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Digital lead generation

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Our industry, Strategic content, Video content

Video focus #7: What makes a good explainer video?

What makes a good explainer video?

From launch trailers to the presentation of an aspirational vision, videos have a unique ability to stimulate interest, accelerate understanding and influence decision makers – three key goals for any tech marketer.

Establishing the format for a video is the first step that makes the rest of the process easier to manage by setting expectations about purpose, content and budget. Broadly speaking, there are seven formats which can accommodate most tech marketing objectives. Here’s how the explainer video should work:

The explainer video is one of the more commonly used formats for tech marketing. It’s usually aimed at an audience that has influence or a decision-making role in a business or technical capacity. While not as detailed as a demo video, it can alternate between ‘lite’ explanation of a technology solution (for example) and the translation of features into business benefits and advantages.

The explainer video in three acts

With a typical running time of 1.5 to 3.5 minutes, an explainer video works best with a script that has a clear ‘arc’. Just as mainstream movies have a tried and tested formula, the explainer video can move through three ‘acts’.

The first act is the establishment of a ‘current state’. This could be a quick summary of current technology options and their limitations or challenges.

The second act is longer than the first and third and introduces an alternative solution that challenges the norm. The solution is explained in a reasonable amount of detail and usually compared to alternatives.

The third act presents a resolution; explaining how the audience can move from their existing technology with a reiteration of the benefits and advantages to be gained.

Finally, a clear call-to-action is offered. This can take the form of a consultative workshop, a white paper, a market briefing or possibly a customised app that can assist decision making.

Explaining technology can be a challenge when you’re using the highly visual medium of video to articulate intangible solutions. That’s why animated infographics, on-screen text, interviews and moving footage (to show context) offer a video toolkit that can educate an audience while identifying with their world and their needs.

The Rubicon Agency is an experienced advocate of video for technology marketing. We’ve categorised examples of our work into the seven most common formats, covering a range of subjects. What they share in common is the advantage of our tech sector expertise and market insight combined with our creative but pragmatic approach to production. Each of these videos has created measurable impact and return on marketing investment for our clients.

Watch an explainer video from The Rubicon agency Video Gallery now

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Our industry, Product marketing, Video content

Video focus #4: Why make a trailer video?

54321 - why make a trailer video

When your marketing strategy includes the production of a short video why would you create a trailer that goes out prior to the release of an explainer, documentary or demo?

In the world of technology marketing, you may need to stimulate early interest ahead of a product, solution or service rollout. Alternatively, you may want to focus your marketing effort on ‘early adopters’ or even show preference to a key decision maker with an ‘exclusive’ sneak preview as part of an account – based marketing campaign.

A trailer can help to gain an early advantage for marketers especially with the tracking techniques offered by digital marketing. If it’s well-crafted and intriguing (without being too obtuse) it can also be shared and gain a wider distribution within a target customer organisation.

What makes a good trailer video for technology marketing?

An effective trailer video relies on a level of intrigue – just enough to spark curiosity but not so much that it simply leaves the audience baffled or simply irritated. Content needs ruthless distillation, with just enough detail to resonate with the audience and leave them wanting more.

If the main video has already been created, it can be tempting to overload the trailer but it’s essential to hone content down to the bare minimum that needs to be shown or said – in the least amount of time. The audience have to think ‘this is relevant to me, it will deserve my attention and I will want to know more’. And if they think others may also be interested then it’s easy for them to share a short video that won’t overburden bandwidth.

Finally, the call to action is critical for a trailer video. Give your audience a timeline or a launch date; get them to register interest or encourage them to share the video with others.

The Rubicon Agency is an experienced advocate of video for technology marketing. We’ve categorised examples of our work into the seven most common formats, covering a range of subjects. What they share in common is the advantage of our tech sector expertise and market insight combined with our creative but pragmatic approach to production. Each of these videos has created measurable impact and return on marketing investment for our clients.

Watch a trailer video from The Rubicon Agency Video Gallery now

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Miscellaneous, Our industry, Proposition development

Fast Marketing fails: bland ingredients

Fast Marketing fails 3

This article compliments ‘McMarketing in the tech sector – Does fast marketing just create indigestion?’

Fast marketing happens when marketers are institutionally influenced to choose quantity over quality, and convenience over content. When engagement assets, landing pages, outreach or conversations are simply quickfried with little culinary skill, the results can leave customers feeling hungry or, worse still, with a bad aftertaste.

Like fast food, fast marketing can suffer from bland, artificial ingredients.

Fast food and fast marketing may be predicated on convenience but both come with compromise.

One significant compromise is typically a lack of quality ingredients in content that lacks distinctive flavours. The compromise is compounded when fast marketing means offering a limited menu of formulaic food for thought – with little choice other than ‘supersizing’ – or in other words, quantity over quality.

The Tech sector can be particularly prone to the ‘McMessaging’ approach. With access to the content equivalent of a beef herd the size of Texas, it can be very tempting to simply throw it into the marketing mincer and churn out a patty of generic messages with a side order of undifferentiated propositions.

Fresh, carefully selected ingredients are key to whetting an audience appetite for tech marketing content. Rather than re-heat a stale white paper or de-frost content that can be found in any competitor’s digital deep freezer, it pays to source and prepare your own content ingredients for a menu that offers more distinctive flavouring and ultimately a more satisfying meal to an audience that has an appetite for quality over convenience.

Fast Marketing fails:
– The all-you-can-eat buffet
– The cold take-away
– Bland ingredients

To make your marketing more enduring and sustainable, contact The Rubicon Agency for your personalised workshop.

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Miscellaneous, Our industry, Proposition development

Fast Marketing fails: the cold take-away

Fast Marketing fails 2

This article compliments ‘McMarketing in the tech sector – Does fast marketing just create indigestion?’

Fast marketing happens when marketers are institutionally influenced to choose quantity over quality, and convenience over content. When engagement assets, landing pages, outreach or conversations are simply quickfried with little culinary skill, the results can leave customers feeling hungry or, worse still, with a bad aftertaste.

Like fast food, fast marketing can run the risk of being disposable.

Fast food and fast marketing may be a quick, convenient solution but if either is served cold then they’re likely to be quickly discarded.

Rather than satisfy a hunger for information; without a clear and relevant call-to-action or a next-step, the fast marketing meal turns into a cold offering. When that happens, customer audiences are inclined to look for the nearest waste bin.

The cold take-away is a common fail in sales enablement assets. So, why do thought leadership, business case, use case and other assets typically offer a next-step to an audience when sales enablement assets are often left without any clear call-to-action?

The answer lies in planning. Rather than expect sales to keep the heat under prospects by providing the critical next-step, it makes more sense to give it to them on a plate. Building the offer of an integrated presentation, webinar, white paper, or good old-fashioned conversation into the menu not only keeps your audience at the table but also satisfies their appetite for information without the indigestion.

Fast Marketing fails:
– The all-you-can-eat buffet
– The cold take-away
– Bland ingredients

To make your marketing more enduring and sustainable, contact The Rubicon Agency for your personalised workshop.

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Miscellaneous, Our industry, Proposition development

Fast Marketing fails: the all-you-can-eat buffet

Fast Marketing fails 1

This article compliments ‘McMarketing in the tech sector – Does fast marketing just create indigestion?’

Fast marketing happens when marketers are institutionally influenced to choose quantity over quality, and convenience over content. When engagement assets, landing pages, outreach or conversations are simply quickfried with little culinary skill, the results can leave customers feeling hungry or, worse still, with a bad aftertaste.

Like fast food, fast marketing can be served up in a number of ways.

Take the all-you-can-eat buffet for example. With everything you might like to taste, there’s no menu required. You can fill your plate to the brim, tuck in, and go back for more as often as you like. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

But how satisfying can a meal be when it’s a confusion of cuisine? With so much on offer, do you grab a bit of everything but ultimately leave most of it untouched.

The all-you-can-eat content buffet is the result of marketers forgetting that buyers have developed particular tastes for the content that they are prepared to digest. Yesterday’s buyer may have been fed the equivalent of meat and potatoes, with a menu restricted tech features rather than business benefits, but today’s buyer is far more discerning.

The fast marketing buffet fails because it offers too much, with copious amounts of unstructured content simply being poured into multiple paid, owned and earned content channels and spread across digital marketing platforms. And if too many ingredients are simply too bland; stale or reheated, then covering them with a thick gravy of ‘brand character’ doesn’t make the buffet any more palatable.

Ultimately, the ‘feast’ offered by the fast marketing buffet can quickly turn to famine as it leaves dining customers feeling hungry for content that not only caters to their specific tastes but also has enough nutrition to feed a healthy decision-making process.

Fast Marketing fails:
– The all-you-can-eat buffet
– The cold take-away
– Bland ingredients

To make your marketing more enduring and sustainable, contact The Rubicon Agency for your personalised workshop.

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Enterprise demand generation, Marketing resources, Proposition development

Vanilla technology videos

Vanilla technology videos blog header

As a marketing content asset, video can be uniquely powerful and effective. But don’t assume the medium will compensate for deficiencies in the message.

If the plot is thin, the characters are wooden, or the ending is disappointing, your investment in a video production could fail to see a decent return at the marketing box office.

Think of the technology marketing video like a film genre and you can begin to see how best to approach production. As a genre it may not have the mass audience and populist appeal of a romantic comedy or a sci-fi blockbuster but it can follow some similar basic rules for success.

Analyse almost any movie you’ve seen and you’ll realise there’s a tried and tested method to the plot. It begins with establishing ‘normality’ for a single protagonist or a group of people before introducing an event or situation with the potential to change the norm and present the main character with a challenge. From there, we see a journey through events and encounters (with twists and turns for added interest) and finally a resolution which usually changes one or more of the characters and/or their world.

So, how does this have any relevance to a video for a Wide Area Network solution or a cyber security portfolio? Well firstly, characters and protagonists are involved- in the form of business and technical decision makers. These are the people who are about to be presented with a challenge to their ‘norm’. The challenge arises from whatever is being marketed. The plot continues with twists and turns usually in the form of user scenarios, product or solution comparisons, testimonials and cameo appearances from experts. And finally, resolution is offered in the form of a call to action.

Of course, all of this is simply a playful way to say that the plot is critical to any technology marketing video. And without the right content and contributions to support the plot, you can end up with the equivalent of an arthouse movie playing to an empty house.

With a good plot, and production values that don’t try to create Star Wars from a Blair Witch budget, the technology marketing video can educate, motivate and activate influencers and decision makers with an immediacy and clarity that can often be difficult to achieve with other marketing content assets.

And..cut!

Take a look at our quick guide to discover how content can be more ‘killer’ and less ‘filler’.

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Enterprise demand generation, Marketing resources, Thought leadership

White paper: white noise?

White paper: white noise - blog header

The white paper has taken on a ‘grey’ hue since it was first introduced by Winston Churchill in 1922. Apparently, business is to blame – with marketers extending its original remit whilst adding it to a growing armoury of content assets.

Technology marketing can gain real advantages from including a white paper within an integrated campaign or programme. As a content asset, it can fulfil a unique role but only if some basic rules are followed in order to avoid the white paper simply becoming ‘white noise’.

A white paper shouldn’t be a product pitch. Neither should it try to combine the detailed product information of a backgrounder with an industry-wide perspective or thought leadership. It has to be authoritative – with facts, figures, examples, comparisons and quotes.

White papers should be found at the academic end of the marketing content library with a high degree of expertise backed by solid research and fully documented with references. If that means they can be a little bit ‘boring’, requiring two or three reads to fully understand, that usually means the balance is right.

Getting the quality and balance right requires time, especially when you factor in technical, legal and brand approval. Breadth and depth is essential, and anything less than six pages could be deemed lightweight. Tight deadlines and white papers aren’t a good combination but they can be afforded longer lead times if the need is identified early enough in campaign planning and they’re offered as a downloadable fulfilment piece later in the delivery schedule.

White papers perform a unique role in establishing credibility, trust and preference when they help to clarify an issue, solve a problem or help to guide a decision. And as downloaders are usually further into the customer buying cycle, they can be positioned at a critical point in the sales funnel.

Take a look at our quick guide to discover how content can be more ‘killer’ and less ‘filler’.

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Event & experiential marketing, Marketing resources, Thought leadership

Webinar wasteland

Wasted Webinars blog header

In the marketing cannon, webinars are an interesting proposition. On face value, it’s a great medium for a crash course on a subject which combines demos, expert opinion and commentary, coupled with the traditional PowerPoint slideware. What’s not to like? Most of us would rather voyeur at our screens for an hour than trawl the internet or read white paper after white paper in an effort to uncover the gems of information that we can otherwise be spoon-fed via a webinar.

With so much potential, it’s not surprising to see that marketing departments are keen to take advantage of our webinar expectations.

Gone in 60 minutes

It’s almost a given that once you decide to produce a webinar (regardless of subject matter) that it will last an hour. After the initial introductions, house rules and agenda (which if marketed correctly should already be obvious in the lead generation part of the campaign), you’ve already burnt through the first 10 minutes. Add the traditional, and very choregraphed Q&A’s at the end and that’s 20 minutes of the hour that could have be shaved from the length.

In an era where time is precious and ‘productivity’ is the watchword on many boardroom agendas, surely keeping things to the point and getting the important information across as succinctly as possible should be the goal.

Case study cop out

Another staple of the webinar is the good old case study. The chance for the webinar owner to showboat customers that have bought and benefited from their technology. In theory, this section should provide real insight which can include watchouts and potential added audience interest and value.

The reality though is that these examples are often over-sanitised and thus offer very limited value to the webinar participant. Devoid of budget allocations, lead times, tangible monetary savings or quantitative productivity gains, case studies merely become a beauty parade of brand names and or an exercise in customer ego stroking.

All mouth, no trousers

The final, and probably the most infuriating tactic webinar marketers use to attract both volume and quality of audience, is the topic headline. Employing the mantra that ‘every day is a school day’, participants register for these online events with the expectation that they will discover something fresh. Razzamatazz headlines, high-calibre speakers and stellar brand case studies all help to convince the participant that the subject matter is going to be innovative, revelationary and… new. Alas, many webinars promise a lot but deliver little – dusty content is repackaged and rolled out, case studies are devoid of actual insight and thought leadership material is revealed as thinly disguised sales pitches.

Take a look at our quick guide to discover how content can be more ‘killer’ and less ‘filler’.

The Rubicon Agency
In Digital lead generation, Programme planning

How do you reduce noise to signal in technology marketing?

Noise to Signal blog header

In a world where content rules the marketing roost, quality trumps quantity. However, there are too many examples of brands being guilty of marketing for marketing’s sake when a primary asset has been created.

Certain assets are packed with gems of information, facts and statistics that naturally lend themselves to be reworked and repackaged. There is however, a fine line between extracting, scaling & ‘chunking’ content and repetition.

Research reports are prime examples of assets that deliver the ‘mother-load’ of thought leadership hooks. Utilised correctly, the raw information can be disseminated and reassembled into a multitude of content. The context, pitch and salient points can be manipulated to stretch up (or down) the corporate pyramid to provide fresh insights and perspectives to the full influencer group. This is a true reflection of content manifestation; However, many marketers are guilty of not harnessing the value of such pieces. A sprinkling of window dressing and the same message (and sometimes the same lack of answers/insight) are rolled out across as many paid, owned and earned channels as physically possible. The result can create ‘white noise’ that undermines the opportunity to create audience engagement.

How to maximise the reach of your message?

We’ve all heard that the most important factor in content success is relevancy. Well, this still rings true when reconstituting the core points of your content asset. If we take our hypothetical research report as a starting point, the focus of the findings may be aimed at senior IT decision makers and include key challenges likely to be faced by CIOs. Sure, this could be adapted into a webinar format targeting the same type of prospect but it won’t resonate with the IT & Network Manager tier. Being able to manifest these insights into tangible careabouts for these guys really is the key to scale, reach and ultimately success.

So, what about social?

The same rules apply. Parachuting in the full version of your original content isn’t going to work for everyone. Adopting the proper tone of voice, message and insight is as important in social situations as reconstituting content into different formats for ‘classic’ marketing. Remember, all social channels and communities are different, so don’t adopt a one- size -fits- all policy. Saying the same thing to everyone in the same tone of voice is unlikely to get the message across or make you popular in social circles.

To find out if your content has the right noise to signal ratio, register for our unique M4 content audit.

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