9 video strategies for user activation

Using videos for marketing is by no means a novel idea. If we consider modern marketing, we'll see that it is very much predicated on the extended use of videos. Brands of all types rely on videos to convey their message and, hopefully, active users. Now, of course, not all video strategies manage to hit the mark and capture the viewer's attention. So, let's take a look at different video strategies for user activation and outline what makes them successful.

Strategies to consider

In essence, videos can serve numerous roles when it comes to marketing. Be it to draw in new audience members, or re-engage old ones, videos can be both effective and entertaining. The great thing about them is that they can convey a lot of information in a short period. And in the modern age of ever-shortening attention spans, being able to naturally condense information is key.

While almost all brands rely on videos in one way or another it is important to remember that not all videos are suited for all brands. Therefore, it is important that you first understand your brand's marketing needs and ongoing marketing trends. Only then you will be able to use videos to their full potential. Now, let's outline a couple of uses for videos.

1. Onboarding and how-to videos

Let's start with the fact that videos represent a content type that is densely packed with information. As such, one of the best ways to leverage them is to use them for explanation. Whether it is an app, a website, or a store, you really ought to outline to your users how to best use them. Assuming that your platforms are intuitive is a common pitfall that numerous rookie brands make. In practice, you need to onboard your users as best as possible. And in this regard, videos are a valuable tool.

When it comes to onboarding, you shouldn't use overly long, detailed videos. Short content like web stories or short videos will do best. Keep in mind that for most users, this will be the first interaction that they have with your brand. As such, you need to ensure that they are properly engaged and that they don't lose interest. Short videos elaborating on their next step are ideal for onboarding. Especially if you introduce interactive elements that help guide them. With how-to videos, you can look to utilize longer videos. Here it is safe to assume that the viewer will have that initial interest to follow through a long video. With that in mind, you still shouldn't lean too heavily into them. The more you can say within a short format, the better.

2. User-generated content

When creating marketing content is it important to remember that modern viewers are bombarded with it left and right. It seems like whatever platform we open, if we are online, we will be subject to marketing content (usually videos). As such, it is only understandable that people have developed a certain disdain towards marketing. Even if we view entertaining, interesting, professionally made, well-edited content, we still feel that the brand is trying to get something from us. So, is there a way to use this to one's advantage?

Well, a neat way to avoid this sentiment is to rely on UGC (User Generated Content). As it turns out, people are far more like to listen to other people than they are to faceless brands. A seemingly impartial user seems like a far more trustworthy source of information. As such, we are far more likely to listen to their reviews and experiences, than to brand promotions. Brands are aware of this, which is why UGC videos are quite common. Especially on social media.

3. Email campaign videos

When one thinks of an email campaign one usually imagines some generic emails that are prewritten and sent to unaware recipients. While this was true 30-40 years ago, this is by no means what modern email campaigns are about. Emails are still a potent marketing tool that can have a substantial impact on a company's growth.

What you need to do is to make your email stand out from the sea of spam that modern users get daily. And an effective way to do so is through videos. A short video will drastically boost the click-through rate on your emails. After all, after reading 10 emails, the last thing a person wants is to read the 11th. But, what might catch their interest is a short video. So, if you wish to engage, or re-engage users, you can opt for an email campaign. And you'd be prudent to use videos in that campaign.

4. Live Q&A sessions and webinars

As a brand, you must connect with your target audience. Regardless of what industry you work in, you need to find ways to keep your brand active in customers' minds and have them engage with your content as much as possible. Well, one of the tried and true ways of doing so is with live video events. Namely, what you do is you host a video event, be it a Q&A session or a webinar. By doing so you achieve multiple things:

• You give your audience space to ask questions and leave comments, thus connecting with your brand.
• You build a sense of community as audience members can interact with each other and help learn about your brand.
• You give your brand a more personal feel through your spokesperson. After all, you will no longer be a simple logo that posts content.
• You give your audience a sense of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Namely, the great thing about live streams is that you need to view them during a specified period. If viewers can view your content at any time of day, they are likely to postpone doing so. But, if they can only view it within a certain period, they will have an extra incentive to check it out.

5. Social media stories and highlights

The recent rise of TikTok should give you a clear enough idea of how prevalent short videos are. It is surprisingly easy to create short, engaging videos on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat to showcase your product's benefits, updates, or user-generated content. If you want to occupy the dominant position on some of these platforms (like Instagram or YouTube) you'd be smart to opt for stories, highlights, or shorts to keep users informed and engaged.

Keep in mind that relying on social media for your marketing is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, millions if not billions of people use social media daily. Therefore, regardless of what your brand is about, you are likely to find a substantial audience through social media. On the other hand, the content you put on social media isn't yours (strictly speaking). For instance, the user agreement of TikTok states that they can choose to take down your videos or distribute and share them. When you create videos on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter you essentially sign a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any [IP] content that you post on or in connection with.

As such, calling yourself the owner of your social media content is technically true, but not quite. If you want to avoid this, you ought to look to create short videos on StorifyMe and post them on your platforms (website, store, app, etc..).

6. Behind-the-scenes content

One of the better video strategies for user activation is to rely on behind-the-scenes content. What this content entails is giving a more in-depth, unfiltered look at how your company functions. Instead of simply stating that you provide top-notch service, you can film your followers and film your employees while they provide it. Instead of outlining why your products are top-notch, you can show how they are made and shipped. Such videos are not only intrinsically interesting but also give your viewers reassurance in the quality of your brand. Behind-the-scenes content is especially useful for brands that promote eco-friendliness. Keep in mind that eco-friendly consumers (rightfully) don't trust brands when they state that they are eco-friendly. So, instead of stating it, show them how environmentally friendly your business is.

7. Storytelling videos

Marketing storytelling can be a true art form when done right. What it entails is crafting a narrative that you tell with emotion and care. A basic marketing narrative usually has three parts:

1. Capturing the viewer's attention.
2. Outlining the crux of the massage.
3. A CTA where you convert viewers into customers.

Of course, in practice, storytelling doesn't and shouldn't be limited to any strict form. Especially when it comes to videos. What you need to focus on is creating story-driven videos that evoke emotions. Such videos will not only promote your brand but also help people connect with it. As you can imagine, creating such content is easier said than done. You need to have a certain artistic sense when it comes to content creation and have a fairly good idea of what your content is trying to achieve. A thought-out message conveyed with the right emotion can stick with your audience for quite some time. But, it takes a fair bit of experience and skill to create such content.

8. Teasers and trailers

It is also by no means a rule that your videos have to tell the whole story. Instead, you can opt to use them as teasers and trailers. You can easily generate anticipation and excitement for new product launches, updates, or events by releasing teaser or trailer videos. These can be short, impactful snippets designed to pique curiosity and encourage further exploration. If made well, these videos can yield far more online traffic than whole-story videos.

9. Localized or personalized videos

Lastly, we wouldn't be discussing marketing content and user engagement in 2024 if we didn't mention personalization. Arguably the most effective way to active your users is to create tailored videos. You can base these videos on specific regions or personalize them for different customer segments. By doing so you can significantly increase relevance and resonance with your audience. And the more you do so, the better you will understand the profile of your target audience.

Personalization and AI

Lastly, a word of warning. While modern tools like AI make personalization and content creation easier, we would advise you to be prudent with your use. Take, for instance, the use of ChatGPT in modern content creation. In theory, you can ask it to create personalized content for various audience segments (if not for specific audience members). Smart, fully automatized content creation may seem like a dream to brands and publishers alike. Especially when we consider how expensive it can be to create quality videos, which essentially makes them impossible to fully personalize. While this may seem like a smart move, we would simply remind you of the pitfalls of overuse with written content AIs, like ChatGPT.

In essence, AI doesn't truly understand what you are asking of it. It simply responds to prompts that you put to it. As such, AI will inevitably repeat itself and create essentially generic and seemingly personalized content. Even now, it takes a little experience to recognize what is AI-generated content, and what is organic. And modern search engines are even better at doing so. So, while we appreciate the novelty of AI marketing content, it will likely soon wear off. So, don't get too hyped over AI, and instead focus on creating quality videos that will inform and entertain your audience.

Final thoughts

What we've outlined are the 9 most commonly used video strategies for user activation. It should be obvious that these are not set-in-stone formats, but ideas that you can combine and modify. What we would advise is that you take one idea that seems closely related to your brand, and then experiment with it. By doing so, you will not only gain marketing knowledge but also learn what video content is all about.