Yes, Video Can Work for the Supply Chain

Create videos that provide answers and convey your mission, and viewers will come.

I know what you’re thinking: Videos are a great marketing tactic for certain niches, but not the supply chain. Who would want to watch my videos? What would I even make a video about?

Here’s the thing. Video is the most popular form of content being consumed online. As such, YouTube has become the second largest search engine in the world, with more than one billion users conducting over 3 billion searches per month. And YouTube isn’t just for funny cats and cover artists anymore. Businesses are using the video-sharing website and social media platform to engage customers and prospects.

Why? YouTube reaches more adults ages 18-34 in the U.S. than any cable network. Users browse the platform for entertainment purposes, but also for tips, information, and ideas. And anywhere people are seeking solutions, businesses should be providing answers.

Provide answers with video

Your first tendency when creating video content might be to promote your products. But if people wanted to watch commercials, they’d turn on the TV.

Instead, ask yourself: What are your customers’ pain points? What expertise and information do you have that is valuable to them? What industry topics interest you most, or what do you like best about working in your field?

YouTube has proven that ordinary people demonstrating and discussing their interests is of great value to a wide range of people. Consider formerly starving artist Leonardo Pereznieto, for example.

After struggling to make ends meet by selling his art, Perznieto began his YouTube channel Fine Art-Tips. Initially the goal was to make his drawings and sketches accessible to a wider audience. It was pretty unsuccessful.

Then Pereznieto began uploading sketching demonstrations to his channel, describing exactly what he was doing or how to get a certain effect. Fine Art-Tips grew like wildfire. To date, he has over 780,000 subscribers and more than two million views monthly. His step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a water drop has nearly 9 million views alone.

Aside from plenty of ad revenue to cover his living expenses, Pereznieto’s YouTube celebrity has advanced his reputation — and success — as an artist. His story is a testament to the power of informational video content in brand building.

Convey your mission

Video is a highly visual way to engage your audience. The combination of images, music, and narration can provoke emotion unlike any other media form. This makes it an ideal way to convey what you stand for — be it a safer workplace, higher quality components, or green living.

Chipotle’s 2013 integrity campaign offers a great example. The fast food chain partnered with Moonbot Studios to produce a video, The Scarecrow, which brought consumer awareness to issues within the food industry. Now with over 17.8 million views, the video has helped demonstrate Chipotle’s commitment to anti-factory farming and wholesome, sustainable food.

Videos are an excellent way to engage and enlighten customers and prospects without being overly promotional. Over one billion people are seeking answers and joining causes on YouTube — will your business create the content they’re looking for?

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Tags: video, video content, YouTube