Why Visual Storytelling Could Be Your Most Important Marketing Tool
Surprise, surprise… Someone who works in video telling you that video is now more important than ever. Where have we heard that one before?! Hear me out!
For several years we have had it drilled into us that good quality content is an absolute must for modern-day marketing and video has really started to see itself at the forefront of that notion. This became even more prominent during the first national lockdown as both businesses and individuals looked to stay connected with their audiences at a time when they couldn’t physically do so. What was great about this period amidst all the doom and gloom was that those who had never considered video were now doing it, albeit from their phones. We saw some very good self-shot pieces of content and other pieces that could be improved upon in this time.
People began to realise the benefit of video and others saw the difficulties that can come with it. Now, firstly, I think it’s important to consider that not everyone needs professional video production. Anyone and everyone can absolutely benefit from it, but that’s not to say it’s a constant requirement. For those making the occasional video on platforms such as LinkedIn, there is absolutely nothing wrong with shooting it on your phone and uploading directly. If you are on a tight budget, I would always advise doing it yourself rather than paying for professional video straight off the bat. That said, as you grow you may want to invest in someone to professionally film your content and take it to that next level.
However, what I believe is most relevant to businesses, rather than individuals right now, is visual storytelling. 2020 was an absolutely crazy year for all of us and 2021 has started in much the same way, but this does mean that so many brands out there are going to have a unique story to tell about how they navigated the pandemic. However, rekindling that relationship with potential clients and consumers is not going to be as straightforward as simply opening the doors and expecting the masses to come in. Creating something genuine that shows the reality of your business enables you to be relatable to your target market and what better way to do that than via video?
The biggest benefit of having a promotional film made about your business, in my view, is that it’s a method of advertising and selling without being all in the face of the consumer - something that I feel is very important to consider during the times we are currently living in. Video can be subliminal and a lot more subtle than other forms of marketing, which allows viewers to learn about your journey and make that emotional investment which rarely comes with classic advertisement, or even modern advertisement to an extent! But, perhaps most importantly, it’s also a fantastic way of demonstrating your offering, with 72% of consumers wanting to learn about a product or service through means of a video (Hubspot).
Whether you choose to go down the route of having a professional video made or simply choose stay in touch with your audience through Instagram stories, making yourself present and giving customers the opportunity to connect with you as a human will be a powerful and essential marketing tool. The saying ‘people buy from people’ has been promoted a lot in recent years, but 2021 is perhaps the time when it is going to be most relevant.