Product Video For The Perfect Product Launch

Steps for a successful product video

Sweatily, you’ve worked your fingers to the bone, your brain’s at peak performance, your financial resources at the very bottom and sleepless nights have been dragging on for months. And now you’re awaiting the big event with joy, excitement and nervousness. No, we are not talking about an arranged marriage with a neurotic partner, which has already cost you all of your nerves.

We are referring to the exciting time of the product launch. A product launch is an enormously thrilling event for the entire company and should be communicated in the same way to the respective target group. We have already written a detailed article on this topic here. Today we would like to put the product video in the spotlight. Videos are exactly the right medium to create the necessary buzz. But like the entire launch strategy, the product video must be well planned and contain some important elements. In this post we explain you what shouldn’t miss in your perfect product video as well as present various formats that are suitable for the product launch video.

Video marketing

Why is video such a powerful tool for the product launch? Well, ask yourself: Would you rather read a page-long text about a product or watch a video? Would you even have the time to read a page-long text? And when exactly was the last time you read through a page-long product description? I think we can agree that the majority of us prefer visual content. Videos allow us to build an emotional connection between the brand and audience through the use of visual storytelling. At the same time we can illustrate more information in less time and in a more appealing way. Through the multi-sensory approach using images, colors and sound, our brain processes video content more easily than text-based content and thus stores it better in long-term memory.

Videos also spread faster on social media than static images or even text information. Viewers interact with videos and share them within the community, so you can generally achieve higher reach and ultimately higher conversions. At the same time, Google favors websites with video content and thus enables a higher ranking.

For the number crunchers here is a short overview:

• 78% of society watches a video every week, 55% even daily.

• 65%-85% of viewers confirm that they tend to buy more after watching a video than before

• 72% of companies confirm that they have been able to increase conversions with the help of video marketing

• Videos on social channels generate 1200% more “shares” than text

So, in short, videos contribute positively to the purchase decision, enable detailed targeting, increase the reach and make you Google’s best friend. Sounds good? But be careful, it’s not quite that simple. To create positive feedback, you need to pay attention to some important points in your product video.

Elements of a good product video

The right quality

Of course, you never want to be reduced exclusively to the outward appearance, but let’s face it, somehow it does matter. And the same goes for the video. The video can only provide a decisive added value if the product is also perfectly staged. An excellently prepared script is the basis for a successful video. But also visual effects, combined with the right music and colors, which are in harmony with the product, the brand and the corporate image are essential to leave a positive impression. At this point it is recommended to work with a professional agency to create a convincing video with an appealing design. In the following, Fujifilm shows us how a viewer can embark on a visual journey.

Specific Targeting

Instead of addressing all kinds of people in the world with the video, you should rather specialize in a specific target group that can benefit from the product. As with the entire launch strategy, it makes sense to develop a persona that represents the ideal customer. This enables you to highlight the so-called “pain points” of the target group in the video and thus stage the product as the ideal solution.

Storytelling

All videos are based on an important basic formula: Stories. Only those of us who tell stories can build an emotional connection between brand and audience. Only the emotional appeal enables a so-called “affective commitment”, which motivates the user to irrational actions and thus serves as the power weapon for long-term brand loyalty. The video should not just tell any story, but the story of the customers through which the product leads them. The product must create an “aha effect” at the end of the story. Ideally, the video should also be shot at a “point of interest” of the customers.

Clear and concise statement

Too much information is overwhelming. Especially in the age of stimulus satiation, nobody needs that anymore. Therefore, make sure that the video focuses within a maximum of 120 seconds on a clear message that can be quickly understood even without specialist knowledge. You should also avoid a misleading title in the thumbnail: Although you can often achieve higher initial clicks, they usually result in extreme drop out rates  and dissatisfied viewers, so that you ultimately damage the company’s reputation.

User-friendly

Can the video be loaded quickly? Is it mobile friendly? Does it offer a good resolution? Maybe even helpful subtitles? Is it optimized for different social platforms? These are questions you should consider carefully in advance to make the video as user-friendly as possible and to share it on social media without any problems.

Call to Action

Encourage the viewer to take further action. Is there an e-mail list where interested prospects can register to receive product updates during the pre-launch? Should the viewer visit a specific landing page? Or directly any online shop after the launch? A call to action enables you to generate valuable leads even before the actual launch.

SEO Optimization

Google and video content are good friends. Very good friends, in fact. But this friendship should not be taken for granted. It needs a little support from your side. The video should be optimized for the search engine. Keywords, alt tags, description and links – all this should not be missing to achieve the highest possible ranking. If you follow these steps, you have a good basic formula for a successful video. Now off to the next question: Which type of video should you use? Especially with a product launch you might think of a classic ad. But actually there are many different options.

Explainer Videos

The power tool in content marketing! A new product always needs an explanation. Explainer videos illustrate the most relevant information in the shortest possible time in a precise, understandable and entertaining way for everyone. At the same time, storytelling can be used to build an emotional bond with the audience. We have already written a detailed article on this topic here.

Influencer Videos

The direct way to the target group! Influencers know their own followers and offer reach, engagement and a higher credibility than classic advertising. Influencers are like-minded people who interact with the target group at eye level. This gives them a particularly strong influence on purchase decisions.

In the meantime, micro influencers, i.e. those with 1000-10,000 followers, are becoming increasingly important because they usually offer a much more active community than mega influencers. Influencer videos are a powerful addition to social media campaigns, especially for product launches, to build a brand community and market the product in an authentic way. There are different possibilities: Unboxing videos, giveaways, personal reviews up to elaborate productions in which influencers become the face of the brand.

For a successful campaign an exact target group analysis is necessary. Plan enough time to find the influencers in the right niche and within your budget. At the same time, the performance of the campaign should be regularly monitored through pre-defined KPIs to measure success. Engagement rate, cost per engagement, achieved reach and website clicks would be suitable parameters for this.

Especially on the actual launch day, personal discount codes that can be integrated into the Influencer video are also suitable. On the one hand, this can provide an initial impulse to buy. On the other hand they are a good tracking tool to measure the sales by the respective influencer.

Interactive Videos

The content marketing of the future! Interactive videos are ideal for arousing the interest of the audience and actively participating in the brand history. Interactive content increases the time users stay on the website and achieves higher click through rates. There are also different options: For example, integrated question fields, 360-degree videos in which the user has a free choice of perspective, or you can join the big league right away: The virtual reality.

Live Launch

Live videos offer enormously authentic formats to communicate with the target group in real time. During the actual launch, a live event can be created via video to celebrate the event together with the community. This enables a stronger relationship to be established with the target group. On the other hand, live streams are also ideal for pre-launch marketing, e.g. in the form of a weekly video show, where you answer questions, prove your expertise and build a relationship with the audience step by step.

Live videos show the face behind the brand and thus create personal insights. This makes your brand appear more credible and humane and enables a stronger relationship with the customer. After all, people build relationships with people, not with objects. Regular video updates also motivate the audience to return again and again for new content.

Teaser

A teaser is particularly suitable in the pre-launch phase to build up excitement. Short teasers are great for sharing on social networks and provide insights into the product without revealing all the details immediately. Even if your product is not quite ready for the launch, you can increase the thrill by giving your customers a taste of what’s about to hit the shelves.

Conclusion: The product video as an effective Instrument

There is no question that the combination of moving pictures, music, sound and a story is a powerful way to win the favour of the audience. Video content is more memorable and allows information to be packaged into a visual story that will be remembered in the long term.

Even though there are always new marketing trends and formats that may change, video content  is timeless and will continue to play an important role in the future. So, let’s get down to it and create a rocket-like launch with the help of a product video! Good luck! You have general questions about the product launch? Then check out this article.