The best brand stories depend on a genuine human connection and exceptional experience – and there’s no better way to create that bond than video.
 
Live and motion content will continue to dominate marketing in 2019, giving you a sweet opportunity to build real relationships with your audience. In this, Part 1 of a new three-part series on video marketing, I give you three new year’s video resolutions to add to your marketing strategy for the coming year!
 

1. Cultivate micro-moments

Everyone’s short on time – and attention – these days. When someone’s digitally searching for recommendations, you have a chance to connect through storytelling in micro-moments. Short, useful videos allow great micro-moments to take place, where consumers experience your brand in a human way. Think warm and engaging Facebook or Instagram Stories, like T-Mobile CEO John Legere’s Slow Cooker Sunday series.
 

2. Explore live video

Companies are increasingly taking advantage of live streaming platforms to give people a look inside the brand – or inside the mind of thought leaders. Live video is authentic, offering an opportunity for behind-the-scenes tours of your office, chats with employees, or real-time Q&A sessions. Prospective customers love to look under the hood and a live stream delivers tons of transparency.
 

3. Impress them with cinemagraphs

While you may not have heard of the cinemagraph, you’ve probably seen one. These gifs are subtle and eye-catching animations, with only a single animated element of the image or background – a moving picture with a cinematic effect. These understated videos instantly command your audience’s attention and inject your content with flair.
 

Tips for success

• Include micro-moments or live streaming in your content strategy. What would your audience consider helpful, interesting or fun? Break out the whiteboard and brainstorm.
• Maximize your spend by recycling sound bites, gifs or cinemagraphs of your videos across all your channels.

 
Stay tuned for the rest of my series and keep your video resolutions for 2019 on track!

Jim Ellis has over 20 years of experience in marketing strategy and implementation throughout a variety of industry sectors. Since 1999 he has been with Signal, a digital agency based in Wilmington and Raleigh, North Carolina. Signal has proven strengths serving as the “local agency” for global companies, generating solid results in web design, brand identity, mobile app development, digital strategy and more. Jim provides counsel to many of the agency’s largest clients with an eye toward integrated communications and a vast knowledge of both traditional and modern practices. As a songwriter and musician with a business degree, he believes his artistic/corporate “dual personality” gives him added perspective to be an effective liaison between clients and Signal’s talented creative team. Originally from Ohio, Jim graduated from the University of Richmond with a B.S. in Business Administration.