Psychology Today reports that human brains process video content up to 60,000 times faster than written content. 73% of businesses that use video marketing report positive ROI. Landing page videos can increase conversions by up to 80%. And almost 60% of executives would rather watch a video than read a white paper. Video marketing doesn’t have to go viral to be effective - it just has to be good. Armed with your market research and a deep knowledge of your customers’ needs, here are some tips for developing great video marketing campaigns:

1. Focus on Pain Points

Your videos should show how your product or service solves your customers’ most irritating problems. Create videos that demonstrate just how your product can address these concerns. One hilarious recent example is a video ad demonstrating how a particular brand of photo books lightens the loads of this harried mom. They followed up with this hilarious holiday ad.

2. Make Them Feel It with a Story

Speaking of hilarious, the best video marketing campaigns tell stories that make you laugh—or tug at your heart strings. Like this British M&S ad. Or this Ronald McDonald House Charities ad. Or this Save the Children ad. Telling an emotional story that induces strong feelings creates pathways in the brain that cement brand recognition and motivate people to act.

3. Surprise & Involve Them!

Surprise and quirkiness is another way to grab attention while educating and solving customer problems. Take it a step further by involving your fans (via social media). Is there something about your product or service that surprises people? Something your fans are commenting about? Something totally new and daring? How can you get your current fans involved?

Do something crazy like those Will It Blend videos that involved user challenges to blend crazy things (this campaign increased brand awareness and boosted sales significantly). This Australian flavored milk ad solved a distribution problem, assuaged disgruntled customers who couldn’t find the product (and complained about it on Facebook) and consequently sent demand through the roof.  

4. That’s Edutainment!

If you want to educate potential customers about your product—show them. You’ve probably all seen this ad on YouTube about a new-fangled mattress brand. It’s both entertaining and product-educational at the same time.

5. Try Going Live

Some brands are even taking video marketing to the next level by live streaming videos on social media. There’s still some uncharted territory here, but daring brands are using it to connect directly with their audience in an unscripted way—like this ad collecting live video feeds from around the world.

Start brainstorming surprising, emotional, pain-point-addressing video marketing campaigns of your own and let us know what happens!