by Ydraw | Nov 7, 2018 | Authenticity, Google Business Trends, Marketing, Presentation, Simple marketing, Social Media Marketing, Video Marketing, Ydraw
This past week we shipped off two of our Project Managers (Kristen and Lexa) to Miami to teach Estheticians about how they can be using social media and video marketing to grow their business. Here’s a quick run down of what they shared!
WHY should you be using video in your marketing plan? And HOW should you be utilizing your social media?
Let’s start with video…
Let’s be honest, people are lazy these days and don’t care to read a bunch of information. This is where video comes in. Getting them to click play is a much easier task, than getting them to read paragraphs of information. BUT there are things you need to consider when creating a video to use.
For example, our attention spans are down to a record low and we have 5 seconds, yep you heard me…5 SECONDS to grab our viewers attention. This means you SHOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE start with branding. You don’t need an opening title that has your logo, or anything like that. If you choose to do that, before you know it your 5 seconds have passed and your potential customer is long gone. Instead, you’ll want to jump into your subject right away. Then proceed to EDUCATE your audience. More education, and less promotion. Try to focus your content on your CUSTOMERS needs. What do THEY want to see, and how can YOU help THEM. Solve their problems and they’re a customer for life. Try to stay away from only talking about your company, and how great you are. Your content should speak for itself.
Not sure where to start when it comes to implementing video? Here’s some advice.
Create a library of the following types of video:
1. 3 WHY Videos (1 minute each)
-Share WHY you are doing what you are doing
-Start with 3 60 second videos
2. 3 HOW Videos (1 minute each)
-Share educational videos
-Start with 3 60 second videos
3. 3 ALL TO ACTION Videos (1 minute each)
-Share promotional videos with a call to action at the end
Tip: Check out what your competitors are doing and then think like your customer…what would YOU want to see if you were them.
Okay, so you’ve created your video library, but now what?
RUN VIDEO AD CAMPAIGNS! This is an amazing tool that not enough people are taking advantage of. Through video ads you can get your video in front of your ideal client. This kind of marketing is genius. You can determine your audience by selecting the location, age group, gender, languages, demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. Now if we are being honest here (and we always are), anyone can set up an ad campaign but they require trial and error to determine how to best utilize them. If you have the budget, hire a professional (spoiler: that’s us, we are the professionals). They’ll be able to better track what is and isn’t working for you, so that they can adjust your campaigns.
Moving on to social media…
When somebody comes to your page, it’s important that we immediately draw them in and give them a reason to click “follow”. You don’t want them to be confused about who or what they are following.
4 THINGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR BUSINESS BIO:
WHO: Who you are/company name.
WHAT: What you do. State the products/ services you offer.
CALL TO ACTION: Website, booking site, etc.
OFFER: Discount code, link to tutorial, etc.
Keep in mind what the goal is. We want to use social media to grow and showcase our business and what we have to offer. Don’t show your personal life, what your eating, etc. This doesn’t create value or give your follower a reason to stick around.
Other things you can be doing with your social media:
-Create a personalized hashtag to use on your posts
-Post on your story
-Share customer testimonials
-Create videos to share on IGTV
-Tell your customers/clients to share your product/service on their social media and offer them a discount for any referrals (People want social proof)
-Repost content that your customers/clients share
-Utilize your highlight stories (Share things here that answer your FAQs. This will help make it so you don’t have to answer the same questions all of the time
-Interact with others from your profile (reply to comments/questions you get, comment on other accounts, etc)
-If applicable, use influencers to help spread the word about your business
Other important factors:
-DO NOT post a bunch of stock images/graphics. Be creative and authentic with your posts.
-Produce content that sets you apart from your competitors.
-BE CONSISTENT: Whether its posting weekly or daily, make sure that your profile is up-to-date so people know you are serious about your business.
So the question of the day is what can YOU do to better your social media and video marketing game?
by Ydraw | Oct 30, 2018 | Authenticity, Communication, Story Telling, Video Content, Video Marketing
When talking with a Project Manager or other Creative here at Ydraw, it is important to help us understand exactly what your company wants.
Otherwise, how can we blow your mind with incredibly awesome and mystical videos?
One of our favorite things is getting to work with heaps of companies with unique brands and differing requests. Unfortunately, working with a wide range of opinions can make it difficult for our team to pinpoint your companies wishes.
It’s true…we are made of stardust and wishes and magical things, but let me tell you a secret…we can’t actually read minds.
I know, weird right?
For years, we have been diligently looking for a mind-reading crystal ball and unfortunately haven’t found one yet. But…we haven’t given up hope just yet, so we will let you know when that happens!
Until then…
It’s important that we continue to ask lots of questions and paramount that you and your team clearly communicate your wishes.
If you don’t know what you want, and we don’t know what you want, we’re just shooting in the dark. And although our accuracy is near perfect… we aren’t quite there yet.
Listen, we do this all day every day, so trust us when we say we don’t get our feelings hurt. We love working with diverse companies and that is why we have made our process collaborative and flexible.
So be raw, be truthful and communicate clearly.
By the way…
We are POSITIVE that if we did have a crystal ball, it would tell us that YOU ARE FULL OF MAGIC!!
by Ydraw | Oct 10, 2018 | Creative Marketing, Marketing, Simple marketing, Social Media Marketing, Video Marketing, video online marketing, Video Strategy Guide, viral video, Ydraw
We’re coming up on the end of the year, folks! It’s time to look back on your company’s marketing expenditures, evaluate your results and begin planning for the year to come.
But wait, not so fast!
Though it’s always important to look ahead don’t forget to follow through with 2018’s marketing campaigns and finish the year out with a video-marketing bang!
Most companies slow their marketing efforts as the year-end approaches. By consciously doing the opposite of this common trend, you can gain a competitive edge to break away from the pack by keeping your marketing push strong right up until the 2019 ball drops.
Top 3 reasons to for beefed-up fourth quarter marketing:
- Spending Deadlines:It ain’t over, till it’s over.
As the year comes to a close, some departments may locate excess budget floating around. With the “use it or lose it” policy found in most organizations, department managers are looking for opportunities to spend these additional dollars.
Don’t let your department get passed up. Be vocal and visible with your video campaign ideas just in case these other departments are looking for ways to spend their dollars.
Stay on top of your marketing efforts. This includes value-based bullet points that highlight achievable results in the current year and extending into the next year. Being organized and keeping your campaigns rolling forward can help justify last minute marketing purchases.
- 2019’s Budget:Spend More Now= Get More Later.
Now is the time when many companies start kicking off their budgeting efforts and mapping out spend for next year.
During this time, department heads are looking for ways to get the biggest bang for their budgeting buck.
This also makes now a good time to use the current year’s budget to get a head start on next year’s campaigns… think ahead by producing next year’s content NOW!
- Marketing Momentum:Stay Visible To Your Audience.
Don’t let preparations for a busy first quarter make you invisible to your customers during the Holidays.
This is the most wonderful time of the year, where they are programmed to spend some serious $$$. Keep your products and services in view with some fresh videos.
Ongoing communications is key to creating leads and keeping your target prospective customers engaged.
Video and Marketing Are A Match Made In Heaven
If you want your message to find it’s way in front of a set of eyeballs and a pair of ears, the proof of video’s prowess is in the statistical pudding:
- 75 Million people in the U.S. watch online videos everyday.
- Merely mentioning the word ‘video’ in an email subject line, the click-through rate increased by 13%.
- Nearly 50% of all video is watched on a mobile device.
- By 2019, internet video traffic will account for 80% of all consumer Internet traffic
- Videos up to 2 minutes long get the most engagement.
Create Videos Now
These forgotten fourth quarter months can be the prime time to wrap up 2018 with a video that will create a buzz leading into the new year while also increasing your spend that may lead to more funding for the future!
Creating new content can ensure ongoing communication with your audience while building and maintaining brand recognition. This constant buzz breathes life into your value proposition, year round.
2018 Budget: Use It Or Lose It… Create With Ydraw And Market Strong All Year Long
by Ydraw | Sep 26, 2018 | Creative Marketing, How to pick a video style, video, Video Marketing, Video Strategy Guide, video style
Let’s talk about style…
The style of your video sends a subconscious message to your viewers and lets them know that your company is professional, modern, playful, organized, credible, genuine or any other positive brand qualifier.
If you haven’t already noticed, here at Ydraw we produce many different video styles. Some clients come to us knowing what type of video style they want and others not knowing their options let alone the differences between them.
Rather than shoving you into a box you don’t fit in, we are here to help guide you in the right direction and determine what video style best fits your unique brand, message, audience and budget.
Here is just a quick glimpse of a few of our video styles:
WHITEBOARD/BLACKBOARD/CARDBOARD:
Purpose: These videos are hand drawn with marker on the paper of your choice. The purpose is to create simple, relatable and easy to understand stories/concepts to explain your product or service. By lining up powerful narration and simple artwork we hit both sides of the brain to keep your audience interested and wanting to know more. These videos are our favorite for teaching.
Budget: Range from $ – $$
Features:
- Traditional artwork
- See the artists hand draw while narration is happening
- Small digital effects added in to bring on artwork or pose change a character’s expression etc.
- Hand drawn
- Funny and relatable
YSWIPE:
Purpose: This video style uses Pattern Interruption to change the viewers thoughts or perception and redirect their attention to what you want to show them. We use the artists hand to slide/snap/wipe/point artwork on/off screen to keep the video upbeat and lower the viewers defenses.
Budget: Range from $-$$$
Features:
- Traditional or digital artwork.
- Upbeat and fast moving
- Uses Pattern Interruption
- Artists hand slides/snaps/wipes/points artwork on screen.
YPAINT:
Purpose: Ypaint videos use full watercolor or pencil sketches and have a more realistic art style. Instead of seeing the artists hand, we digitally reveal the images as if they are being digitally painted or dropped on screen like a water droplet. These videos use slow movements and soft pastel colors to evoke emotion in the viewer. If you want your video to be inspirational, motivational and classy, this may just be the style for you.
Budget: $$
Features:
- Inspirational/Motivational/Classy
- Slower pace
- Soft Pastel Colors
- No hand involved
- Realistic artwork
MOTION GRAPHICS:
Purpose: This video style uses simple digital artwork and kinetic typography to explain complex topics in a literal or abstract manner. Motion Graphic videos are fast moving and can allow a boring topic to be upbeat and easy to understand without telling a story or condensing information. Most of the time they are used to explain a complex product or show a result.
Budget: $$-$$$
Features:
- Pattern Interruption
- Lots of movement
- Simple digital artwork
- Exact brand colors
- More sophisticated
- Fast moving
- Can be literal or abstract
- Moveable characters and objects
ANIMATION OVERLAY:
Purpose: This style overlays digital artwork on top of live video to make them more interactive and fun. Although we love using real people to evoke real emotion, sometimes it can get boring. If you want to show that your company is trustworthy by using live video as well as relatable and unique by using digital artwork, this style is for you!
Budget: $$-$$$$$ (Depending on price of live video). We are happy to do the live for you, or you can send us the live video and we can animate on top!
Features:
- Can be endorsed by celebrity in live video
- Trustworthy
- Sophisticated
- Interactive
- Allows viewers to go back and find a specific spot to rewatch.
- Combine real people and digital artwork
2D ANIMATION:
Purpose: This video style uses engaging narration and compelling characters and backgrounds to tell a story. Characters can range from simple stick figures to more complex and detailed characters. 2D animation allows the characters to move and talk more than you will see in a motion graphic video. Think cartoons like Tom and Jerry or Phineas and Ferb.
Budget: $$$-$$$$$
Features:
- Characters that talk and move more realistically
- Unique artwork that range from simple to complex
- Interactive and fun
3D ANIMATION:
Purpose: These videos use beautiful and complex three-dimensional characters and backgrounds to tell your story without using real people and places. The bigger the budget, the more complex artwork and movement. Think Toy Story or Tangled. The downfall to 3D Animation is that you are competing with companies like Pixar and Disney who have enormous budgets and endless amounts of time.
Budget: $$$$-$$$$$
Features:
- More bells and whistles than other video styles
- More sophisticated and complex
- Lots of movement
- Time consuming
- Characters can talk and move
- Digitally drawn artwork
So now that you know the basics, what video style is right for you?
What may have worked for one company may not work for yours. Depending on your purpose, audience, brand and budget there is a perfect style for your company and we are here to help you find it.
by Ydraw | Sep 18, 2018 | Creative Marketing, how to make a whiteboard animation, Simple marketing, Story Telling, Video Content, Video Marketing, Video Strategy Guide, Whiteboard animation, Whiteboard Video, Writing a Script, Ydraw
Here at Ydraw, we work with amazing people every day, from all over the world, to create awesome videos.
Our completely custom videos are perfect for companies, because we can create EXACTLY what they need. From the scripting, to the choice of art style, to your voiceover selection, to our custom music composer, everything is tailored to our customer’s needs.
Since each video is entirely unique, it requires both parties to be equally invested and provide timely feedback. COLLABORATION IS KEY! This can be both a blessing and a curse.
One of the biggest challenges we run into when creating videos is understanding each parties’ roles in the project. We rely on the client to provide the information needed for us to understand their product or service, and in return, ask our clients to trust us when it comes to creating the best content for them.
Sometimes clients will focus in on one minor detail that has little or no impact on the overall messaging of the video, and can eventually lead to an experience or end product that isn’t so spectacular.
For instance, have you ever looked at a word so many times that you convince yourself it’s spelled wrong? The more your stare at it, the weirder it looks… even though it was right from the beginning. This can happen when creating content.
When creating videos, we notice this problem in the artwork phase. For example, a client will get so hung up on the color of “Mary’s shirt”, and before you know it, they’ve convinced themselves that their ENTIRE video is a failure, because absolutely NO ONE is going to understand or even watch the video, if her shirt is red, and NOT blue…
Sounds dramatic… but we see examples like this happen with our clients often.
We completely understand that these projects, these videos, are as important as your first born child! You have a lot of pressure to produce an amazing product, but it’s imperative to remember to step back and focus on the overall message of your video.
So if the color of Mary’s shirt isn’t the most important part to creating a successful video… then what is?
The message!
First, you want to establish your message. Keep it clear and concise! Second, ensure that your content helps to portray that message.
Don’t know where to start? The good news is that Ydraw can do it all for you!
(and don’t worry.. if you want Mary’s shirt to be blue, we’ll make sure it’s the prettiest blue you’ve ever seen.)
by Ydraw | Aug 27, 2018 | Creative Marketing, Emotional Connection, Explainer Video, how to make a whiteboard animation, Marketing, Memory, Simple marketing, Story Telling, video, Video Content, Video Marketing, video online marketing, Video Strategy Guide, Whiteboard animation, Whiteboard Video, Writing a Script, Ydraw
“Hello, my name is Mr. Important the CEO of Important Products… but the true important person is you!”
Uh wrong… Can you believe this guy?
He has officially lost us within the first line.
Code #282: If you want your audience to believe your product is important… focus on them and their needs, not on yourself.
This code is very important when creating successful content.
Don’t be Mr. Important.
