BOOM! A great marketing idea hits you like a truck.
The video in your head looks amazing. The message is smooth, the visuals are compelling, and it fits nicely within your budget.
It’s inspired, imaginative, and clever. The team adores your creative vision. People toss around the word, “viral”. Your video will soon exist.
But should it?
Most marketers and advertisers get their ideas like this. Inspiration strikes, a vision is pitched, the production team brings it to life. What’s the problem here?
I’m going to tell you the biggest reason why most web video marketing is doomed from the start.
Putting the cart before the horse.
It’s easy to get excited about the creative process. You’re imagination is unleashed. Ideas are flowing. It’s all falling into place.
Here’s the problem. When you begin with creativity, you’re neglecting strategy.
“Strategy” can be an abstract idea, but in this context it’s simple. Your web video marketing strategy is the step-by-step plan to turn video viewers into customers.
These are questions of a strategic planning process.
- What is the specific goal for your web video?
- Why are people watching this video?
- Does your goal fall in line with what people want to watch?
- How do we effectively present the information they want?
- What action do we want viewers to take?
- When they take action, what will they find?
And the list goes on.
The point is, if you start with a creative vision, your video won’t be very effective. It doesn’t matter how brilliantly creative your video is, if it doesn’t result in a stronger brand or fatter bottom line, it’s a failure.
Are you making a slick and creative video, or are you making a web video that grows your business?
Of course, you can have both. The best web videos are often creative. But fleshing out a creative idea without a strong strategy is like saying, “Ready… FIRE!… Aim…”
Creative ideas are a dime-a-dozen. A strong strategy is a King maker.
- Plan your video around a strong marketing strategy.
- Make your creativity support that specific marketing strategy.
- Launch your video.
- Measure the results.
- Take what you learned and make it better.
