliantly magical video, isn’t it?
Does your business use videos to improve customer engagement with your website? Do you have a story to share on their effectiveness? Any comments or questions to add?
Key takeaway
Remember, don’t talk about how great you are. Tell your customers a story about how what you do well will make them look awesome.
