PLAY 2021 Recap: Video for Marketing & Community Engagement

The impacts of worldwide lockdowns over the last 18 months have fundamentally changed how audiences connect with and consume video. That’s why we at Rev were so excited to sponsor Brightcove’s 2021 PLAY event, which explored how exactly the audience landscape is changing, and how brands can push boundaries to capitalize on it.

Over two jam-packed days, PLAY brought together leaders in the digital marketing space (as well as media and entertainment, and more) to share their insights and discuss innovative ways to deepen engagement, improve business results, and get the maximum impact out of video content. Let’s jump in!

Assess (and Maybe Rethink) Your Video Strategy

During a fireside chat about all things video marketing, Hubspot Chief Marketing Officer Kipp Bodnar outlined some pathways to building a successful video strategy.

“We want to tell a clear and remarkable story but that’s not enough. We want to deliver that remarkable story in a very differentiated and remarkable way,” he said.

And Bodnar believes there is plenty of opportunity for companies — especially B2B and technology companies — to invest more heavily in video. But most importantly, organizations need to stop approaching video as if it’s simply a website tool. 

“I think a lot of brands still think of video as a product marketing tool, and a brand storytelling tool, as opposed to an education and an inspiration tool. That’s really where video is winning right now for the right brands,” Bodnar said.

Beyond shifting your video strategy in a more inspirational direction, marketers shouldn’t be afraid to partner with the best video creators in their space. These partnerships can help you reach new audiences while simultaneously telling the best version of your story — and it’s the story that people really care about.

Be Focused but Stay Agile

The video landscape has become incredibly fragmented, with viewers consuming content across multiple channels. And each of these channels — whether it’s YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, or Instagram. In order to capture the (very short) attention spans of your audience, brands need to meet them wherever they’re consuming.

“You’re seeing a lot of people think about the full media investment,” Bodnar said.

And while it’s crucial to test these channels and try new things, it’s even more crucial to maintain focus on where your core audience is. If you don’t have many viewers on TikTok or Instagram, don’t over-invest in those platforms. But Bodnar stressed that brands shouldn’t let that focus prevent them from being agile enough to capitalize on an idea that really works.

“You need to get the maximum amount of value from that idea and that story,” Bodnar said. “Teams need to be agile in order to do that, so don’t be rigid in your editorial calendar.”

Expand Your Audience and Maximize Their Experience

Agility was also a key theme during a session with team members from Hartmann Studios that covered engaging audiences through live events. Like so many organizations, Hartmann Studios was forced to pivot from live or hybrid events to fully virtual, streaming events during the pandemic.

Staying flexible and maintaining focus on the attendee experience helped the Hartmann team pull off successful events throughout the pandemic and is a tenant they’re carrying into the new year as they expand their reach globally. 

Another crucial piece of that audience expansion? Accessibility.

“Right now, a big keyword is accessibility. As our audience reach expands globally, we’re being asked for virtual event sites offered in multiple languages,” said Hartmann Studios Digital Producer Julie Price. “We’re being asked for videos that support multiple caption files — currently we have one piece of content that needs to support eight different caption files.”

Maximizing your audience’s experience with your video content doesn’t just involve a great story, or an inspirational motive, or how accessible it is. Sure, it requires all of those things, but there’s another key factor — charisma.

During a session titled “The Science of People: How to Engage Audiences with People-First Video”, interpersonal communications expert Vanessa Van Edwards offered valuable tips on mastering charisma to create better, more captivating videos.

Too often, brands opt for “professional” tones in their videos. But professional often translates to sterile, according to Van Edwards.

“Words are powerful and actually change chemical responses in audiences,” she said. “The first 20 words out of your mouth in a video set your entire video up for charismatic success.” 

Until Next Year! 

PLAY provided viewers (and sponsors!) with a ton to think about and incorporate into their video content strategies. Rev, a proud member of the brand new Brightcove Marketplace, can help with that strategy, empowering you to grow your audience with 99 percent accurate captions and subtitle translations for all of your videos. All you have to do is tag your video in Brightcove!