by Nick Pahade, CEO of Poptent
These days, with the near-prerequisite to include digital, social and mobile components to B2B marketing campaigns, it’s more important than ever to produce high-quality video content to deliver your message in a memorable way. While it’s often a challenge to do that with in-house resources, crowdsourcing is a highly affordable alternative. The trick is to find the artistic and technical expertise you need and manage it carefully.
Here are seven tips that can help you pull off your crowdsourced video projects without a hitch:
1. Start with a plan.
It’s incredibly important to map your project out from start to finish. Identify how your video will be used (TV broadcast, social media, tradeshow exhibition, etc.) and then set measurable, clear objectives so that you’ll know what success looks like. Videos often serve multiple purposes, but make sure you define your primary goal before you decide which crowdsourcing platform best fits your needs.
2. Choose the right partner.
There are a number of ways to put together a crowdsourced team and many platform options, but the most cost-effective method is to partner with a company that specializes in video crowdsourcing. There are a half-dozen or so reputable companies to consider. To make the right selection, consider the type of video you’d like to create, how hands-on you’d like to be in the process and define your creative process preferences and budget.
3. Know your audience.
It’s tempting to try to cast the widest possible net, but to focus your video on generating the best B2B opportunities, it pays to define your audience more narrowly. Envision your target audience member – the business buyer you’d most like to reach. Find out as much as you can about your target, including social media consumption and key influencers. When you have a clear picture of your audience, it’s easier to create an engaging video.
4. Communicate your goals.
It’s important to make sure your video partner understands your objectives so that they can match you with the best crew for your project. Outline your challenges and main points. Talk to the creative team, and make sure they thoroughly understand what you need so they can tell your story effectively and engage your audience appropriately. Remember, the video has to have the right focus to generate the results you seek.
5. Get your hands dirty.
One of the best ways to ensure the success of your project is to become directly involved in it. Be a part of the process by communicating with your video creators and encouraging them to ask you questions. Oversee the progress of your video at every step along the way, and steer the creators in the right direction, using your special brand expertise to improve the approach and results.
6. Invest in multiple videos.
It’s a simple matter of economies of scale – the more videos you purchase, the lower the cost per video. When you’re crowdsourcing a video, you’ll get dozens of concepts, some of which are perfect for the present campaign and others that may be ideal for future communications. As you and your crowdsourced team immerse yourselves in the brand and messaging, you can extend the effort to create additional videos affordably.
7. Have fun with it.
What is true for consumer brands is also true on the B2B side: People are more loyal and passionate about brands they like. Creative teams are often most inspired when working on a fun project that they personally enjoy. The viral video phenomenon demonstrates the power of word-of-mouth marketing, and if you can tap into conversations your customers are already having, that can provide powerful insights for your campaign.
Crowdsourcing a video project is a great way to affordably produce powerful messages for a B2B audience – videos you can build current and future campaigns around to engage your target customer across multiple platforms. Crowdsourcing also accesses a broader vein of creativity than is typically available inside of a single organization, no matter how large. By following these tips, you can make your crowdsourced video project a huge success with a memorable message that sets your company apart from competitors.
Nick Pahade is currently serving as Poptent’s CEO. As a pioneer of digital marketing with over 17 years’ experience across media and digital agencies, eCommerce and technology platforms – Pahade brings a wealth of creative thinking and a long resume of innovative communications solutions. Spearheading Poptent’s efforts to address the surging demand for video content that specifically delivers an authentic voice that is well-produced, Pahade provides the vision, experience, and proven leadership needed to accelerate Poptent’s growth while solidifying the company’s role as the industry’s leading social video content community and platform.
