On April 23, 2005, the very first YouTube video was posted. A mere 18 seconds long, it showed one of the website’s co-founders at the zoo, talking about elephants. Since then, millions of videos of everything from adorable babies to fast cars have been uploaded. There are how-to videos, promotional videos, and more. The video embedded above, for example, is a promotional video that RedHedInk produced for Patrick Knowles Designs and Turner Bay, Fort Lauderdale-based sister companies. Patrick Knowles Designs is an interior-design and space-planning firm specializing in yachts, fine homes, and private aviation. Turner Bay is a high-end accessories company offering fine china, lighting, and more.
The principal of both companies realized something important in commissioning this video from our team. Every minute of every day, someone somewhere in this world is searching for something on YouTube… making it the world’s second-largest search engine, even though it wasn’t created to be one. He realized, as should you, that video is a powerful information and communication tool in any marketing arsenal.
For proof, look into the research conducted by Susan Weinschenk. Also known as the “Brain Lady,” Weinschenk studies human behavior and video. Major companies like Amazon.com and Disney hire her to help them in their efforts. She outlines four compelling reasons why video has such hold over us:
- We’re hard-wired to pay attention to faces. Psychologists and other researchers refer to an section of our brains called the fusiform face area that makes us focus on human faces. Related to this, focusing on faces automatically elicits emotions, such as likeability and believability (or, alternately, fear or loathing). So, we process information in a deeper way when we see someone, vs. when we read about that same person.
- Rich information is conveyed via audio. As much as seeing someone makes us process details more, so, too, does hearing a voice. In particular, tone of voice makes the information presented more meaningful. Think about the last conversation you had with a person you admire—particularly a business associate. You can probably still recall the way certain words and syllables were emphasized. Now try “hearing” that same description in monotone… you’d tune out just as quickly as you first tuned in.
- Emotions are contagious. When we see and hear people speak passionately about what they do, we instinctively respond in a positive way. Call it charisma, call it whatever you want…it works.
- Movement grabs attention. Just as we’re hard-wired to react to facial expressions and any motion in our peripheral line of vision, we react to the same in videos, including online videos.
Watch the video above with these ideas in mind. See how many ring true… chances are, all of them will.