As we know, video is one of the most engaging forms of communication marketers have at hand to date, however many industry professionals still challenge whether or not to integrate video in email at all.

The most common objections raised are:

• Do videos in emails irritate readers?
• Do videos defeat the purpose of enticing subscribers to click through the email?
• What about potential deliverability implications?
• What’s wrong with the industry best practise of linking an image to a video on a landing page?

In today’s blog post, I will outline how many of the arguments commonly raised against video in email no longer stand their ground and what you can do to take maximum advantage of the opportunities arising through the use of video in your email marketing.

HTML5 opens up a world of opportunity

The HTML5 standard includes many new features for more dynamic web applications and interfaces. HTML5 is an open standard, which means it is natively built into all up-to-date browsers and most mobile devices and therefore erasing security risks of third-party plugins. HTML5 in short has managed what Flash never had before. HTML5 makes video accessible from anywhere – including mobile devices. According to recent statistics, over 50% of email recipients now have the capability to view videos in emails.

Moreover, video within emails increases the usability factor if accessed from a mobile device.
Imagine, if you receive an email on your iPhone which contains an image which is linked to a video landing page – you will first have to click on the image, then wait for the redirect to the landing page, open a new browser page and then click the video to play. If the video sits within the email body all you are required to do is ‘1 click’.

Certain mail clients don’t support video, so it’s not worth using

This statement is somewhat true – but let’s have a closer look at some statistics and their implications. For the B2C market, 12% of browsers will not display in-email video and show a static image instead. For the B2B markets, these numbers are slightly higher, however hardly ever exceed 30%. I would therefore like to ask you: If 70 to 90 % of your target audience can see video within email communications, why would you choose to cater for the small minority who can’t?

A technique you may want to use to capitalise on the percentage of subscribers which receives video in email is to send your campaigns outside of working hours, when a greater part of your market is likely to read the messages on a handheld device.

And let’s bear in mind – even the remaining small percentage of readers who may not be able to seamlessly view your video from within the email, will still receive an intact user experience and are able to read and click through your email as ever before.

Videos in emails will annoy my readers

In-email videos which auto-play and have the sound on may annoy some of your readers and therefore result in higher un-subscription rates, that’s a fact. However, there are also industry statistics available which show that the same emails also drove higher click rates in general – and that’s a fact too. And at a closer look, videos which had the sound off or needed the subscriber to click on them to be played, showed no statistical difference in un-subscription rates.

Having examined the most common objections against the use of video we come across on a daily basis, we can confidently say that from our point of view there are no good reasons anymore why you shouldn’t make use of catching videos in your email marketing.

To discuss your ideas and requirements, drop us a line today on marliese@impactideas.co.uk or phone 020 7729 5978.

So, at Impact South East, we knew holding a networking event for the arts would provide an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded arts professionals to share knowledge, ideas and experiences. And so we did on 26^th April 2012 at The Terrace’s Bar & Grill, Brighton.

It was great to see so many esteemed friends of Impact gathered together.  Representatives of Chichester Festival Theatre, Pallant House Gallery, Theatre Royal and The Charleston Trust, a number of Arts Marketing Association members and many more enjoyed the informal and informative get together.

Terrace’s Bar and Grill overlooking Brighton pier provided the perfect location for discussing arts in the region and after a glass of wine, tongues were flowing with ease.

Ryan Petersen, Cornershop PR and Duncan Hall, journalist for the Argus, kicked off our ‘PR Surgery’ discussion.

A number of useful tips emerged including Ryan Petersen’s ‘four core pillars of communication’ that arts organisations should focus on:

• great images
• email shots (and email list building)
• video marketing
• press releases.   Simple!

They were also ready to answer a host of marketing conundrums such as, ‘what is the best way to integrate video PR into our organisation?’, ‘how much importance would you place on email shots?’, ‘how can we make sure our press releases get noticed?’

It was reassuring to know that everyone has been experiencing similar problems, especially in light of waning budgets and the mind boggling world of social and digital media!

…So now we can head back to our desks with a cheerful feeling – we have met new people, eaten enough biscuits and drunk enough tea and now know how to move forward.

Watch this space for another rewarding networking event for the arts hitting the South East…

Impact networking event, Brighton April 2012

Play your part in deciding who wins the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award. Thousands of theatre fans have voted to reduce the long list to a shortlist of four long-running London shows: Billy Elliot – The Musical , Les Misérables, Jersey Boys  and Wicked . Vote now to help your favourite show win the coveted 2012 BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award. Voting closes on 11 April.

Theatre fans are invited to be part of the Olivier Awards with MasterCard 2012 at a special event being held in London’s iconic Covent Garden piazza from 16:00 on 15 April. Fans who come down to Covent Garden to celebrate the Olivier Awards with MasterCard can expect a fantastic evening of entertainment which will include live performances from some of London’s best loved shows and a big screen relay of everything happening inside the Royal Opera House. If you can’t make it, you can watch the ceremony live and uninterrupted on the BBC via the Red Button service.

London’s most prestigious theatre prizes will be presented on 15 April, when Sweeney Todd stars Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball will host an incredible evening of awards and bespoke entertainment presented on the illustrious Royal Opera House stage.

Vote here for your long-running London show

North Sea Texas Hero at 26th Lesbian and Gay film festival

… such as The London Design Festival, Create Arts Festival, London Jazz Festival and London Film Festival. And this year is set to be no different we’re currently in the process of delivering extensive campaigns for the Edinburgh International Festival, The Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe Festival.

One of the festivals Impact looks forward to working with every year is the Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. Our involvement with LLGFF stretches back over 10 years, which makes it feel like a very dear old friend so we are very proud to be able to sponsor this event once again.

Hosted at the BFI on the Southbank, the festival runs from 19^th of March until  1^st April and not only showcases the best in queer cinema from around the globe but also holds a number of social and industry events over the 10 day period.

Now in its 26^th year, this year’s theme is Explode Your Expectations and looking at the sheer diversity of the programming it most certainly does what it says on the tin. With a variety of star studded features, shorts, archive and experimenta there really is something for everyone here.

One of the prominent strands this year is documentaries, which have taken a distinctly musical turn. Straying from the musical mainstream these fascinating documentaries tell the stories of glam rockers, country singers, grunge drummers and even industrial rock pioneers.

Impact has worked closely with the festival’s marketing team to create a considered and targeted campaign covering London and the Southeast, stretching from Soho to Brighton and beyond.

The campaign combines a range of Impact’s Print Display services including brochure distribution to key Networks and Target Runs reaching film-lovers and the gay community and a series of Community Runs to pinpoint key geographical areas.

So in the unlikely event that you have not yet stumbled upon one of the thousands of brochures displayed in eye-catching custom-built holders in venues all over London and the Southeast, you can access the programme online at www.bfi.org.uk/llgff

Welcome to part 2 of Impact Marketing’s  blog series ‘Video marketing tips for beginners’.

In ‘Video marketing tips for beginners pt. 1‘, we looked at the first three fundamental questions you will have to clarify before you get stuck in with video marketing – or any type of marketing for that matter. In this article we will look at defining your key message, the basics of online video distribution and how to measure success.

4. Key message

The word ‘message’ in itself refers to a piece of communication that is received and understood. The basis of developing a winning key message is to ensure that it matches the needs of those who receive it.

Once again ask yourself:

• What makes me different from my competitors?
• What’s the biggest benefit of my offering/ buying from me?
• Why should people come to me/ buy from me?

Sometimes it can help greatly to obtain fresh views from people who are not closely involved with your business – such as your customers. Speak to your existing customers to find out why they choose you over your competitors. You may be surprised about some of the answers you will hear!

Features vs. Benefits in your key message

Potential customers are mostly not interested in the exact features of a product or service. It isn’t the feature they are buying, it is what the feature does for them. As marketers we have to have a clear answer to the consumer’s questions: “What’s in it for me?” or “Why should I buy this?”

When you describe the benefits to a prospective customer, the likelihood of them making the connection in their brain that they need/want what you have to offer increases substantially.

All sales decisions are ultimately based on our emotions. Even when we seek to be objective and rational, we only buy when we feel that something is right for us. In the best case scenario you are able to highlight that your product or service presents a solution to a problem.

Try out the following with your own product or service:

Draw up a table consisting of 3 columns and several rows:

1. In column 1 – list every possible feature of your product/service.

2. In column 2 – ask yourself the question “What’s in it for me?”

3. In Column 3 – ask yourself “Which emotional benefit do the answers of column 2 create?”

Keep repeating this process until you’ve exerted every possibility.

Now check the emotional benefits against your target market and ascertain where they connect with what your target customer wants and/or needs. These are the stories you need to be telling!

5. How will I get people to see my video? How to get (more) traffic?

Your job will not be done by creating a video and uploading it to your website. In order to attract a number of quality viewers you will have to put effort into the promotion and distribution of your video marketing product. The following tips will give you an overview of the basics required, please bear in mind though that each and every one of the following bullet points will call for more of your research time.

9 fundamentals of getting your video seen

• Identify the most relevant keywords. Be specific (don’t use highly competitive keywords such as “funny” or “hilarious”).
• Optimise your video. Choose a descriptive and effective title.
• Upload it to your website
• Upload it to as many different platforms as you can.
• Ensure that you follow the best practise of optimisation on each platform.  For a step-by-step guide on ‘How to optimise your videos for YouTube’ please download our <YouTube optimisation Cheat sheet here>.
• Market your video and link to it! Post links in your email newsletters, on all your social media profiles and on bookmarking sites.
• Engage with other videos from your niche. Post comments and get involved in conversations with the aim to drive traffic to your videos
• Always encourage viewers to take some form of action if they like your video. YouTube loves engagement – it will help you rank higher on YouTube and if you’re lucky even Google will show your video in its search results.
• Don’t give up! In case your first attempts fail – do more research, refine your video marketing product and strategy and keep trying.

6. How will I measure success rates?

Online marketers are still faced with difficulties when it comes to measuring the exact ROI of video marketing. As a rule of thumb – it’s not the number of views that counts. It is a success of course if you manage for your video to be seen by a large number of people, however what you are really after is a high level of so called ‘engagement’ and ultimately conversion.

Video engagement refers to the actions viewers of your videos are happy to take.

Conversion refers to website “visitors who convert casual content views or website visits into desired actions based on subtle or direct requests from marketers” (source Wikipedia).

You will find that if you manage to appeal to the prospects’ emotions and/ or offer a solution to a problem, viewers will be happier to engage with you and your brand and your conversion rate will increase exponentially.

Monitor the following:

• Numbers of likes and comments
• Numbers of subscribers
• Re-posting and embedding of your video content (viral spread)
• Reactions of your customers. If you can, do ask you customers how they found out about you. In case they have been attracted by one of your videos – ask them what they found particularly useful and/ or enticing about them. You can do this on a either on a personal level or in form of customer surveys.

It is certainly worth mentioning that video should be part of an overall integrated marketing strategy. Video marketing will work if done with a considerate, well thought-out approach with the right budget, effort and time put in.

Remember: a consistent audience requires a consistent approach!

If you would like to know more about how Impact Marketing can help you create exciting video content and how to get maximum exposure and return from your efforts, please contact Marliese today for a free consultation.

About the author:
Marliese Andexer has an extensive background in all aspects of the web and social media. Her current focus (and love) is video marketing and how to best leverage the exciting medium to create exposure for arts related organisations and businesses. Marliese is Impact Marketing’s project and video production manager.

Email: marliese@impactideas.co.uk

CREATE festival 2011 magazine distribution

The study used fMRI brain scans to demonstrate that our brains process paper-based and digital marketing in different ways. Their findings confirm that physical print advertising leaves a “deeper footprint” in the brain as it causes more emotional processing than digital marketing.

• Material shown on cards generated more activity within the area of the brain associated with the integration of visual and spatial information (the left and right parietal).
• This suggests that physical material is more “real” to the brain. It has a meaning, and a place. It is better connected to memory because it engages with its spatial memory networks. [From Millward Brown Case Study - Using Neuroscience to Understand the Role of Direct Mail.]

Moreover, the research proved that tangible materials involved more emotional processing in the subjects, which is particularly interesting from a branding and ad recall standpoint:

• More processing is taking place in the right cortex when physical material is presented. As this part of the brain is processing emotionally powerful stimuli and memory, the findings suggest that the physical presentation may be generating more emotionally vivid memories.
• Physical activity generates increased activity in the cerebellum, which is associated with spatial and emotional processing (as well as motor activity) and is likely to be further evidence of enhanced emotional processing.

While in no way denigrating virtual media, which can have specific benefits in terms of targeting and interactivity, the study does reveal that there is something special about the physical medium which is not to be disregarded. Every communication tool has its place in an integrated marketing strategy.

The Millward Brown study unfortunately didn’t elaborate on how to optimise a leaflet to achieve maximum effect, but based on many years experience in print distribution, we have drawn our own conclusions:

• Focus on the tactile nature of the communication piece. Heavier paper weight and some form of textured finish could highlight the “tangibility” of your leaflet or mail out
• Take advantage of the brain’s emotional engagement with physical media and craft a message that has an emotional impact
• Ensure your brand’s visual identity has a prominent place on your print – since brand recall may be enhanced by the paper medium

If you would like to discuss with us how leaflet distribution can complement your digital marketing strategy, call us today on 0207 729 5978 or email chris@impactideas.co.uk

Welcome to Impact Marketing’s beginners’ tips on Video marketing! In this series of blog articles, we will equip you with the fundamentals to develop a successful video marketing strategy. In part 1 and 2 we’ll be looking at 6 essential aspects you should be clear about before you switch on the camera – from defining your target audience and your key message through to video optimisation and defining what to measure.

Online video is a communication tool. Certainly, one of the most effective communication tools marketers have at hand to date. Videos can raise awareness and promote conversion amongst prospective customers while keeping your existing clientele engaged. First off all, let’s take look at a bunch of strategic questions in order to clarify your approach.

1. Why am I communicating? What do I want to accomplish?

So, you have arrived at the conclusion that you want to incorporate video in your overall marketing strategy. More important than the question “What am I going to say?” is establishing why you are choosing to make a video in the first place.

• Do you want to increase the visibility of your business/ organisation or event?
• Are you announcing a new service or event to your customers?
• Do you want to engage people in a certain issue?
• Are you asking people to make a decision or take action?
• Why does anyone need your communication — why should they pay attention?

The answers to these questions should be as clear as possible. Don’t just jump behind the driver’s wheel without knowing where you are going – you will need to focus on your destination. For example, instead of answering something hazy, such as “I want more sales”, be precise and say “I want to gain potential customers’ trust by giving them more information about our organisation and the people that work here.”

In order to measure the impact of the video, the goal needs to be determined upfront.

2. What exactly do I want to communicate? Why is it important?

Keep your message clear and concise. Do not confuse your viewers by trying to communicate a whole lot of different messages in the same video. Ask yourself if your message is concise enough to be condensed into a gripping, short video.

As with any other on- or offline medium, content is king. The clearer your message is, the more compelling your content – the higher your audiences’ engagement levels. Additionally – the length of a video is a crucial factor. Internet users have notoriously short attention spans. Keep your message short and powerful. Remember The Golden Rule of the web: Quality over quantity.

If you find that you have a lot of different messages you want to communicate through video than the best approach is to start thinking about a video marketing strategy.

3. To whom am I communicating? Who is my target audience?

Videos can be used as tools of mass marketing just as well as niche marketing tools. The primary goal of any marketing communication is to be believed. We attempt to influence our audiences’ beliefs, needs and actions. It is important to know that you will never be able to address everyone with the same message.

Before you switch on the record button on your camera you have to ask yourself:

• Who do you see as your potential audience?
• Do I understand what drives my target audience to make a decision?
• Which online platforms does your target audience use mostly?
• Will you be communicating to an existing clientèle or are you trying to win a new audience?
• What makes my target audience tick? What excites them?

Your audience can be broken down into either demographics such as age, gender, income level, ethnic background or psychographics such as lifestyle, hobbies, attitudes etc. and/ or a combination of both.

Once you have identified who you are targeting, where you can find them and what makes them tick, you have a solid base to formulate your key message and start thinking about how to best convey it.

CLICK HERE to read part 2 of our series ‘Video marketing tips for beginners’.

About the author:
Marliese Andexer has an extensive background in all aspects of the web and social media. Her current focus (and love) is video marketing and how to best leverage the exciting medium to create exposure for arts related organisations and businesses. Marliese is Impact Marketing’s project and video production manager.

Email: marliese@impactideas.co.uk

Brighton Fringe Logo 2012

Companies appearing at the 2012 Brighton Fringe can submit their leaflet or poster design by email to awards@brightonfringe.org by 3^rd April 2012.

Impact’s Managing Director, Simon Drysdale, a former Chair of the Arts Marketing Association says:

‘The Impact Prize is all about classic marketing.  It’s about getting the right message, to the right people, so they do the right thing; which for us means coming to a show. At Impact we love great design and we know the value of clear written communication.  It is the simple but effective combination of these two elements that we are championing in the Impact Prize.’

A shortlist of 10 submissions will be selected by a panel of experts including Simon, with Paul Copeland, Creative Director of Small Creative Ltd. The selected shortlist will be exhibited at Fringe City 2012 and online, where the general public will be given the chance to vote for their favourite designs.

The winner will be notified no later than 30^th May 2012.

To find out more about participating in England’s biggest Fringe Festival go to www.brightonfringe.org

For more information on Impact’s range of distribution services in Brighton and the South East call Rebecca Cooke on 01273 696333

The single most important factor when it comes to online and video marketing – is great content! All SEO, social media and blogging strategies will be in vain if the content provided is not engaging with your target audience.

Arts marketers are in luck because their subject matter is innately highly engaging. But how can the excitement around a new show, exhibition or other cultural offering be successfully conveyed to the prospective audience?

The answer is – through video marketing. Video is inherently captivating. A picture speaks more than 1000 words, right? This is why an increasing number of arts and leisure organisations are beginning to integrate the creative medium in their marketing efforts to tell their stories.

Deciding which kind of video you want to create may depend on how you measure the return on your marketing investment. There are risks and rewards for each kind of video, but there is no denying the potential impact of the medium.

We have identified what we believe to be the most suitable types of marketing videos for the Arts and Leisure industries.

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO – The mother of all online videos

The Promotional Video/ Promo Video is an often underused introduction to an entire organisation or current cultural offering. The final product is a short 1 – 3 min video which is informational, engaging and compelling and has – in internet terms – a long shelf life.

This signature video should inform the viewer about who you are, what you do, your USP and why potential audiences and customers should be interested in what you have to offer. The content of a Promo video should not be too specific, it should rather raise curiosity in the viewer and set the base for further engagement.

Promo videos should sit on the homepage of your website and they offer themselves for distribution on various online platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, Metacafe etc.

Click here to watch our own Impact Marketing – Promotional Video.

BEHIND THE SCENES – Exclusive video content marketing

A great way to attract and keep your audience engaged is by allowing them a peek behind the curtain. Especially in the arts and cultural sector ‘Behind the Scenes’ videos can add great value to a production or entire organisation. The number 1 factor when building a loyal audience on (or off) line is great content. The exclusivity of this type of content can help set the base for deeper and longer lasting audience engagement. Behind the Scenes videos are a great way for viewers to gain a greater understanding of your offering, add a personal touch and enrich your audiences’ experiences to build loyalty.

Here a great example of Behind the scenes at Avenue Q

VOX POPS – Word of Mouth Marketing through online video

Word of mouth marketing (WOMM) is the spread of a positive marketing message from one person to another. WOMM is the most effective form of marketing because potential customers are inclined to trust their peers more than critics or advertisements. However, some marketers may consider WOMM a slightly elusive marketing tactic as the ROI is hard to measure.

With the rapid increase of use of the Internet as a communications platform, WOMM has become an even more powerful and now more measurable marketing tool. According to a study by Nielsen et al., 82% of buying decisions online have been directly influenced by reviews.

The creation of a positive buzz is essentially the aim of viral marketing. Vox Pops tell the story of successful engagement and amplify the genuine excitement created by a great experience. Credible positive audience reactions can travel a long way on the web – from a distinct section on your website through a range of social media platforms right into the hands of tomorrow’s audiences.

Here a recent example of an Impact Vox Pop for Some like it Hip Hop at the Peacock Theatre, London.

Impact offers a range of video marketing services. Don’t hesitate to contact Marliese for a free consultation today!
Email: marliese@impactideas.co.uk
Phone: 0207 729 5978

About the author:
Marliese Andexer has an extensive background in all aspects of the web and social media. Her current focus (and love) is video marketing and how to best leverage the exciting medium to create exposure for arts related organisations and businesses. Marliese is Impact Marketing’s project and video production manager.

Video SEO is at the core of any activity which should drive traffic to your channel and videos. So before you start spreading the word that you have a new video up on YouTube – make sure you follow our Step-by-step optimisation guides:

• The Impact YouTube Channel cheat sheet: A Step by Step guide to optimising your YouTube channel.      
• The Impact YouTube video optimisation cheat sheet: A Step by Step guide to getting the most out of your YouTube videos.

For more information on our range of video marketing services, give us a call today on 020 77 29 59 78 or email marliese@impactideas.co.uk