In this episode of Pause of Thought we want to look at how you can achieve sustained success in video marketing. And how to avoid doing a Chesney. To explain, let’s roll back to 1991. Kev is a Prince of Thieves with a dodgy accent, Super Nintendos are taking over the world and this orange guy has become kind of a big deal. Plus a little known 19-year-old from Berkshire has stormed the charts with…. Jump forward 10 years and Chesney takes the stage at yet another student’s union to play his hit song a total of 7 times in a 1 hour set. It was his opener. It was his closer. It was his encore. This is the fate of the One Hit Wonder. With no follow up in the pipeline, no album planned, no tour in the calendar, they quickly get forgotten, and the same is true in video marketing. Aiming for a short term hit, rather than playing the long game can get you into trouble.

 

According to Marketing Week “75% of marketers and 73% of agencies agree that short term tactical needs often take priority over longer term objectives”. There are loads of reasons why this happens, but think about this for a second. What does this short term sporadic approach feel like for your audience? Well from their point of view, it can seem like brands only post new videos when they have something to sell. The relationship between publisher and viewer can get strained when you behave like a divorcee who only shows up twice a year with generic gifts for children you don’t really know and who have learned to live without you! The secret to a long term and more healthy relationship is meaningful touch points that keep you relevant and front of mind. But how do you do that? Well it all comes down to having a proper plan, or what we would describe as a video content strategy. But … what does that actually does that mean?

 

Isn’t it just a content strategy with some video executions in it? 

Isn’t it just video guidelines for your brand?

Isn’t it just a guide to posting video on your social channels?

 

Its kind of all of this. But its way more. A video content strategy allows you to see opportunities you previously couldn’t. It will tell you what to create, when to produce it, how to get it seen… and how to measure its success. And honestly… not many brands even have one.

 

According to … “Despite increasing spend and focus being on video marketing, only 37% of UK marketers have a dedicated video strategy*. Ultimately it all comes back to your audience. Having a long-term video strategy will help you identify and anticipate their needs leading to more satisfaction.  Which takes me back to a band who’ve enjoyed a career that's quite the opposite of Mr Hawks. So which do you want to be? Because when you really know your audience, when you evolve with them, they’ll keep coming back for more. Thanks for watching. Don’t be afraid to subscribe and look out for more PAUSE FOR THOUGHT videos about video.