Making and distributing high-quality video used to be something reserved for the big league; to pull it off successfully, you needed a hefty budget, a lot of technology and the right production skills to make a video that looked and sounded even halfway decent.
Thankfully, that’s all changed over the last few years! Easy access to HD-quality video recording on mobile devices and consumer-level digital cameras has opened up video to everyone, however, shallow their pockets may be.
It’s this easy access which has democratised video for all, making it a great tool for digital agencies looking for a way to raise their brand profile and make their messaging more visual and personal.
The guest speaker at our latest Digital Roundtable event, Nik Maguire from Deansgate Media, has more experience than most in the ins and out of video, and he was more than happy to share with us some golden advice about how digital agencies can fully get on board with the video revolution.
Getting Creative with Video
Over the last few years, Nik has made a name for himself as someone who has become immersed in the world of video – making a name for himself both as the director of Deansgate Media, as well as a local character armed with a camera.
To Nik, video’s main advantage comes from how easily it is to convey genuine emotions and personality via a screen, and when your clients and prospects get a better handle on the real you, they get to know you a lot better – before they’ve even met you.
Because of its value, and the technical skills and requirements involved, video has, over time, become more specialist than the other creative arts – but that’s changing, as Nik pointed out.
“Video has always been powerful, but it’s also been difficult to get right when you’re not an expert. But that’s changed. Video is becoming more and more pervasive, and that’s because we now all have the tech in our pockets to shoot high-quality video.”
Now, most of us own smartphones that can shoot high definition video at the touch of a button, and this instant access to recording has opened up the video industry hugely, making it possible for everyone from teenage YouTubers to novice small business marketers to make fast, effective video on the move.
A More Democratic Way to Make Video
Of course, this shift has forced the video industry to try and keep up. Whereas years ago, there were lots of video production companies, over time they have been picked up by digital agencies and brought in-house.
Slowly, the video market is beginning to fragment. Production companies can’t carry on when people can film 4K (currently the highest definition available for video) by themselves on a consumer device.
So, it’s bad news for video production companies, but it’s GREAT news for digital agencies that want to get hands-on with making their own videos.
Is There an Audience for Your Videos?
The big question to ask yourself, as an agency owner or marketer, is ‘Does anyone actually want to watch our videos?’ Before diving headfirst into producing your own videos, it’s important to think about who’s going to watch them, what topics they’ll be interested in, and what formats will work best.
The impact of social media means we now consume things in much smaller chunks. Attention spans are short, and people want you to cut to the chase fast. Video bloggers (or vloggers) have made the most of this need by making their videos short, sharp and frequent, as Nik explained:
“Brand placement with video became vlogging over time, and the new wave of vloggers have become the super elite – their search ranking is ridiculously high and it’s difficult to reach that stage. But good SEO results don’t always make your video content a valuable asset.”
You still need great messaging, creative ideas and a real connection with your audience if your video is going to add genuine value. And this means video going back to its original roots, where you create empathy and relationships between you and your audience.
The key is regular video content – publishing video clips frequently, building a following and increasing that sense of a connection.
Be Passionate: Care About Your Topic
It’s crucial that you choose topics for your video content that you have a strong and genuine passion for. When you’re passionate about your topic, people find it far easier to engage with your content – and your brand.
“LadBible is a good example of a brand that finds the content people like and then creates more of the same, does it regularly and (crucially) monetises it. It’s about applying the old ‘Easy as ABC’ maxim – Always Be Creative!”
And although digital agencies are great at being innovative for clients, sometimes agencies can be bad at being creative with their own marketing. If you want to showcase what you do, it’s great to produce video content that shows what goes on inside the agency.
With video, you can broadcast from the heart of the business, to show people what makes you unique and engage in a sales process. The best example of pulling this off successfully comes from vloggers like Zoella, who have made a feature of showing what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ and demystifying the whole video process. It’s clearly a great way to build empathy and realism for your agency too.
Reveal the Real You
Although working to create professional videos for clients across Manchester, Nik found that his hard work wasn’t always being used correctly. This spurred him on to start vlogging instead, in order to explain more and share his passion for the medium.
The results were better than Nik could have hoped – people responded to his vlogs even more than his professional videos due to the personality and insight evident within each video.
To tests this theory further, Nik created Mad About Manchester, where he could focus on vlogging, video and everything going on in the creative scene in the North West.
The risk was definitely worth it: people are now coming to Nik directly because of his videos, which is a huge help when he’s looking for new clients or new projects to work on. People feel they know Nik as a person before they’ve actually even met him, all thanks to the connection forged between them and their screen.
Some top tips from the floor
Part of what makes our Digital Roundtable nights so great is having a friendly forum to ask creative questions. And Nik was very happy to take questions from the floor and provide a few more top video tips for agencies looking to give their video a kick up the camera.
Sarah Toms from Photolink: “Do people need specific media training to make videos?”
Nik Maguire: “You do need some presenting and editing skills. However, live video is going to change that. As digital agencies, we should become consultants and advise clients on the topics and content that’s being created.”
Duncan Elliott from Duncan Elliott Photography: “Do you lose authenticity if, as a third party, you’re getting too involved in your clients’ video content?”
Nik Maguire: “Not entirely. The best idea is to consult with clients on how to not drop the ball and how to make the best possible video content. Brands will probably end up employing vloggers like they employ copywriters. Skills that are missed out can be a factor of the consultancy angle.”
Paul Barnes from My Accountancy Place: “Do you still have to be informational?”
Nik Maguire: “With vlogging, stuff just happens and it’s the normal, everyday things that become important. A casual, natural way will build empathy and trust, but you could still drop another type of video, a la Zoella, to mix thing up a little.”
Video: a More Personal Medium
Video is already becoming an important part of your agency’s brand and your underlying SEO rankings, so it’s important to refocus your outlook on video and vlogging and to grab the opportunity to connect more closely with your audience.
People buy from people, and video helps to build empathy, highlight what you’re like as people and build a relationship between your brand and the viewers visiting your site.
Now that it’s so accessible and so easy to do, what are you waiting for? Let’s get out there and start making movies…action!
