If This Post Was a Video, Would It Be More Effective?
In this case, probably not. But my point is, we should ask ourselves that question (and follow it up with, “Would a podcast, image or anything else make this post more effective?”) every time we sit down to create social media content. Why? Because it’s all too easy to get stuck in the copy block trap, posting a few lines or an article for audiences to react to over and over. We stay with what works. And, who can blame us? It’s pretty easy, quick and cheap to do so. But, if we take a step back and think about the best way to accomplish our goals, we can sometimes find an even more compelling solution.
For example, a quick video showing how a product is made could be more successful than a blog post about that same thing. (People love those how it’s made-type shows.) And, as this article – “How Gatorade Brings Athletes Closer to Fans” – points out, live video can inspire real results (the U2 concert and Twilight premiere put up TV-like viewership rates) along with questions, comments, sharing and more when it’s done correctly:
Clearly, access to unique experiences not easily available in-person is what is making live video work at Gatorade as well as other major consumer brands. High-end fashion designer Burberry recently live streamed a men’s fashion show on its website, allowing users to actually click items onscreen, add them to a shopping cart-like application, and later purchase them if they so chose. (Jumping back to Ustream, the company has also seen brands like Marshall’s, Coors Light, Pacific Sunwear and Elextrolux use its platform for live video events.)
Engagement will only increase with other trends emerging in the broader tech world. With live video moving from the desktop to mobile (Ustream and its competitors all offer apps on most major platforms) and Internet-connected televisions, expect the numbers to continue to swing upwards, creating further opportunity for brands to become creators of content and experiences that their customers will enthusiastically share with others.
