We all know the typical bits of video marketing advice. Keep videos short, visually flowing and so on, but what if we need to change our thinking? Kyle Kramer, vice president of video at Forbes Media thinks episodic content is the next “big” thing for modern audiences.
“If the goal is to engage an audience,” said Kramer, “then the series is by far the better investment for a brand.”
Marketers dream of producing viral videos, but those grounded in logic know that it’s highly unlikely that it will ever happen to them.
“Sure, if you hit the jackpot with a one-off video that racks up 6 million views within days, you’ll beat any series in terms of effectiveness,” Kramer said. “But you probably won’t.”
Aspiring to great episodic content is more realistic.
Kramer and his team consistently create video series, with some containing up to 30 episodes. Rather than banking on one video to pull in an audience, Kramer prefers to build an active audience episode-by-episode.
“A series gives a brand a lot more chances to forge an emotional bond with an audience,” Kramer said. “We tend to be skeptical that we can build an audience with one-off video content.”
The viability of this approach can be seen in the data.
Right now, all eight of Forbe’s “Relentless” series videos are on their top 25 most-viewed list. Viewers come to watch one video and often stay to see more or even all of them.
This result comes as no surprise. Modern audiences are consuming more and more episodic content. While they binge-watch Netflix shows, the standard Hollywood model of long-form, one-off videos is becoming less popular.
So what does that mean for video marketers?
Try to create videos that can be watched according to the individual user’s schedule. Your content will be easier to consume, more in-tune with this digital era, and you’ll connect better with your audience because of it. It might even lead to some binge watching!
Don’t just use YouTube or Facebook to do it, though. The whole point of episodic content is to engage your audience for a longer period of time. By using a premium video platform, you can cut out all distractions and keep viewers focused on your content and your brand – exclusively.
The Worldplay Platform offers all kinds of tools you can use to make a custom-tailored experience for your viewers. Including series, season and episode structure!
If you’d like to learn more about distributing episodic content, get in touch with a product specialist or comment down below.
