Everyone recognizes the value of a website with clear messaging that tells visitors what a company does and the benefits of using its products or services.
But as much as companies strive to have Web sites with text that resonates, one of the things that I frequently tell clients is the need to provide consumers with the option of watching a demo video.
We live in a world dominated by television and online videos and many consumers – if given the choice – would prefer to watching a 60 to 90-second video rather than reading well-crafted content that provides valuable information.
If done well, demo videos can serve multiple purposes. They can act as a user-friendly way to quickly provide people with information about a product or service. This is particularly important because websites have a small window of opportunity to capture the attention of visitors, otherwise they quickly move on.
Demo videos can also be used to do marketing, business development and sales, as well as provide content to social media services.
A good demo video will do at least one of three things: educate, engage or entertain. If it can do more than one, that’s even better.
The ability to serve multiple roles makes a good return on investment for companies willing to spend the money to product a top-notch video – usually $5,000 to $15,000, depending on the production value, the length and whether it’s animated or involves actors.
One of my clients that has benefited from involving video is Sysomos, which offers social media monitoring and analytics services. Over the past 18 months, the Toronto-based company has produced a series of videos that have provided potential customers with a user-friendly way to understand the technology and how it works.
For a company that has a modest marketing budget, these videos have provided Sysomos with content that has been used in a variety of ways. The videos have had a relatively long shelf life, with a significant return on investment.
Creating a demo video is a solid investment for any company looking for a way to rise above the crowd and provide something that resonates with consumers.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Mark Evans is a principal with ME Consulting, a content and social media strategic and tactical consultancy that creates and delivers ‘stories’ for companies looking to capture the attention of customers, bloggers, the media, business partners, employees and investors. Mark has worked with three start-ups – Blanketware, b5Media and PlanetEye – so he understands how they operate and what they need to do to be successful. He was a technology reporter for more than a decade with The Globe and Mail, Bloomberg News and the Financial Post. Mark is also one of the co-organizers of the mesh, meshUniversity and meshmarketing conferences.
