[DMX 2014] Video marketing all the way... almost

Andreas Hauke, owner of Hauke Digital spoke at the recent DMX Conference on how society has changed, with attention spans decreasing as modern technology like Youtube video consumption goes on the rise. Now, with the average person spending less than a minute per website visit, you need to grab their attention, fast - and the best way to do so is to entertain them.

© Syda Productions – 123RF.com

Hauke gave some back story, saying he was frustrated when he first started working in digital in South Africa as the internet speed was so slow, but it's now slowly catching up to the rest of the world. So much so, in fact, that he's replaced 90% of the text on his own wedding video website with videos. Hauke says this is helpful to those who are more visually minded and just don't want to read through swathes of text. He says from a personal perspective, he only buys products online if there's a video tutorial on the website, and says we all watch wedding shows on TLC as we love that home-video element.

Tips on effectively using video to keep consumers engaged on your website

Andreas Hauke of Hauke Digital on making use of video

Google still ranks your website based on how often you update content, so text is still handy and you shouldn't completely remove it. But Hauke adds that Google is the biggest search engine in the world, with Youtube second, so if you include a video on the site, you'll rank highly on both.

If you're getting started in adding video, Hauke says it's a good idea to start with an About Us video on your website. Before getting started, Hauke did his research. He found that in the local creative industry, many aim to live in Cape Town, so he used elements of Cape Town in his own video. He says to present yourself and your company as you want others to see you.

You don't have to fork out for the most expensive tools of the trade either, as the most recent Bentley ad was shot on an iPhone and edited on an iPad Air, it's definitely more about the content.

Not all songs are free to use...

Hauke says to prepare your script and think about your styling with interior décor. A hot topic is the need to respect music copyright when creating a video. "I'm not saying South Africans go against the law, but you stretch things lots more than Austria does," Hauke explained. So keep in mind that even home videos with songs playing in the background have ads showing in that time on Youtube to honour music copyright. Also, lots of the commercials we see at the moment use the same songs - Hauke says it's easy to buy a blanket license and simply use what's available.

But this doesn't mean the video has to be boring. Do your research and surprise the audience with a balance of elements like text, visuals, music and sound effects. If you do a promo, be very aware of what's in the background scenes as it can be distracting to see movement behind the main person. While the comedic approach is the hardest genre to produce, it's the most likely to be shared but take care as a brand can get lost in this approach. The Dollarshaveclub.com example below hit the mark perfectly, in Hauke's opinion:

Hauke ended by explaining the difference between Youtube and Vimeo, and which is the better site to host your videos. The short answers is to reap the benefits of both. Hauke feels you can't skip Youtube as it has over 800 million unique users each month. But when it comes to quality, Vimeo has an ad-free option and nicer website embeds. On the downside, it also has copyright in place to use and sell anything you load on it. In an age where everyone is addicted to likes, Hauke warns that Facebook likes don't mean as much with the rise of sponsored links. On the other hand, if you like and comment on Youtube videos you actually get a response, which makes this interaction worthwhile.

In closing, Hauke says to always calculate the risk of 'going viral' and to avoid becoming a social media prostitute as everyone will judge you on that. While videos published to Facebook will be shared endlessly, remember that Facebook limits who sees what, so you may not be aware of the end-result. Videos are ultimately beneficial to your website but plan your shoot, and get inspired by other companies without copying them. Also keep in mind that tutorial videos are a great trend to get involved in as teaching others makes your own brand more reliable and trustworthy. However you do it, don't ignore the video marketing wave...

In 2017 ninety % of online traffic will be video. Add video to your website! @DMXconference @TableBayHotelSA pic.twitter.com/hvJ6fK2n15

- Marketing Indaba (@MarketingIndaba) November 26, 2014