Social Media Strategies: Video Is the Killer App
Hello, readers. Look at your video strategy. Now look back to me. Now back at your strategy. Now back to me. Sadly, your strategy isn’t me. But if it stopped using “viral video marketing gurus” and switched to Streaming Media, it could work like me. Look down; back up; where are you? You’re on a boat with the strategy your strategy could be. What’s in your hand? Back at me. I have it. It’s an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love. Look again; the tickets are now HD 3D cameras. Anything is possible when your strategy uses Streaming Media. I’m on a horse. (Whistle nautical theme.)
If the previous paragraph makes no sense whatsoever, then take a moment right now and search “old spice guy.” Spend the next few hours and watch one of the greatest social media video experiments of 2010 unfold. For those of you who were LOL-ing during the first line, you are already aware of Old Spice and its quest to sell more manly scented body wash. What started as a funny 30-second TV commercial found its way into a YouTube and Twitter success machine. Stories such as this one have become more prominent in our marketing and sales strategy conversations. Companies are realizing the power of social media and video and are desperately trying to figure out how to implement these tools into their existing businesses. So why should we use video as a social strategy, and how do we use these tools to help achieve our strategic goals?
Before we jump into the why and how online video should meet social media, let’s bust a few myths about social media and cut through some of the junk surrounding this topic.
Myth No. 1: We Need a Viral Video!
A viral video is like an albino snow leopard with a bad attitude. It’s very, very rare, and when you do actually get one, you will have no idea what to do with it. And it will probably cause you a lot of pain and distract you from what you should be doing for your business. Uninformed executives are not the only ones asking for viral videos; “viral video” has become a marketing buzzword that lots of people have latched on to. You don’t need a viral video; you need consistent, quality conversations with your customers. If Old Spice had shot only one YouTube clip, we would have maybe chuckled and moved on. But it shot, edited, and uploaded more than 180 personalized responses on YouTube to individual customers in the span of 2 days. Seriously, more than 180 videos; you can see them at http://YouTube.com/OldSpice. That’s not a viral video; that’s having an open conversation with your customers.
Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign is a textbook example of a video spurring an open conversation with customers.
Related Articles
Your customers or fans will help promote your content for you, if you're using the right tools and rewards.
15 Jun 2011
Creating a YouTube account and a Facebook page is only the beginning. If you really want to reap the rewards of social networking for your videos, follow these strategies.
08 Jun 2011