Marketing, video and 12 steps to better social media

As we enter a new era of business, not quite yet post-pandemic but certainly different to pre-pandemic we should all take a look at our marketing and review whether it is fit for purpose in the new digital landscape.

For many of us our main activities have been driven more online and although offline business is resuming the Covid legacy is likely to include greater use of digital technologies and marketing is no exception to that.

Marketing, according to Kotler, (2016) is ˜meeting customer needs profitably", whereas digital marketing is: "Achieving marketing objectives through applying digital media, data and technology." (Chaffey & Chadwick). Understanding digital behaviours and emerging trends within the consumer landscape is critical to forming an effective strategy to blend digital marketing with traditional marketing. According to Statista, (2020) social networking is projected to continue to grow so keeping abreast of technological changes and digital behaviours will help us stay at the forefront of consumer trends.

Remaining current in an ever-changing digital world is one of the key challenges we face. Even within business to business (B2B) the growth of digital technologies and consumers readiness to adopt and adapt to them is a challenge. Polled by Statista (2020) More than a quarter of businesses envisage this will result in a higher cost of acquisition per customer. This will make it even more important for marketers to understand consumers digital behaviours and respond to the expectations of their clients.

At Bellyflop we have noticed many more customers investing in camera kit and editing footage themselves meaning projects we may previously have filmed are now produced in house. We applaud and encourage this. The positive overall effect is that our clients own customer base is more familiar with video. This increased consumption is evidenced by the steady increase of in the percentage of Google's revenue attributed to YouTube, Statista (2020). YouTube's ad revenue is still projected to increase this year, despite a general downturn in advertising spend due to the Covid-19 pandemic according to Forbes, (2020)

As businesses seek to present better quality videos they can more easily identify the benefits of a professional team rather than potentially limited skills or resource available in-house. This heightened digital awareness is a positive change as businesses are more readily able to discern which companies can add genuine value and which ones are simply picking up an overspill of work. For businesses looking to develop their own social media strategy then there are twelve steps to follow which will help you build your online brand.

Create cross-links to your website and social media accounts (including YouTube) so clients can easily follow you. Ask existing clients to refer you and tag you in posts about the work you've done for them. Use tags and hashtags correctly, don't just stuff your post with irrelevant tags, it doesn't help. Follow and engage with other businesses so you are seen and let your personality shine through. Provide clear information about your product or service. Use rich content like video where possible. Provide clear information about the business so people can confirm you're bona fide. Make sure the information you provide is timely and current. Spark interest with promotions or discounts and engaging video content. Respond to comments promptly, even negative ones as these show you care. Post consistently on your channels. (Remember consistently is not the same as constantly!) Provide clear information on how to place an order or do business with you. Review your results, keep doing what works and revise what doesn't, don't stop.

If you would like to discuss your video marketing in more detail then please feel free to contact the team at Bellyflop.tv for a no-obligation chat, in the meantime though be sure to follow, like and share this post to help other businesses navigate their way out of the Covide haze we are experiencing.

About the author:

Mark Robinson is a marketing professional, communications specialist and the Operations Director at Bellyflop, a Lancashire based video production and social media management company. Mark has a passion for maximising value and impact from video and other digital assets even when that means supporting a client to take a DIY approach. Mark believes video should be AAA-rated, Affordable, Achievable & Accessible.