Are personalised videos still missing a trick?
Whilst on the lookout for new examples of personalised communications I recently came across a few new personalised viral video campaigns. One was for JP Moneybags (http://www.jpmoneybags.com/news.php? rfname=Dave&rlname=baldaro) and another for Home Business Secrets (http://homebusinesssecrets.winweb.com/news.php?rfname=Dave&rlname=Baldaro)
Both campaigns present a good viral video – but I now find myself not listening to the video but watching for my name to appear within the content at various stages. Almost akin to a printer hold up the direct mail piece and looking at the dots and quality!
I was left thinking, “Just what was that a campaign for?” – Have I become accustomed to personalised videos now? I rarely send them onto a friend or colleague as they all seem much the same nowadays.
I do not believe that this is solely down to those that create them – more maybe down to budget and a lack of integrated technology or thought by the marketers.
Most of these viral video campaigns seem to only be linked to an ROI; counting the number of views and referrals. None of them (that I have seen) have been actually tied into an integrated ROI so that they are tracked fully.
But with these viral video campaigns costing (at least) tens of thousands of pounds is this really the ‘new media’ that marketers should be investing in? Is this not just mass advertising under a new name? There’s no doubting that these viral videos do attract subscribers to a company’s presence – but I would question how many of those actually take something away from their visit which would result in business for the company.
“The only hard data I can give you at the moment is that www.worldsgreatestbusinessmind.com has been viewed in every country except North Korea a total of 7 million times since launching last December.” – more data exists but is obviously in the hands of the clients.
I still think that marketers are missing a trick in not joining up the dots and building integrated campaigns. It’s true that these campaigns do not want to be too ‘sales orientated’ – however what they really should be doing is trying to establish a conversation with me – rather than just talking at me in the same way. For example once I have visited my landing page, viewed my video – then upon my subsequent visit tailor the content to that fact – “Welcome back David. Would you like to view your video again, refer it to a friend, maybe sign up to our newsletter or visit our corporate website”. By engaging with me in this way a campaign would be more likely to engage with me. This is a simple build that many seem to still miss.
The ROI could then be tied to the campaign – the number of people that visit the site is almost irrelevant; it does not directly equate to an increase in business or customers. What is important is the people engaged further, came back a second; third or forth time. Only by recognising where in the cycle I am and by providing relevant content will I be drawn into a conversation.
Personally, I believe that personalised videos have reached a peak – the gimmick has been done. What needs to happen now is for marketers to realise that it’s about engaging with customers in a relevant manner, drawing them into a conversation that is both timing and meaningful.
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Dave is a 30-something year old technologist and professional working and living in the UK. Ever since he first sat down at a computer keyboard back in the early ‘80s he has been hooked on technology – good and proper! Now-a-days he works within the software business with a fast paced organisation evangelising how technology can help save us all time, and make us money! Dave’s wife and 2 kids tend not to share this enthusiasm and believes that he is just playing!
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of his employer.