The ‘Magic Bullet’ Video

in Blog by Mesh Media — January 15, 2010 at 3:28 pm | 0 comments

Lately, a lot of excitement has been building around the idea of marketing with online video. Web technology, along with mobile technology and easy shooting/editing have made web videos a quick, inexpensive, and potentially effective part of marketing. And while there’s enormous potential with online video marketing, I’m beginning to get concerned over some very naive thoughts surrounding this popular tool.

It seems that the prevailing wisdom from some marketing “experts” goes something like this: “It doesn’t matter what the videos are about. And it doesn’t matter if they’re any good. Just put something, anything on your site. And if you don’t have video on your website, your business is on its way to extinction!” I’ve even heard a well-respected real estate agent on the mainland declare that quality doesn’t count when it comes to online video, and those who use ANY videos will have a leg up over those that don’t! As a marketing expert and somebody who has 13+ years of video production experience, I can tell you that statement is dangerously careless.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a strong advocate of video, and its importance in the world of online marketing.  I’ve built a career around the idea that video is the most effective way to market to your target audience. But the idea that just putting videos… any videos… up on your company’s website will help meet your marketing goals is, well, downright hilarious.

This period in the evolution of online video marketing reminds me of the early days of television advertising – circa the 1950′s. Back then, the prevailing wisdom about commercials was that it didn’t matter what the commercial was about, or if it was any good. All it had to do was show the product in a positive light and flocks of eager customers would respond. The theory held that just by watching a commercial, a consumer would act. This flawed theory was later dubbed the “magic bullet theory of advertising”. Of course, marketing has come a long way since then. But it seems like every time a new marketing tool is discovered, the magic bullet theory pops up again. Remember the emergence of the internet in the early 1990′s? I remember my savvy tech friends telling me that I just needed a website and I’ll be a millionaire. When I asked what kind of website I should build, they said it didn’t matter. Just get a website and sell something… anything!

Unfortunately because video marketing is a fairly new concept to the small business and real estate worlds, the magic bullet theory is back once again. And this is why I urge Maui’s small business and real estate communities to think before they buy into this concept. Remember, content still counts for a lot. Putting up poorly made videos has the potential to reflect badly on you and your business, causing the whole effort to backfire. Posting random videos unrelated to your area of expertise will dilute your brand, and cause havoc on your marketing plan.

I’m not saying you need to pay an arm and a leg for web videos. What I am saying is that if you’re going to include video as part of your marketing plan, make the content engaging, relevant, and useful to your business and your customers. Always think about how the video fits in to your overall marketing plan. And never post a video just for the sake of having video. Remember the first rule of video marketing – do it right, or not at all!

The video below is a great example of a simple, well-done piece from realtor Tom Tezak. It is relevant to his business, helpful to potential clients, and it showcases the kind of professional service you can expect if you work with him. After watching this, viewers will most likely have a very positive impression of Tom and his work. That’s quite a list of accomplishments for such a short video.

If you need some advice or guidance when it comes to video marketing and online video distribution, feel free to give me a call or send an e-mail. Whether you’re looking for a professional video or you’re a DIYer, I’d be glad to steer you in the right direction.