July 15, 2015
You know that question makes me feel like Johnny Carson playing Carnac the Magnificent.
But the answer is … video.
The Atlantic is a storied magazine that was started in 1857 and which remains a powerhouse. It is creating more video stories for its digital edition as part of a growth strategy that is enabling this media property to succeed. There is a video ad fronting every single video story, and that is boosting revenues.
Deutsche Bank is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. It is creating more video stories in a thought leadership initiative to create brand separation from competitors. Check out its videos – on an array of topics suggested by its stakeholders – and see this positioning as it works.
So how does my lawn mower fit here? One of the tires came off the wheel. My father was a mechanic who could fix anything, but that gene didn’t get as far as me. Yet I used a video from YouTube on the mundane topic of how to put a tire back on a wheel, and I fixed the mower in a flat 15 minutes.
Did you know that YouTube is reportedly the second-largest search engine? Consider:
- 3 billion searches occur there every month
- 100 hours of video are uploaded there every minute
- 6 billion hours of video are viewed there every month
- 1 out of every two Internet users – half of everyone on the Web – are on YouTube
I think I know why YouTube has eclipsed every other search engine but Google.
Google tells you everything. But YouTube actually shows you something. That is a huge distinction.
Video has been described as the once and future king of communication. But I think a better way to look at video may be that it is increasingly central to your personal and professional success.
Looking for a new job? Create a video story that shows how and why you’re the best candidate.
Introducing a new product? Create a video story that shows how the product solves problems.
Attracting more talent? Create a video story that shows why your company is a great place to work.
Seeking more investors? Create a video story that shows why your growth strategy is succeeding.
Building brand loyalty? Create a video story to help consumers even after they’ve bought your product.
Generating interest at a trade show? Create real-time video stories and distribute via social networks.
Trying to increase your contacts? Create an ongoing podcast and ask interesting people for interviews.
Working to reduce returns? Create videos to demonstrate your product, especially if it’s complicated.
Obviously it’s never been enough just to say you’re different. You have to show you really are different.
Video is now the “show me state” of communications.
And it ought to be a centerpiece of your business strategy.
