Short-form videos are taking over, and YouTube Shorts is the platform's answer to the growing demand for bite-sized, engaging content. With its vertical format and snappy duration, Shorts provides you with a golden opportunity to connect with your audience quickly and effectively. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your strategy, these tips will help you navigate the platform and set you up for success.
If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll end up appealing to no one. That’s why understanding your audience is the foundation of a successful YouTube Shorts strategy. Start by asking yourself: Who are you making content for? The clearer your audience persona, the more targeted your content will be.
Use YouTube Analytics to dig into the details. Look at your existing audience’s age, gender, location, and even the time of day they’re most active. If you’re starting from scratch, think about the kind of people who would naturally gravitate toward your content or niche. For example, if your Shorts are about quick meal prep, your target viewers might be busy parents or students. If you’re making travel hacks, your audience could be budget-conscious adventurers.
On YouTube Shorts, you have less than three seconds to capture attention—so make them count. Think about your audience’s scrolling behavior. They’re swiping through a never-ending stream of videos, so yours needs to stand out immediately. How do you do that? By leading with something unexpected, bold, or highly relatable.
Start your Short with a question that sparks curiosity, like, “Did you know you’ve been using your microwave wrong this whole time?” Or open with a visually striking moment that pulls viewers in, such as a jaw-dropping transformation or an eye-catching product demo. Humor can also be a great hook—say something funny or outrageous that makes viewers pause and think, “Wait, what?”
The key is to avoid slow starts. Don’t waste those first few seconds introducing yourself or explaining what the video is about. Dive straight into the action or the punchline. You can always provide context or details as the video unfolds, but the hook is what earns you the right to hold your viewer’s attention. If you don’t hook them early, they’ll scroll on without a second thought.
In a world where attention spans are shrinking, brevity is your best friend. YouTube Shorts gives you up to 60 seconds to work with, but that doesn’t mean you need to use all of it. The most successful Shorts often get their point across in 15 to 30 seconds. Why? Because shorter videos are easier to consume, share, and remember.
When planning your content, focus on one idea or message per Short. If you’re teaching something, break it down into bite-sized steps and cover just one step per video. For example, instead of explaining how to bake an entire cake in one Short, dedicate one video to mixing the batter and another to decorating. This approach not only keeps things concise but also creates opportunities for a series of Shorts, which encourages viewers to watch multiple videos.
YouTube Shorts are designed specifically for vertical screens, which means your content needs to fit seamlessly into that 9:16 frame. If you’re not optimizing for this format, you’re missing a huge opportunity to grab and hold attention. Think of your Short as a billboard on a busy street – it has to look sharp and be instantly legible to anyone scrolling past.
Start by ensuring all your footage is shot vertically. While you can crop horizontal videos into a vertical format, it’s often obvious and can make your content look unpolished. Frame your shots so that the focus is on the subject of your video. If you’re speaking to the camera, position yourself centrally and avoid leaving too much empty space.
Pay close attention to visuals like text overlays, captions, or graphics. Keep them large enough to read on a small screen but avoid cluttering the frame. For example, if you’re adding captions, make sure they’re at eye level and not obscured by YouTube’s interface, like the video title or “Subscribe” button.
Also, don’t forget the importance of lighting and clarity. A well-lit video with crisp visuals will look professional and catch the eye, while a poorly lit or blurry Short may prompt viewers to swipe away.
Staying on top of trends is one of the quickest ways to grow on YouTube Shorts. The platform’s algorithm favors content that engages with what’s popular, so incorporating trending sounds and hashtags can give your Shorts an instant visibility boost. But don’t jump on every trend just for the sake of it. Choose the ones that align with your niche and audience.
To find trending sounds, spend some time exploring the Shorts feed and listening for audio clips that pop up repeatedly. You’ll often notice certain songs, snippets of dialogue, or sound effects gaining traction. When you use these trending sounds in your videos, YouTube is more likely to suggest your content to users engaging with similar trends. Just make sure the audio adds value to your Short. (Randomly tacking on a popular sound can come across as forced.)
Hashtags work similarly. Trending hashtags can help your Shorts surface in search results, but it’s important to strike a balance. Use a mix of broad hashtags, like #YouTubeShorts or #TrendingNow, and more specific ones related to your niche, such as #DIYCrafts or #HealthyEating. Keep your hashtags relevant and avoid overloading your description – three to five hashtags are usually plenty.
Even in 60 seconds or less, you can craft a story that captivates your audience. Storytelling is a powerful tool for creating emotional connections, keeping viewers engaged, and making your content memorable.
Every story has three essential parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Start by setting the scene or presenting a challenge to pique curiosity. For example, if your Short is about a cooking hack, you might open with a relatable problem like, “Ever struggle to peel a boiled egg without making a mess?”
Next, build momentum by demonstrating your hack, tip, or idea. This is the heart of your Short, so make it visually engaging and easy to follow. Use quick cuts, close-ups, or bold text overlays to highlight key moments. Keep the pace brisk to maintain interest—there’s no room for long-winded explanations here.
Finally, end your Short with a resolution or payoff. This could be a finished product, a surprising result, or a call to action that encourages viewers to try it themselves. If your story leaves viewers satisfied or curious, they’re more likely to engage with your content or come back for more.
Your thumbnail is the first thing viewers see when scrolling through their feed or searching for content, so don’t underestimate its importance. Even though YouTube Shorts are often discovered through the feed, custom thumbnails still play a role in attracting clicks, especially if your Short is displayed on your channel page or suggested elsewhere on the platform.
Start by creating a thumbnail that visually communicates what your Short is about. Use bold, high-contrast colors to catch the eye and ensure any text is easy to read on smaller screens. A strong, relevant image – such as a clear shot of your face reacting, a product in action, or a key moment from your video – will immediately convey the essence of your content.
If you’re adding text overlays, keep them brief and enticing. Think of phrases like “Game-Changing Hack” or “You Won’t Believe This!” that pique curiosity without being misleading. Don’t cram too much into your thumbnail; simplicity is key.
Consistency is critical if you want to build momentum on YouTube Shorts. The platform’s algorithm favors creators who post regularly, as it signals that you’re active and dedicated to providing fresh content. But consistency isn’t just about pleasing the algorithm – it’s about keeping your audience engaged and building a habit for them to check out your content.
Start by setting a realistic posting schedule. If you’re new to YouTube Shorts, aim for at least two to three videos a week. As you get more comfortable with the process, you can increase your output, but don’t sacrifice quality for quantity. It’s better to post fewer, high-quality Shorts than to churn out mediocre content just to fill a quota.
Batch-creating your content can make it easier to maintain a schedule. Dedicate a day to brainstorming ideas, another to filming, and another to editing. This way, you’ll always have a pipeline of Shorts ready to post, reducing the stress of scrambling to create something last minute.
Pay attention to when your audience is most active. YouTube Analytics can help you determine the best days and times to post for maximum visibility. Over time, your audience will come to expect your content at certain intervals, creating a routine that strengthens their connection to your channel.
Engagement is a two-way street. Posting your Shorts is just the beginning—you need to actively interact with your audience to foster connection and loyalty. Responding to comments, answering questions, and acknowledging feedback shows your viewers that you value their time and opinions.
Start by replying to comments on your Shorts, especially in the first few hours after posting. Early engagement signals to the algorithm that your content is worth promoting to a wider audience. Even a simple “Thanks for watching!” or a thoughtful response to a viewer’s question can go a long way.
YouTube Shorts is a playground for creativity, so don’t box yourself into a single type of content. Experimenting with different formats allows you to discover what resonates most with your audience and keeps your channel fresh and exciting. Sticking to one format may limit your reach, while versatility can help you appeal to a broader audience.
Start by exploring a range of content types. For instance, if you’re in the fitness niche, try creating a mix of quick workout tutorials, motivational tips, and behind-the-scenes clips of your fitness journey. If you’re a tech enthusiast, alternate between product reviews, how-to guides, and bite-sized industry news. Each format serves a different purpose and attracts viewers with varying interests.
Interactive content can also be a great addition. Consider running challenges, conducting polls, or asking your audience for suggestions on what to create next. This not only diversifies your content but also fosters engagement and makes your viewers feel involved in your creative process.
Success on YouTube Shorts doesn’t happen by chance – it’s the result of continuous improvement driven by data and the right YouTube production company. Analyzing your performance and adapting your strategy accordingly is critical to long-term growth.
At VID.co, we pride ourselves in being able to bring your brand or channel’s story to life through a blend of strategically created video content. Whether that’s long-form or short-form, we can partner with you to ensure you get great results. Contact us today to learn more!
You likely know, intuitively, that music can make or break a YouTube video.
A video with no music or sound, in most contexts, simply isn’t going to have much impact.
A video with tonally inappropriate music, or obnoxious music, is going to ruin whatever credibility it might have had otherwise.
But finding the right music is tough. And making sure that music is cost-effective can be even tougher; no YouTube content creator wants to blow their entire budget on a single popular song, especially if you’re only going to use it for a few minutes in the video.
One solution is to use royalty free music. But what exactly is royalty free music and how do you use it as part of your YouTube video content strategy?
Royalty free music is music for which you do not have to pay royalties.
Simple enough, right?
Royalties are ongoing payments made to a content creator in exchange for continuing to use it in other content that is being consumed. For example, an advertiser might be required to pay royalty fees each time their commercial airs on TV. In many contexts, this is a mutually beneficial relationship. Music producers make a little bit of money for each time the ad runs, and advertisers are only on the hook for fees proportional to how much utility they're getting from the song.
However, paying royalties doesn't make sense on smaller scales. The money making potential of a YouTube video is often much smaller than that of a nationally syndicated commercial. Paying steep royalty fees could easily undermine the profitability of your video content production. On top of that, the complexities of tracking views and paying royalties can bog down your whole operation.
For these reasons and more, it's often preferable to use music that does not require you to pay royalty fees.
Note that royalty free music is distinct from music that uses Creative Commons Licensing (CCL) or public domain music. These latter categories include music that you can use for free, even for commercial purposes. Obviously, there are advantages to using totally free music, but depending on your goals, it might also make sense for you to pay a one-time fee to get access to premium royalty free music.
The bottom line here is that there are many different types of inexpensive music to choose from, most of which are not associated with royalties, and nearly all of which are preferable to the more expensive alternative.
So how exactly are you supposed to use royalty free music in the context of your YouTube strategy?
YouTube Studio has a built-in Audio Library you can use to search for (and integrate) music, audio effects, and other sounds into your video. It might be the easiest way to find royalty free music, since it's already integrated into YouTube and it makes it very clear which tracks are royalty free.
Using this platform, you can search and filter based on a variety of parameters, including track title, genre, mood, artist name, attribution, and duration. You can also mark some tracks as your favorites, so you can continue using them in videos in the future. This is especially good if you want musical or audio continuity between videos on your channel.
Pay especially close attention to genre and mood. If you choose a piece of audio that doesn't match the mood or tone of your video, it could clash with the content you're creating. Just because a song is royalty free doesn't mean it's worth putting in your video, and sometimes these songs can be genuinely detrimental to your intended goals.
Although YouTube Studio is extremely convenient, and has lots of options, it's Not the only way to find royalty free music.
There are many websites and platforms online that are specially dedicated to helping people find free and inexpensive music that they can use in other projects. Typically, these platforms allow you to search through large libraries of content, filtering based on a number of parameters. With each entry, pay especially close attention to whether this track is public domain, free to use for commercial purposes, or is royalty free.
In many cases, you'll need to pay a one time fee to get access to the music, or you may be required to provide attribution to the creator in your video. As long as you're clear on the rules, there shouldn't be any problems integrating the audio into your YouTube videos.
How can you tell if a song is genuinely royalty free?
Most mainstream platforms, including YouTube Studio, have already done the hard work for you. As long as you're on a platform that you genuinely trust, you can be reasonably certain that any track marked as royalty free is genuinely royalty free. Any track listed for sale or available for public use should have any caveats or disclaimers attached to it.
In other words, as long as you're using a trusted source, what you see is what you get. Your source will also likely provide you with instructions for how to provide attribution appropriately.
You can also verify the status of a song by looking for it on SoundExchange or the U.S. Copyright Office website. This is an extra step that may not be necessary, but could grant you peace of mind if you're concerned about potential legal issues or fines in the future.
YouTube will also give you a heads-up if it detects any copyrighted material in your video, including audio. You'll have an opportunity to swap out the track or make other modifications so that you're no longer violating copyright law.
If you want to use royalty free music as part of your YouTube video strategy, these are some of the most important best practices to follow:
· Use a trusted source. Don’t use a random MP3 that your buddy sent you just because he insists that it's free to use. Don't trust the free music you find on an obscure Russian website. Don't browse your personal music collection and make an educated guess about music might be royalty free. Instead, use a trusted, reliable source. There are literally dozens of reputable, mainstream platforms that offer royalty free and Creative Commons music, and all of them do an excellent job of maintaining their internal archives.
· Double check the details. When looking for music, always double check the details to make sure you understand how this music can be used and what the requirements for using it are. Are you sure that this track is free to use even for commercial purposes? Are you sure you aren't going to owe any royalties? Are you required to provide attribution to the original creator, and what format should that attribution be in?
· Provide attribution. Speaking of attribution, always air on the side of caution and provide it. In fact, you may want to provide attribution in multiple ways, such as when the track is playing, at the end of the video, and even in the video description. This way, you can practically guarantee that you've provided ample credit to the original creator – and it helps the creator get some visibility as well.
· Match the mood. Some YouTube creators choose music almost arbitrarily, looking for noise that they can use to fill in content gaps or looking for music for its own sake. However, it's important to remember that music can make or break the tone of your video, and that it's important to find music that can genuinely match the mood you're trying to create. You may need to browse through many different tracks before you find a perfect fit. This is part of the work of making a good YouTube video.
· Dig deep. It's not hard to find generic music tracks that are free, easy to use, and compatible with a wide range of video content types. But there's a significant downside to using this low-hanging fruit: most creators frequently tap into it. If you pay attention, you can find nearly identical music tracks across a wide variety of YouTube channels and videos. If you simply use the same tracks as everyone else, your videos are going to come off as repetitive and generic. Instead of jumping at the first decently close fit, you should strive to dig deeper into the archives and find something that's even more uniquely compatible with the video you want to create. Not only will you find a closer match to the content you're creating, but you'll also distinguish yourself from your peers.
Are you looking to build your YouTube channel from scratch?
Or are you hoping to grow the YouTube channel you’ve already established?
You’re in the right place.
At Vid.co, we have the video production experts and creative minds necessary to help you create and execute the perfect YouTube video strategy.
If you’re ready to get started with a free video marketing consultation, contact us today!
Today, consumer attention spans are shorter than ever. According to recent research, the average person can only focus on digital content for 8.25 seconds. Perhaps that’s because social media platforms force fast-paced content consumption and encourage endless scrolling.
But regardless of why attention spans are so short, you’ve only got several seconds to captivate a user. Whether it’s an ad or a native social media post, clips under 60 seconds typically get more engagement than longer videos, especially on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. And that’s exactly why brands are prioritizing short-form video content.
In this article, we’ll dive into why short-form content has become an essential marketing strategy, and how business owners can tap into its power for rapid growth. But before we get into it, let’s break down the shift that made short-form video dominant.
It’s safe to say that short video content has always been popular, but it became a standard when smartphones replaced laptops and desktops as a primary device. All of a sudden, people were browsing the internet while multitasking on the go, and they no longer had the time or patience to sit down and watch 20-minute+ videos.
Short-form video first became popular around 2013 with an app called Vine where creators made funny and engaging six-second videos. By the end of 2015, it had more than 200 million active users. However, after the company refused to monetize creator contributions, the top 15 Vine content creators went on strike, Vine eventually failed, and TikTok picked up the slack.
Although the platform is facing a ban in the United States and has already been banned in other countries, TikTok is incredibly popular. There are more than 1.5 billion active TikTok users across the world, and the average user spends 95 minutes per day on the app.
TikTok has traditionally promoted quick clips, but the platform is starting to favor longer content of around one minute. One-minute videos are still considered short, but it’s important to stay aware of what the TikTok algorithm prefers. Still, you’ll want to experiment with video length on your own to see what works best for you.
TikTok first adopted the six-second video format that made Vine videos go viral. Since then, they’ve increased the time limit so creators can make videos up to 10 minutes long directly on the platform, or up to 60 minutes long as an upload.
Because short-form videos were doing so well on TikTok, all the other major platforms have followed suit. Facebook introduced Stories on March 28, 2017, Instagram launched Reels on August 5, 2020, and YouTube introduced Shorts on September 14, 2020.
Regardless of the platform, one thing remains consistent: users have come to enjoy and expect short clips. In fact, 57% of Gen Z and 42% of Millennials prefer learning about products from short videos. That make short-form content ideal for marketing. In fact, 83% of social media marketers say short-form video is the most effective type of content they serve. By 2026, marketers are expected to allocate 50% or more of their video budgets to short-form content.
It should be no surprise that short videos capture and retain attention better than traditional long-form videos. In 2022, an analysis of more than 1,778,000 videos found that the average retention rate is impacted by video length. The shorter the video, the higher the completion rate. This research study found:
Videos under one minute: 66% of users watched until the end
Videos one to two minutes long: 56% of users watched until the end
Videos two to 10 minutes long: 50% of users watched until the end
Videos 10-20 minutes long: 39% of users watched until the end
Videos over 20 minutes long: 22% of users watched until the end
The shorter the video, the higher the retention rate, which means brands need to do two things to get engagement:
1. Create short videos to share full (short and concise) messages
2. Get messages across quickly regardless of video length for the viewers who will drop off after the first minute
This trend is forcing businesses to create messages that hit hard in the first few seconds of a video. Since most users won’t watch longer videos, there’s no other option.
Today’s social media algorithms prioritize short-form content to support a better user experience and increase engagement. However, each platform has slight differences. For example, TikTok’s algorithm favors videos with high watch times and completion rates, while other platforms don’t seem to put so much weight on completion rates. However, on social media platforms that have mixed content, like Instagram, Reels get a higher organic reach compared to traditional posts.
YouTube delivers its Shorts differently than other platforms by recommending them in a designated section within each user’s main feed. Even so, YouTube Shorts receive 15 billion daily views.
The takeaway? Regardless of the platform, short-form content wins.
Traditional video production can be difficult and expensive to manage on your own. For example, if you need to rent professional equipment, like lighting, microphones, and a camera, you can expect to pay thousands of dollars. It costs less than investing in the equipment, but it’s not cheap.
Short-form content is easier to produce because it doesn’t require such an extensive setup and investment of your time or money. You can shoot short clips from a smartphone and your audience won’t expect it to look like a professional production.
However, if you are looking for that professional touch, you can hire a video company to produce short-form content for less than what you’d pay for a traditional, long video. It’s easier than self-produced content and the end result is a professional, polished video that gets results.
Perhaps one of the biggest cost-saving benefits of short-form content is the fact that faceless video ads are seeing high success rates on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. A faceless video is a video that doesn’t feature a person. Faceless channels that publish great content have been popular for a while, so it’s not surprising that Faceless ads work just as well.
Faceless videos work because they focus on content, not a personality. While many content creators become popular because of their personalities, they also alienate a lot of people. If you’re not fully committed to being your own brand, faceless videos are ideal. Here’s why they’re so effective:
· Faceless videos are relatable and inclusive. Without a face and personality, the content speaks for itself. Viewers can project themselves into the scenario presented, which makes the message feel more personal. While many social media influencers do well, people do get tired of them.
· Faceless videos focus on value, not vanity. When the product, service, or message is prioritized, people aren’t distracted by looks, voice, clothing, or any other factors that can influence a user’s opinion of the messenger.
· Faceless videos are cheaper to produce. Since you don’t need to shoot live people, faceless videos can be created with stock footage, text, voiceovers, and screen recordings. This makes it easier to publish content more consistently.
· Faceless videos do well in the algorithms. Once you start getting likes, shares, and comments on your faceless videos, they will do better in the algorithms. As long as you can create compelling hooks and deliver a fast-paced message, faceless videos have a great chance at performing well in the algorithms.
Ultimately, short, faceless videos win because they eliminate distractions, keep the spotlight on the message, and connect with users on a broader level. You don’t need to show your face to build a solid brand – you just need engaging content.
The cost of running ads on each platform varies, but ads on YouTube Shorts cost around 50% less than TikTok ads and generate longer views. People tend to expect longer videos on YouTube, so this makes sense. However, TikTok ads can be highly profitable and should not be ignored. Getting longer views doesn’t always mean you’ll generate more sales. It depends on what you’re advertising. If your product or service is suited for impulse purchases, TikTok can bring in some serious cash.
Today, more than 75% of all video views come from mobile devices, which means the majority of users are looking for quick pieces of content to consume. This includes short video ads.
· According to statistics, videos under 30 seconds are shared four times more than longer videos.
· TikTok challenges drive massive engagement, allowing brands to gain popularity overnight.
· Short videos are more likely to be shared, and that’s how you achieve brand awareness and organic reach regardless of the platform.
Users don’t typically save content to share at a later time. Sharing happens the moment a user decides they like what they just watched. Short, engaging, fast-paced content has more viral potential because it gets people excited in the moment, and it only takes a couple of seconds to share. When you start making short videos, there’s a greater chance they will be shared.
Native ads tend to get more clicks and conversions than display ads. If you rely entirely on display ads, you’re missing out. If a post or video looks like an ad, many users will unconsciously tune it out and keep scrolling.
The way around this is to do one of two things. Create native content and boost it, or create short video ads that look like native content on whatever platform you’re using and run them as ads. For example, if you’re advertising on Instagram, make your ads look like videos shot with an iPhone in a casual setting. If you’re advertising on TikTok, use TikTok’s native video creation features to make your ad right inside the app.
With shrinking attention spans and growing competition, brands need content that makes people stop scrolling and turns viewers into paying customers. That’s exactly what short-form video delivers.
Studies show that short-form video ads outperform traditional display ads by 120% when it comes to engagement. Why? Because they’re fast, punchy, and tailored for the platforms people are already using. Short videos can entertain, educate, inspire, and drive purchases from users in any stage of your sales funnel.
But it doesn’t stop with ads. Brands that use live selling through short videos see even higher conversion rates. Leveraging live product demos, quick tutorials, and user-generated content increases conversion rates by allowing customers to visualize products in action.
Whether you’re running flash sales, launching a new product, or simply trying to stand out in your market, short-form video will help you unlock higher engagement, better leads, and more sales. If you skip short-form video content, you’re leaving money on the table.
If you’re serious about standing out in your market, high-quality video content is essential. But trying to handle it all yourself can quickly turn into a frustrating, time-consuming struggle. From scriptwriting to shooting, editing, and optimizing for various platforms, DIY video production often fails to grab attention.
That’s where we come in. At Vid.co, our video marketing team doesn’t just create videos – we craft powerful, scroll-stopping content designed to captivate your audience and generate engagement. With expert storytelling, top-tier production quality, and strategic distribution, we’ll turn your ideas into effective short-form content that gets results.
Short-form video is not just a trend – it’s the future of digital marketing. Brands that fail to adapt risk being left behind as consumer preferences shift toward quick, engaging, and highly shareable content.
Whether it’s through influencer partnerships, paid advertising, or organic content, brands will need to embrace short-form video to stay competitive. Don’t get left behind. Contact us today – we’d love to bring your ideas to life.
When you consider the variety of video marketing strategies available, storytelling comes out on top as one of the most effective. Whether you’re running ads or posting videos to YouTube, stories are powerful.
Compared to ads that simply describe a product’s features or show it being used, ads that feature stories perform better. Great stories create bonds, trust, and can even foster a sense of purpose in ways that flat advertising can’t accomplish. All of this leads to higher conversions, more sales, and stronger loyalty. If you want loyal brand advocates, great storytelling will help you accomplish that goal.
Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of human communication. Stories have the power to create connection, rapport, affinity, and intrigue. And that’s exactly why brands that promote their products and services through authentic, powerful stories stand out from the crowd.
If your goal is to turn leads into loyal customers with video marketing, you need to implement powerful storytelling.
The majority of decisions people make are emotional, and it’s no secret that targeting emotions is the basis of every marketing strategy. For example, some video advertisements use fear to sell products, while others tap into a sense of urgency. These are effective angles, but storytelling taps into emotions at a deeper level, which drives better sales and long-term loyalty. Here’s why:
· Stories are remembered more vividly. Compared to bare facts, people are more likely to remember information when it’s presented as a story that evokes emotion. This helps to establish brand recognition and trust over time.
· Stories create stronger emotional connections. People are more likely to buy from a brand when they feel an emotional connection to the products and services. Targeting impulse purchases through simple emotions like fear only reaches people on the surface. Storytelling addresses deeper emotions, like creating a sense of belonging or purpose in life. That’s the kind of connection that generates brand ambassadors.
· Stories generate word-of-mouth advertising. If you want recommendations, you need to create an emotional connection. According to statistics, 71% of people will recommend a brand when they feel emotionally connected.
· Stories create more loyalty. The more people feel connected to a brand through a story that makes them feel like they’re part of a cause, the more likely they are to remain loyal.
· Stories can make people feel seen, heard, and understood. Leads with shared experiences are more likely to align with brands that make them feel seen and heard.
· Stories can make people feel like they’re part of a movement. Whether you’re starting your own movement or joining an existing one, when you use storytelling to bring your customers into a movement, they’ll feel great about themselves each time they interact with your brand. When you instill a deep sense of purpose in your customers that aligns with their values, that’s when they’ll become your best brand ambassadors.
When your customers see themselves as part of a bigger story, you go from selling products and services to selling inclusion in a movement. Creating this sense of belonging fosters loyalty, and will end up making your brand truly unique even in a crowded market.
For example, the bottled water market is more than saturated (pun intended), but a relatively new brand called Liquid Death has been able to find incredible success selling canned water. While all the other water brands tell boring stories about how they bottle their spring water at the source or add electrolytes, Liquid Death sells a lifestyle by marketing water like it’s beer, appealing to an edgy, anti-establishment, rebellious crowd. Valued at $1.4 billion, they use heavy metal imagery, dark humor, and fake horror movie trailers to make water cool.
That’s storytelling at its finest. It’s also a perfect example of how people buy stories and packaging rather than products. Instead of focusing on water’s features like everyone else, Liquid Death created an entire movement that makes people feel like they’re part of a rebellious group.
In any industry, the brand who tells the best story wins. You can’t just introduce your product, describe all of its features, and expect the sales to pour in. You need to give people a reason to choose you over the competition, even when your product is obviously great. That requires telling a story that aligns your brand with a bigger, relatable vision.
In most markets, even the most amazing products don’t sell without a good story. Unless it’s something highly practical, like a package of sheet metal screws, people don’t buy products – they buy lifestyles, ideas, and dreams marketed through stories.
If you’re ready to take your video marketing to the next level, start thinking about weaving a powerful story into your content. Here are 6 tips to get going.
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According to customer satisfaction data published by Harvard Business Review, people are highly motivated by the following 10 things:
· A desire to stand out from the crowd
· Having confidence in the future
· Enjoying a sense of wellbeing
· Feeling a sense of freedom
· Feeling a sense of thrill
· Feeling a sense of belonging
· Protecting the environment
· Being themselves
· Feeling secure
· Succeeding in life
All 10 of these things can be incorporated into your brand’s storytelling regardless of your industry. Not all motivators will be relevant to every brand, but this is what drives people the hardest to spend money and become loyal fans. And you don’t even need to be selling a physical product to use these. For example, in order to secure votes, politicians tell a story that paints a picture of hope for the future, while alternative fashion brands make clothes that help people project a unique identity into the world.
Storytelling requires being bold. If your story is too plain or boring, it won’t capture much attention. The boldest stories drive the highest rates of success. But that doesn’t mean you need to shock people. It just means you need to take a stand on something and not hold back.
Patagonia is a great example of a brand that doesn’t just align with a bold movement – they lead one. The company sells durable outdoor clothing that lasts longer than average brands, and people consider them to be one of the best in the industry. However, it’s not the quality of their clothing that earned them all that recognition.
The brand was built around a commitment to sustainability, quality, and social responsibility while selling quality products. They’ve made some bold moves by donating more than $10 million to environmental groups, and the company’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, gave the entire company (worth around $3 billion) to a nonprofit dedicated to fighting climate change.
Other brands sell comparable quality products, but aren’t as well known because they don’t anchor themselves in a purpose. Even people in the outdoor space are unaware of lesser-known brands that make comparable clothing. If those brands started using storytelling in their marketing campaigns, they’d build a stronger reputation and gather more loyal customers.
Incorporating real-life examples into your video marketing will reinforce your story by reducing skepticism, adding authenticity and emotional impact, and most importantly, building credibility. You could have the most amazing story in the world, but without credibility, you’ll have a harder time getting sales.
A whopping 93% of people say reviews impact their purchase decisions. People trust real people over what brands say about their products. You’ll get more sales when your market can see themselves in other people’s stories.
Case studies may seem like a presentation of facts, but they actually showcase an emotional before-and-after transformation. If you can weave testimonials and case studies into your videos, you’ll have an advantage over your competition.
Many people are just waiting for the opportunity to support a cause they align with, but won’t take action until a trusted brand paves the way. When you align with an existing cause, you tap into existing emotions, which immediately makes your message relatable and persuasive. It’s much easier to generate loyalty by telling a familiar story.
When you align with an existing cause, you automatically have a story to tell. It doesn’t need to be your personal story. Once you take on a cause, it becomes your fight. You get to tell the world what’s going on with that particular cause, and get your customers to rally their support for the cause and your brand.
It’s harder to convince people they need to care about a new cause. However, when they’re already emotionally connected to a cause, your brand can seamlessly become an extension of what they already align with.
Regardless of what stories you decide to weave into your video marketing content, make sure you always show victory over defeat. People will feel most inspired by watching others go from zero to hero, from losing to winning, from struggling to overcoming.
For example, companies that seek donations to bring clean water to third-world countries show communities struggling with dirty water, their daily hardships, and the moment their lives change when clean water arrives.
When you tap into your market’s deepest desires and fears, you can construct a relatable story that depicts their own struggles so they’ll see themselves as the hero or victor in your story.
You may have noticed that some brands make their customers part of their story. This is one of the most powerful strategies you can employ. Nothing will make people feel more connected to your brand and your movement than the ability to participate in some way. Here are some examples:
GoPro
In 2018, GoPro launched their “Be a Hero” campaign where they asked customers to submit their GoPro videos capturing exciting moments for the chance to win part of a $1,000,000 prize. The video submissions posted to YouTube have received millions of views.
Doritos
From 2007-2016, Doritos ran their “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign, asking fans to make their own commercials. The best picks aired during the Super Bowl, automatically making fans advertising co-creators.
Starbucks
In 2014, Starbucks ran a “White Cup Contest,” where customers submitted hand-drawn doodles on their cups and some of those designs were featured on a reusable cup.
Video is the most powerful way to tell a story because it combines visuals, emotion, and sound in a way that plain text can’t. Written content can be inspiring, but seeing real people, hearing their voices, and seeing them overcome their struggles hits deeper by making the story feel more personal.
Powerful, visual storytelling doesn’t just sell – it makes people feel something, creates connection, drives action, and generates belief in your brand.
Ready to tell a story that sells? Let’s create your next powerful video!
Brands that win are building strong emotional connections by telling relatable stories. And nothing tells a better story and inspires action faster than video.
If you’re ready to create high-impact videos that leverage powerful storytelling, we can help. Whether you’re looking to align your brand with a cause, create your own movement, or use storytelling to tap into your audience’s deepest desires, contact us today and let’s bring your story to life!
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Behind every great brand lies a powerful story waiting to be told. Explainer videos bring that story to life by transforming complex messages into clear, captivating narratives that your audience will remember. And that’s exactly what you need to build a strong brand reputation and generate consistent revenue.
While viewer attention spans are shorter than ever – with many videos watched on mute and few watched to completion (for various reasons) – the impact of video content is significant. Consider that 64% of consumers have made a purchase after watching a Facebook marketing video, even though 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. Furthermore, 66% of people watch informational videos at least once a week, which proves there’s an audience for explainer videos.
Before diving into the types of explainer videos and the advantages they’ll bring to your business, let’s start with the fundamentals regarding what an explainer video is, and why these videos have become such a powerful business tool.
This particular type of video combines engaging visuals, compelling narratives, and strategic content to form messages that resonate with viewers and drive meaningful business results. According to the data, 96% of consumers report watching an explainer video before making a purchase, and 81% of businesses say they’ve increased sales directly because of explainer videos.
Explainer videos serve several different purposes:
· Explain. As the label suggests, explainer videos are designed to explain things, like concepts and ideas, processes, and even how to use products.
· Entertain to maintain attention. Videos need to be engaging to hold people’s attention, and this can be accomplished by including some entertaining content, like humor or satire.
· Generate leads. Some businesses use explainer videos to generate hype and bring relevant traffic to their website.
· Build rapport and trust. The best explainer videos will naturally build trust and credibility by connecting with an audience on a personal level. When people see their challenges and problems being solved through the story told in a video, they’ll start to see the brand as a trusted partner. When you establish that connection, trust and rapport are a natural result.
· Establish authority. As you dive deep into explaining a complex topic, especially if you’re promising to solve a big problem, viewers will start to see you as the expert. The better you can explain a topic, the more credibility and authority you’ll build with your audience.
As you can see, the main benefits of using explainer videos can greatly support your business. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular types of explainer videos along with their ideal use cases.
1. Animation explainer videos
Animated explainer videos are excellent for conveying complex messages because they’re engaging, fast-paced, and easy to follow. When a company needs to make a series of videos, they can create animated explainer videos featuring the same characters to maintain consistency. People get attached to likeable characters, even when it’s just a marketing message.
This type of explainer video is great for selling services when you need to convince your audience that you can deliver results. For example, digital marketing agencies frequently use animated explainer videos to demonstrate how email marketing works in order to sell their services. Everyone knows what email marketing is, but an explainer video can demonstrate the expertise required to convert viewers into clients.
While it can be helpful to use real people, sometimes that works against you when viewers have an unconscious bias against people who look or speak a certain way. Animation is fairly neutral.
Animated explainer videos are typically used for:
· Landing pages
· Explaining complex ideas
· Explaining controversial topics
· Social media posts
· Video ads
· New launches
· Foreign language learning
2. Whiteboard explainer videos
Whiteboard animated videos are popular in just about every industry. They’re animated, but don’t require as much work to create as a typical animation. This makes them a cheaper option for businesses on a budget.
Whiteboard animations are fast-paced, easy to follow, and simple. The constant motion keeps viewers engaged, and these videos do exceptionally well when combined with closed captions.
A whiteboard explainer video is perfect for:
· Keeping viewers engaged with a sales presentation
· Explaining complex or simple concepts
· Building rapport with your audience
· New product or service launches
· Reaching potential investors
3. Timeline explainer videos
A timeline explainer video is perfect for walking your audience through a timeline of events. For example, maybe you want to create a “year in review” video to celebrate all of your accomplishments, or recount the history of product development.
You can include snippets of varying types of footage, but if you’re creating it from scratch, you’ll need video editing skills. However, since this is a popular video style, some video content creator tools include a timeline template that you can use.
Timeline explainer videos work well for:
· Securing funding from investors
· Establishing trust and authority in your industry
· Employee onboarding to share the company’s history
4. Videos with human presenters
Sometimes nothing beats an explainer video presented by a human – specifically, someone from your company who knows your products and services inside out. Ideally, this type of video should be filmed from multiple angles that you can switch between during post production. This is ideal for product demonstrations and ads that are supposed to have that “infomercial feel.”
These live-action explainer videos are ideal for:
· Building rapport on social media
· Video ads
· Announcing a new product or service
5. Live product demo videos
Product demonstration videos are highly effective when made right. Live demos beat written instructions any day. Some customers need to see a product in someone’s hands before they’ll make a purchase. In addition to showing them how to use a product, a demo video will help them gauge size, weight, texture, and more.
Live product demo videos are ideal for:
· Selling products people can’t touch in person first
· Products that aren’t easy to use out of the box
· Products that require some assembly
· Sharing tips to help people get the most out of their product
6. Screencast explainer videos
Nothing beats a screencast explainer video when you’re trying to help people troubleshoot or learn a new skill. By recording your actual on-screen actions in real-time, a screencast gives viewers a clear, precise, visual walkthrough of every click and keystroke. This is crucial for teaching people how to use an application or access their account. It’s the next best thing to sitting next to your customers and guiding them through the process personally.
If you use a Mac and have QuickTime, you can record a screencast for free. All you need to do is plug in a good microphone, go to File > New Screen Recording, and then select the area of your screen you wish to record. Select your preferred microphone, and then click record.
Unfortunately, Apple no longer supports QuickTime for Windows, but there are other free options. However, it’s worth looking into paid screen recording software that also includes basic video editing tools so you can polish your final production.
Screencast explainer videos are perfect for:
· Product demonstrations
· Software walk-throughs
· Troubleshooting online actions
· Explaining how to perform a specific task inside of a user account
7. AI-generated explainer videos
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has revolutionized explainer videos, offering some of the best features, including AI-generated humans speaking to the camera, animation, and even a version of those popular whiteboard-style videos.
AI explainer videos are the most affordable and scalable option for businesses that need consistent video content. Many applications make it easier than ever to generate AI explainer videos, and you don’t even need to write your own script. Some applications will generate a script before making your entire video. However, you can also use your own professionally-written video script to make sure your content is on point when it matters.
AI-generated explainer videos are ideal for the following uses:
· Teaching basic concepts and ideas
· Landing page videos
· Explaining how a product works
· Simple video ads
· Videos made in multiple languages
8. Company culture explainer videos
Company culture matters to employees and customers, but for different reasons. While potential employees need to experience a company’s culture to know if the job will be a good fit, Some customers want to know if a company’s values align with theirs before making a purchase.
The best place to put a company culture explainer video is on the “about us” page on your website. The video should be relatively short, but professionally produced. For this type of video, you’ll want to focus on your company’s core values, competitive advantages, and how you’ve helped your customer or client base.
Get real customer testimonials if possible, and include real footage of your business operations. Giving people an authentic inside look at your company will help you create the kind of transparency that builds trust and rapport.
When creating company culture videos for recruiting purposes, focus on showing potential candidates what makes your workplace special through the eyes of your employees. Highlight the investment you make in your team’s professional development, how you prioritize work-life balance, and focus on team culture. You want candidates to picture themselves happy and thriving as part of your team.
Company culture explainer videos are ideal for:
· Recruiting new hires
· Training new hires to embody your company culture
· Increasing conversions through building trust
9. Simple text slide explainer videos
You’ve probably seen a handful of presentations with simple text slides on a plain white background – they’re everywhere. And although this type of explainer video seems extremely plain and boring, they work.
Plain text explainer videos are easy to create with video editing software using titles and text, or by recording a PowerPoint presentation as a video.
Simple text slide explainer videos are great for:
· Short-to-medium length sales presentations
· Landing page video lead magnets
10. Kinetic typography explainer videos
Unlike simple text slides, a kinetic typography explainer video uses animated text. It’s a little more engaging and interesting than plain text, but it doesn’t need to be too fancy.
With all the text on the screen, people can watch without sound if they prefer, and they won’t miss out on any of your points.
Kinetic typography explainer videos are an excellent choice for:
· Explaining simple concepts in a short period of time
· Explaining ideas that can’t easily be illustrated
11. Internal communication explainer videos
Trying to explain something important to your team in an email can be ineffective. People get too many emails and aren’t always present when they check their inbox. Important details are likely to be skipped if you rely on email for all of your internal communications.
When you explain things in a video, you have a much greater chance of getting that message across. You can use any type of video to explain important information to your team, whether it’s AI-generated, a whiteboard animation, or a screencast.
Internal communication explainer videos are great for:
· Updating employees regarding goals and milestones
· Communicating a project’s status to investors and clients
· Clarifying misunderstandings or rumors that must be addressed
· Sending out reminders for important meetings or upcoming trainings
· Sending updates to the sales team
Your explainer videos should capture attention, keep viewers engaged, and influence them to take your desired action. Here are some tips to achieve these goals.
1. Stick to one clear message
Explainer videos should be short and sweet – between 60 and 90 seconds long, with a clear message. According to research, only 66% of people finish watching videos under 1 minute, and the percentage just decreases with longer videos. A clear message increases your chances of maintaining viewer attention long enough to get your message across.
2. Prioritize quality
Quality video and audio are essential for explainer videos. Low-resolution videos or bad sound quality will defeat your intentions. If you’re recording the sound for a video, invest in a high-quality microphone. And if you’re not good at video editing, always hire a pro.
3. Connect emotionally through storytelling
There’s an old saying that “facts tell, stories sell.” It’s true. Facts can be interesting, but they don’t move people to buy. Storytelling is effective because it reaches people emotionally. People are more likely to buy from you, believe what you have to say, and trust you when they form an emotional bond. Facts don’t have the same effect on people. To get results, you need to tell a compelling story.
4. Include a strong call to action (CTA)
After getting people to watch your explainer videos, then what? That’s where the call to action comes into play. You need to tell people what to do or they’ll just bounce. Do you want them to make a purchase? Sign up for your newsletter? Download a freebie? Contact you for more information? Always include a CTA at the end of your videos.
At Vid.co, we help brands tell their stories through compelling videos that connect and convert. Whether you’re an existing brand seeking to amplify your message, or you’re just getting started, we can create explainer videos that inspire action from your market.
Contact us now to learn more!
Let’s talk about the elephant in the marketing room: AI-generated video content. Artificial Intelligence is capable of producing impressive video content, including conjuring up lifelike people that can’t easily be identified as AI. But is this always the right tech to use? When should you rely on AI-generated videos, and when is it better to stick to old-fashioned human authenticity?
The answer depends on a variety of factors. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the benefits, drawbacks, and ethics of using AI-generated marketing videos.
If you’ve been in marketing for any length of time, the following factors might be leading you toward using AI in your video marketing campaigns:
· Email marketing is tough. The average email has about the same chance of getting a response as your cat has of using that expensive bed you got them for Christmas (less than 2% in most industries). It’s getting harder to get people to respond to text-based emails.
· Video marketing is highly effective. Video is the #1 form of media, and it’s no surprise that personalized videos get 16x more opens and 4.5x more click throughs than general content.
· Finding prospects takes a lot of time and effort. This makes it urgent to close as many deals as possible, and AI seems like it might help.
· Creating videos is exhausting. There are only so many videos you can make before you run out of ideas and energy to create content (AI seems to solve this problem).
· Marketing budgets tend to shrink while expectations grow. (AI promises to make video production more affordable at scale).
Despite being highly effective, video marketing can be time-consuming and exhausting, not to mention expensive.
Artificial intelligence isn’t exactly new, but it’s finally made its way into video marketing. Here’s what AI can bring to your video marketing campaigns:
· Effortless automation. Polished and near-polished content can be created faster than you can manually write the script.
· Fast scaling. Scaling without AI isn’t hard, until you realize you can generate thousands of personalized videos before your coffee gets cold.
· Perfect brand consistency. AI won’t make those little mistakes that create inconsistencies in your messaging.
While these are big benefits, AI isn’t always the right choice. Let’s explore when AI is great to use for video marketing – and when it’s not.
Sometimes robots do a better job than humans… sometimes.
1. Initial contact with a prospect (when you’re playing the numbers game)
In the first stage, most video marketers send all of their prospects to the same landing page with the same video at the top. That’s not by accident. When you’re playing the numbers game, it’s the only way to generate and qualify leads at scale. Nobody has time to create a custom video for the first contact with every prospect. In fact, when you don’t know who your leads are, creating a custom video isn’t even possible.
In this case, AI can do an excellent job at creating simple videos for your first touch with a prospect. With the right input, AI can introduce prospects to your brand and offerings in a professional manner. These videos don’t need to be in-depth or complicated. You just need to grab their attention and write an effective script that gets them to respond.
With non-personalized videos generated by AI, once you create the video, it’s done, and you can use it on any company website or landing page.
2. Follow-up sequences (the “did you get my email about my email?” phase)
Sometimes prospects get annoyed when you email them asking if they got your previous emails or watched your presentation. Using AI to create follow-up videos can make your follow-up communications smoother and more welcomed.
Everyone knows that most follow-up email sequences are automated, but they don’t have to feel robotic. It just takes a slight amount of personalization – like using a prospect’s name – to create rapport and make them feel comfortable.
3. Large-scale personalized outreach efforts (when you’re going big)
Let’s face it, creating custom videos for a bunch of prospects isn't practical when you have other priorities. If you have quotas to meet, important business responsibilities, or a family life, you don’t have time for that.
If you happen to know something about the prospects you’re reaching out to, AI can support your efforts at scale, while personalizing each video to make them more effective.
Naturally, the more you know about a prospect, the better you can tailor your marketing messages to get a response. When you know enough to categorize your prospects, AI can create large-scale personalized outreach messages in a fraction of the time it would take to do the work manually.
4. International outreach (when your high school Spanish won’t cut it)
When you need to make a video in a language you don’t speak fluently, you have two choices: hire someone to come to your office and hope they look good on camera, or let AI do all the hard work. An AI video created in another language will be smooth and professional, not to mention, much cheaper.
5. Event reminders (because nobody likes a no-show)
Many marketers create “save the date” videos for events, like conferences, festivals, and summits. Event reminder videos are far more engaging than plain email text, but they don’t need to be complex to work. This is where AI-generated video can really shine. All you need is a video that tells people about your company, the event, and gives the dates and times.
6. Faceless video ads (when you need to seem professional, but don’t want to get out of your pajamas)
Faceless video ads are popular for a reason – they work really well. These short form video ads use stock images and stock videos in the background with text overlaid on top and are typically published as YouTube Shorts, TikTok videos, and genuine advertisements on various channels.
Generating a video with a beautiful background – video or image – is right up AI’s alley it’s what AI does best. You’ll still need to follow all the basic rules for creating a successful video ad, but as long as you nail that, AI can create an amazing final product.
7. When you just need a good script
Sometimes it’s easier to come up with a video script using ChatGPT. Your final video may or may not have AI elements, but leaning on AI to write your script is completely acceptable as long as you verify the output for accuracy.
If the world only contained robots, AI-generated videos would rule the world. Since humans still dominate the Earth, there are several instances where human-made video content reigns supreme.
1. VIP relationships
If they’re important enough to have your personal cell phone number, they deserve to see your actual face in the video. A real video will feel more personal and that can help you close deals.
For example, if you’ve been working on closing a deal with a big client for a while, and you need to send them a video, make sure it’s human-made. If you use AI at that point, potential clients will feel like they don’t matter and the relationship will seem transactional.
2. When specifics matter
Making authentically human videos is always the best choice when you need content that would take longer to explain to AI than it would take to grab a camera and do it yourself. Unless you’re feeding AI a specific and complete script, a human being will do a much better job at explaining nuanced details.
3. Big money is being spent
Nobody wants to feel like they’re being sold to by a robot when they’re about to drop some serious cash. Keep it real when you’re using video to market to people who will be spending big money with your company. This includes individual clients and prospects you’re targeting for high-ticket items.
4. Complex topics
Some things need a genuine human touch, especially when you’re explaining why people should buy your product over the competition. It’s easier to persuade consumers by keeping it real and making authentic videos. AI-generated sales pitches aren’t personal enough to build genuine rapport.
Making real, human videos gives you a chance to share important stories that strengthen bonds with your market, which will ultimately influence more sales.
If you’re not comfortable with speaking to a camera, find someone on your team who can speak clearly and concisely about your offerings. If not, don’t shy away from reading a script.
5. Proposals
Human-made video proposals make prospects more likely to sign a contract or make a purchase from your company. The more personalized the proposal is, the better, because it creates the impression that the video was made just for them. Prospects who feel valued are more likely to buy.
1. Track all video performance
Tracking is essential for optimizing your outreach strategy, but when AI is involved, you need to expand your awareness for troubleshooting. Normally, when a video isn’t performing well, you’d consider changing factors like your opening statement, the message, filming location, and maybe even your outfit.
With an AI video, you need to consider AI itself as a potential reason for poor performance. To find out, you’ll need to conduct some split tests with human-made content to convey the same message to the same audience. And don’t just track views – track click through rates and other conversions that matter more.
2. Invest time and effort into segmenting your audience
If you’re going to use AI-generated videos in your marketing campaigns, be sure to segment your audience so you can target them properly. Different audiences require different approaches, and the more information you collect about your leads, the better.
3. Determine where AI benefits you most
When mapping out your video marketing plan, determine which videos will be made with AI ahead of time. Don’t just use AI for everything because it’s easy. Consider whether each video needs a human touch on a case-by-case basis. To help others make the right decisions, create some guidelines for identifying the best use cases for AI.
4. Give your AI videos some personality
Adding personality to your marketing videos is essential, even when they’re AI-generated or you’re using ChatGPT to create your script. If you can feed an AI actor a script, don’t forget to include humor and make the script sound like natural speech rather than a perfectly polished dissertation.
5. Combine AI with a human touch
Not all videos need to be purely AI. Sometimes AI is great for creating B-roll or other simple shots that get integrated into a final production that features a human.
6. Create consistency with AI
Make sure your AI-generated content remains consistent with your brand image and message. If more than one person creates AI video content, create set standards for which models, filters, variations, and settings to use when generating videos.
7. Pay close attention to auto-generated claims
When using AI video generators, carefully scrutinize all claims before publishing, especially if the AI system creates information beyond your original script. Misleading and inaccurate claims need to be removed and replaced to avoid legal consequences.
8. Never use AI to generate fake reviews or testimonials
Lately, the FTC has been cracking down hard on AI-generated reviews and testimonials, which now includes videos.
Many people incorrectly believe nobody will ever know their reviews and testimonials are fake because who’s going to check? The harsh reality is if someone files a complaint against your business with the FTC, you will be investigated, and you will get penalized for using fake testimonials and reviews.
While this isn’t a complete list, most people aren’t aware of the following legal requirements set forth by the FTC, which can destroy your business if you let AI take the lead:
· Business owners are required to independently verify all claims made in testimonials they use. You can’t take a customer at their word if you publish their testimonial. For example, if a customer sends you a testimonial claiming they earned $15,000 in seven weeks using your program, you’re legally required to obtain copies of their financial statements to substantiate their claim. If you get investigated, you’ll need to provide this documentation to the FTC. If you can’t substantiate the claim to the FTC, you will be held legally responsible for making a false claim.
· Business owners are required to get a signed release form from the owner of every testimonial they use. If you’re investigated by the FTC, you’ll be asked for signed release forms for every testimonial you’ve ever published. If investigated, all testimonials will be treated as false claims when not accompanied by a signed release form.
There are more regulations you’re at risk of violating when using AI, but these are the top two. Visit the FTC’s website to read the full consumer protection trade regulations on consumer reviews and testimonials.
Remember, AI is a tool, but it’s not the end-all-be-all. Use it wisely, but don’t let AI run the whole show. Video marketing is evolving, and AI happens to be a big part of that evolution. However, keep it real and human when possible. Sometimes there is no substitute for the human touch – especially when you’re trying to get people to give you money.
Truth be told, video marketing isn’t easy unless it’s your passion. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance it’s not. That’s why we’re here.
At Vid.co, our team of video marketing pros have extensive experience crafting every type of marketing video you can imagine for big brands, corporations, small businesses, and individuals. If you’re on a mission to achieve a specific goal, we’d love to help. Contact us now for a free consultation!
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