The classic cinematic quote “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille” – taken from the 1950 classic film Sunset Blvd. – can be contextually applied to today’s world of effective marketing.
How? Well, when it comes to marketing – especially when considering all the technological advances we’ve made in 70 years – the real truth is that video is the new black when it comes to getting your message across.
According to oberlo.ca, 87% of marketing professionals use video as one of their tools, and whether they pop up on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or any other social media platform that allows more than just posting a pic, it’s a key way to sell your product or service through your most valuable asset – you.
In the story of the film, for instance, actress Norma Desmond, a silent film star, realizes she has to adjust to the times in order to continue making an impact in Hollywood and sustaining her own career…so the “Mr. DeMille” character in the film is actually referring to real-life film director Cecil B. DeMille as she tells him she’s ready to move forward.
While everyone else’s situation in marketing isn’t nearly as dire as Desmond’s, the message hammers home a point: life doesn’t stop – and if you snooze, you lose.
Today, in this era where the challenge of making compelling content that will engage and attract new customers, video is becoming more of a necessity than an embellishment.
Personally, I enjoy making videos, even though I started as a writer. One of the reasons I love to communicate via video is because it’s not only a powerful medium, but it gives me the opportunity to show my personality and convey a bit about who I am.”
And let’s face it: we’re increasingly turning into a visually-stimulated society: The amount of video on all platforms has skyrocketed across the world in the last few years.
Today, you can barely walk a few steps before your eyes are accosted by video: maybe you’re in the elevator of your apartment, eyes glued to a screen as you’re ascending a floor or two to get home. Or maybe you’re cruising along the highway and a video ad catches your attention just long enough to impart some interesting information. Make no mistake: videos on out-of-home platforms are there for a reason – a video ad is the most popular format these days to attract new clients to your business. Even a restaurant menu these days will give you video options!
Since producing your own videos has never been simpler, thanks to iPhones and TikTok, this “Selfie” generation has practically taken crash courses in capturing, editing and broadcasting videos in order to be hip and keep up socially with their friends.
And that goes the same for business, especially when it comes to creating and distributing data.
Here are a few things that make video content superior:
- It controls the online world
By 2016, YouTube – which today boasts 1.8 billion active users – became the second most dominant and popular social media platform on the internet to employ video. Throw in other major outlets like Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, and LinkedIn – which make it easy for videos to be uploaded and shared within the global community through the internet – and your bases are pretty much covered.
- It engages the audience in a superior way
When a video is merged with a sound and a visual, the audience is open to receiving a lot more information and engagement from them. Powerful, no? If the video content and movements are succinct and accurate, viewers are prone to watch them till the end, resulting in better engagement. Organizations are able to use this power to promote their new brands with videos that enhance the image of the new product.
- It supplants text-only content
Nowadays, people are choosing videos rather than text-only content, because of the added visual and aural stimulation. Information sources like illustrations, infographics, and podcasts have also been measured against videos. Video may never supplant them, but the medium will keep flourishing as THE MOST powerful form of content in the future.
- It promotes shares
Online users today are more keen to share videos than any other content. Videos get more shares than pictures of text content because they are believed to be more socially relevant than images and text. Most people these days have a Snapchat or YouTube presence; through interactive videos, people are able to communicate their interests on a larger scale.
- It also conveys non-verbal communication
In delivering a message, body language and vocal tones play an influential role when it comes to perception! Word choice may be crucial when it comes to text, but visual elements like emojis help to make an emotional connection with viewers. When they watch a video of someone speaking to them directly, they are conveyed a more all-encompassing message, which may hold greater appeal and serve more as a catalyst for them to respond to a call-to-action.
- It provides deep and rapid content
Conversely, podcasts usually lack visual aids. Audio combined with a video provides a rapid, sensory message. For example, if a person presents a graph in a video, the viewer will comprehend the graph much more easily when viewing the visual example than if that graph were presented in a text-only or audio format.
And here’s the beautiful thing: you don’t need to have a huge budget to send out an effective, customized message.
I recently had a conversation with Ingor van Rooi on my LinkedIn Live show, #ShowUP and we discussed the power of video. Many of us are intimidated by appearing on video because of the fear that our efforts may lack a polish or seem amateurish in comparison with those who may have budgets to provide a slick, professional presentation.
But Ingor pointed out that “as long as we’re authentic and show up as our real selves, we’ll be fine. Everyone is their own individual and everyone’s journey is different.”
If you believe in your message, your product and/or your service, your passion and authenticity will shine through the camera lens and mesmerize your viewers.
So….Mr. DeMille be damned: are you ready for your close-up?