Video Spokesperson for Marketing Agencies:
An Examination of the Psychology Behind Video Marketing…and Why it Works so Well

Websites, at their most basic, are typically structured around three aesthetic elements that are used to communicate messages to an audience. These consist of:

• Visual – Created with images and CSS styling.
• Aural – Created with music and voiceover.
• Conceptual – Created with text.

But this presentation format, or platform, wasn’t stumbled upon by accident or chance; these elements mirror the blueprints and building blocks of artistic and creative expression that have surrounded humankind for thousands of years.

Consider that:

• Visual Art is expressed through paintings and sculptures.
• Aural Art is expressed through music and song.
• Conceptual Art is expressed through literature and poetry.

Video, in its most basic form, can be described as the integration of all these aesthetic concepts – an abstraction of the primary art forms mentioned above into a secondary integrated whole…an artistic work experienced both conceptually and perceptually at the same time. Think of it this way: If a sculpture could be defined as a three-dimensional painting, then film and video can be considered two-dimensional theatre.

Why are we mentioning this? Because this is how video should be approached and thought of when we begin thinking about the Internet – not as a type of content that can be looked at as an interchangeable format between text and image, but as an integration of these elements that demand full time-bound attention from an audience. Indeed, over the past decade or so, faster connection speeds have allowed the smooth streaming of HD web video on both desktop and mobile devices, making video instantly accessible to web users and a necessary form of engagement for brands and small businesses alike.

 

Why is Video so Valuable?

The inherent value in a video-based medium is threefold:

1. Improved User Engagement
2. Brand Awareness
3. Search Engine Optimization

Video on a website can also:

• Generate more traffic through rich content signals and rich snippets.
• Improve conversions.
• Build links.
• Boast a presence on video search engines.

In our quest to format an in-depth analysis on the psychology behind why videos for marketing items or services work so well, let’s take a closer look at each of the elements above:

 

Value 1: Video Offers User Engagement

Reading is considered an “active experience;” consider that as you are reading this blog right now, you are choosing the speed at which you take in its words, the moments in which you stop to consider the statements and in which order you view the sections. Thus, your journey through the content is very much self-determined and follows this cognitive process:

• Perception
• Appraisal of Meaning
• Evaluation of Meaning
• Emotional Response

 

In correspondence with this process, the thought pattern may come across as:

• “I am reading about online video marketing.”
• “Video marketing is the process of promoting an entity online through video.”
• “This could be useful for my company.”
• “I am excited to learn more.”

 

Interestingly, video as a medium allows a user very little freedom in turns of consumption; in comparison, it’s simple for users to skim-read text and decide which sections are most relevant to them. And while sure, one could conceivably use the “forward” bar at the bottom of a video to skip through portions of a clip (albeit with some annoying difficulty), video offers no actual “skim-read” option: You either watch the video in its entirety, for all intents and purposes, or, if it fails to hold your attention, you stop watching.

Furthermore, watching a video is considered a somewhat “passive experience” – in comparison to the reading example we provided above – and so when users decide to press PLAY on that video feed, they are asking to be shown something…asking to be given the content in an integrated, multi-disciplinary form rather than digging through content and exploring the meaning themselves.

Therefore, it can be concluded that video is a different method by which to engage audiences than image and text. With video, the comprehension experience is more immediate, driven by the trio of story-telling elements available and the deterministic nature of the restricted timescale. Interesting to note is that the amount of information that can be displayed through one second of video vastly outnumbers the amount of information that can be actually read; this means the emotional response – the “kneejerk reaction” – often comes before the full appraisal of the content or the comprehension of its meaning.

Consequently, video enables the generation of instant emotional connection with an audience, helping a business build influencers quickly and efficiently from “agnostic” parties – but this can conversely earn detractors just as quickly, as a flip side to that coin. As such, the video you create must achieve that instant emotional engagement otherwise you run the risk of turning off potential influencers and customers.

 

Value 2: Video Assists with Branding

The magic of video allows for the recreation of a face-to-face experience with someone in a much better fashion than audio, image or text. Through moving likeness and recorded image, we can display much of who we are as human beings through physical and verbal expression; for branding, this is an extremely vital factor as it allows companies to display a “human” side considerably more effectively than through image, text or audio.

Due to what is considered “low uptake,” online video can also express professionalism and brand quality – if a company boasts enough time, money and skills to create high-quality video, it is often perceived as a legitimate business entity with a genuine interest in proving a quality service to its customers.

 

Value 3: Video Offers Positive Signals to Search Engines

Video also represents an invaluable resource for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), as it assists with the following goals:

• Generating More Traffic Through “Rich Snippets” – Image-augmented results typically boast higher click-through rates – i.e. more people click on them – than standard results, meaning getting “video-rich” snippets can be an ideal way of increasing traffic to a website. By including video on a site and implementing the correct technical “markup,” it’s possible to achieve these augmented search results.

• Improving Conversions – By way of increasing trust and engagement, video content can be an excellent way of driving greater conversions, particularly on commercial pages – this is the primary reason why product videos have become uber-popular in the e-commerce world, as they represent a method of improving the rate at which users click “Add to Basket” buttons and complete a purchase.

• Link Building – Continuing to represent a vital metric with which search engines determine the authority of a piece of content, referring links are akin to “votes” for various pages around the web. Search result rankings are then based on a fusion of relevancy (determined by the content and terms used on the page) and authority (determined by the number of referring links and social shares).

• Presence on Video Search Engines – Following Google, YouTube is the world’s second biggest search engine, which tells us something very interesting about video and its role with today’s “online surfers;” the ONLY way to gain a presence on YouTube – and other sites like Vimeo – is to include quality video content and create your own channel which you can use to rank in both YouTube and Google search. This, in turn, drives brand awareness, referrals and sales.

 

Why Leading Marketing Agencies Have Implemented Spokesperson Videos in Their Online Marketing Strategies

Take it from us – one of the biggest challenges online marketing professionals face is restructuring companies and their products/services so that they don’t come across as being faceless. By incorporating a video spokesperson into a website’s design, a brand is suddenly and instantly given a face – rendering companies and services REAL and resulting in more conversions, leads and prospects. When properly implemented, a website spokesperson serves as a proverbial magnet, pulling visitors into a site and keeping them engaged.

The primary reason online marketing agencies utilize spokesperson videos for their clients is that they can make personal connections, build trust and prompt users to follow through on calls-to-action, which all results in converting mere visitors into sales leads. We can’t stop expressing just how vital of an asset a website video spokesperson that exhibits all of those aspects is.

In order for the video spokesperson to accomplish all of the above, it is essential to use what we call the “magnetic approach,” creating effective scripts for a virtual spokesperson to follow; for example, by incorporating “yes” questions into a script, prospects are subtly prompted to agree with the spokesperson’s pitch. A spokesperson can carefully guide prospects into a positive buying mindset and, taken even further, can prompt prospects to perform certain lead-generating actions such as filling out a form or signing up for a newsletter. Believe us when we tell you that simply leaving prospects on their own and hoping they will take action is not enough – a gentle nudge by a friendly video spokesperson can make a world of difference here.

 

How do Marketing Agencies Help Clients Choose the Right Website Video Spokesperson?

Long before an actor or actress is chosen by a client, marketing agencies often suggest to clients that they really get to know and understand their prospects. Identifying a target demographic, understanding their problems and analyzing how they will benefit from a given business’ solutions before selecting a spokesperson is a wise move.

There are times when it makes sense to use yourself as the spokesperson – for example, you should become your site’s spokesperson if you are the brand. We often refer to Martha Stewart here, as if she were to implement a spokesperson on her site, she’d most likely play the role herself because she is the brand. On the other hand, having a professional actor or actress play the website video spokesperson role makes sense for almost all companies, and it’s vital to choose a spokesperson that an audience can relate to and trust.

 

The Green Screen Talent Now Solution

Green Screen Talent Now, a subsidiary company of Florida-based Multiverse Media Group, offers comprehensive web video spokesperson services that extend far beyond the basic elements of video production. We approach spokesperson videos differently than most companies, instead creating videos lead by a virtual spokesperson that follow a soft sell strategy, ultimately drawing prospects in.

Every GSTN video spokesperson project benefits from our staff’s incredibly impressive experience in the marketing and video production sectors, fusing in-depth, real-world online marketing expertise with cutting-edge website video technology development…something we see as a winning combination. Delivering a professionally-crafted, benefits-focused marketing message tailored to your unique selling proposition via a friendly video spokesperson is Green Screen Talent Now’s forte, and the difference our touch makes is evident right from the start.

We take the time to truly get inside the heads of our clients, understanding their brands and its benefits from the perspectives of their clientele. This strategy allows us to create a virtual spokesperson experience that emotionally connects with prospects, converting those prospects into sales.

Contact us today for a specific, up-close look at how Green Screen Talent Now has changed the video spokesperson landscape…and what it can do for you.