Brand authenticity is hard to come by in this day and age. All it takes is a few clicks, a couple of fake reviews, and a handful of staged photos and virtually any company can establish a decent looking online presence to start selling products.
This landscape makes it more important than ever for brands to establish themselves as authentic, relatable, trustworthy organizations that deserve a customer’s business. After all, consumers work hard for their money. They don’t want to just throw it away on some brand who could care less about their needs or goals. They want to do business with companies who are looking out for their best interests, who have a track record of great customer service, and who are run by real people with real values — just like them.
According to Social Media Today, 86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding what brands to support. With Millennials that share jumps to 90%.
Sadly, it seems companies just aren’t living up to consumers’ expectations of brand authenticity. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, a mere 52% of global consumers say they trust businesses. And in the U.S. specifically, only 48% feel businesses are trustworthy.
Video Marketing: The Route Back to Trustworthiness
When it comes to brand authenticity, you can see there’s a lot of room for improvement. In fact, according to that same Social Media Today survey, 57% of consumers think less than half of today’s brands create content that’s “authentic.”
Carefully executed video marketing can help you ensure your company falls into the trustworthy half.
Videos can be a great way to boost authenticity when developing video marketing strategy into your growth marketing plans. It helps build trust, and establish a rapport with customers both new and old.
Here are some trust-boosting videos you might want to consider to improve your brand’s perceived authenticity:
1. Customer Video Testimonials
Written reviews are one thing, but video of an actual, real-life customer talking about their experiences? It doesn’t get more authentic or believable than that. Select a few of your more outgoing, articulate customers to answer a few questions on camera. Ask them things like: “What did you think of your experience with our brand?” and “What would you tell others about us?”
You can certainly edit the video, add music, and make it pretty, but don’t go too far with the production value. You want the videos to seem real, untouched, and unscripted. If it seems your internal team has had too much of a hand in the video, it could have the opposite effect, making your brand look unscrupulous and desperate instead.
2. Product Reviews and Demos
Don’t just tell customers how to use your products and what they can do — show them. Let them see your products and services in action. Better yet, let them see the benefits those products and services can produce — how they change lives, add convenience, or spread happiness.
If you can get video of customers using your products in real-life scenarios, that’s even better. Add these demo videos to the product pages of your online store, share them on your blog and social media accounts, and include links to them in your product brochures and leaflets. Give those videos legs to keep on going!
3. Behind-the-Scenes Videos
Let customers see the real you – the people, teams, and leaders that make your business tick. Do on-the-fly Facebook Live videos from the office or at your next event, or record a video of your Friday staff meeting, or even your team at that Race for the Cure marathon over the weekend.
Post those videos to social media, share them in an email with your most loyal customers, or stream them in store or at your next trade show booth. Give customers a glimpse into the real lives, struggles, and joys of the people who drive your brand and deliver your products. Doing so will simultaneously make your organization feel more relatable and relevant.
4. Influencer Videos
Influencer marketing is one of the hottest strategies out there right now, and it’s largely for two reasons: 1) social media is the easiest and most direct way to reach today’s customers and 2) it offers serious (and instant) authenticity.
Think of it this way: influencers already have thousands, if not millions, of followers — people who know them, love them, and put stock in their opinions and recommendations. When that influencer touts a product or service, or better yet, posts video of them using it in real-life, — they add immediate trust to the equation, not to mention a major boost in brand awareness.
Videos can also be good conversations starters, so make sure to reply to comments, thank users for any shares or retweets, and start establishing a rapport with those who are responding to your videos. This is yet another way to add another layer of authenticity to your brand image and start building trust with customers who encounter you online.
Need help creating a video marketing strategy that helps your brand build trust? Contact Tobe today for guidance.
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