Vlogging - Has It Seen Its Day In Digital Marketing?

Vlogging has been rising in popularity since the launch of YouTube in 2005 – and YouTube state that they now have over 2 billion users, with local platforms available in over 100 countries, including the US. Making vlogs is now easier than ever, with smartphones offering the ability to quickly and easily create content, and the advent of the facility to embed YouTube videos in most popular social media channels too. But with so many competing vloggers out there, does the time and effort involved in creating content still translate into an effective direct marketing strategy?

Why choose vlogging?
Online video sharing has completely altered the way brands reach audiences – and since video marketing arrived on the scene, businesses have enjoyed an increase in conversions, with the most popular form of video marketing arising from vlogging. Building on the traditional concept of blogging, content creators take what they would previously have shared in written form, and talk about it on camera instead, showcasing products and services in a way that is accessible and engaging, and tailored to a specific audience. People have the opportunity to see the people and the passion behind a product as well as the product itself – and that sells.

Effort vs results
If you’ve not vlogged before, the whole idea may seem a bit daunting, but the good news is that setting up a vlog is simple – it can be as easy as picking up a smartphone and pressing a few buttons to start off with, and the production process allows you to learn and grow along the way. There are a couple of things to bear in mind before you get going though – including thinking about what your niche might be, and how you’ll make your content stand out from competitors. Research what others are doing in a similar area, note the techniques, cinematography, thumbnails and formats you like (and also the things you don’t), and study successful vloggers to see what they do well. Remember that you need to think as though you are a consumer yourself and not someone who already knows everything there is to know about who you are, what you do, and why you do it. 

Why does vlogging work? 

Businesses that use static images or written storytelling to sell their brand can only allow consumers to explore their brand in broad terms, demonstrating the features of a product and an idea of what to expect, but sometimes not capturing its full potential. Combining video with blogging allows you to humanize your brand, developing connections with viewers, and allowing your audience to engage and share feedback, building a more personalized experience. Viewers can pause and replay videos, identifying the features of a product they want to understand in more detail, and ultimately making informed buying decisions. 

Illustrating through video how your product or service works in real life situations can be a great way to promote new additions to your business line. Videos explaining how a specific product works, the benefits it offers, and how it can resolve common issues or problems or cater to relevant interests can really help inform and educate viewers, meaning they will feel more confident about purchases. Done carefully, you can engineer a pitch so that it doesn’t even feel like a sales tactic – keeping the tone friendly, and free of any push towards specific goals will make your vlog feel more like a valuable and useful conversation than a promotion, ultimately meaning your call to action is more persuasive, as it is experienced on more personal terms. 

Building better business using vlogging as a direct marketing tool is still a great strategy, and it seems unlikely it will hit its peak any time soon. With more and more people turning towards online consumerism, ensuring your products and services stand out in the saturated crowd is hugely important – and it can be a lot of fun too.