Video content has become an integral part of everyday life without us really realising it. The popularity of video has seemingly crept up on us but has exploded in the past two years.
Thanks to the advent of smart devices, cloud technology and 24-hour rolling news cycles, an eye-popping three billion internet users worldwide regularly consume video content – almost 40% of the global population. It’s also estimated that by the end of this year, 82% of all internet traffic will come from either streaming or video downloads.
While many people consume video for social, leisure or educational purposes – flicking through Facebook, sharing funny TikToks or working out how to do something on YouTube – two-thirds of consumers now rely on video to find out more about a brand or product.
More marketers than ever are turning to video and making it a central part of their strategies and marketing activities. They’re churning out content online and on social media at a rate of knots to try and stand out from the crowd, engage and inspire their audiences and capture the attention of potential customers.
But what about at events? Does video content have a part to play?
You bet it does!
Here, we explain how to use video content effectively to bring your exhibition stand to life.
Types of event video
Advances in event technology have made video content more accessible than ever, even if you’re on a tight budget. LED walls, touchscreens, tablets and other devices can all be incorporated into an exhibition stand and loaded with custom video content to make your visitor experience more interactive, engaging and visually appealing.
It all comes down to the content you want to include, and your reasons for including it. When it comes to creating video content, what consumers are looking for tends to fall into four broad categories:
Entertainment
The primary reason most people view video content is to be entertained. After all, if they’re giving you their time and attention, they want something to make it worth their while.
Funny, emotive, engaging or inspirational content is excellent for creating that connection with your audience, even if the message you want to convey is serious. Even the most in-depth, complex or – frankly – dull subjects can be brought to life with a bit of creativity to explain them in an entertaining way.
Educational videos
When it comes to marketing your business, educating your audience about your brand, products or services is vital. Video is perfect for showing your customers how your product works, or explaining how your service will benefit them. It’s also ideal for injecting a bit of personality into your brand, bringing your values to life and telling your story in an engaging way.
Talks or presentations
You may have a speaker giving a keynote in a conference theatre in another location, or have a pre-recorded presentation that you want to show on a loop. With video content, you can live stream to an LED screen on your stand, or play your presentation continually throughout the day – or even on-demand – to ensure all your visitors can enjoy it.
Case studies or testimonials
There’s nothing more powerful or persuasive than third-party endorsement. People are more likely to trust your brand and buy your products or services if they hear recommendations from other customers.
So, video case studies which show how you’ve solved a particular problem for a customer, or testimonials of positive client feedback, are a great way to attract potential customers and build trust in your brand.
How to make the most of video at your next event
Video is great for attracting people to your exhibition stand because it’s visually appealing and easy to digest and understand. The human brain responds to movement, so if your exhibition stand has dynamic, moving content instead of static, it will naturally capture more people’s attention.
Not only that, but when done right, LED video walls look impressive and can elevate your stand in a crowded exhibition hall, marking it out as the place to be. Video content is also a great icebreaker that can help you open conversations with people and get them engaged in your brand, product or service.
We’re not saying that stands without interactive video content can’t look amazing, they can. But, integrating video is proven to take your events presence to another level. But where do you start? Here are a few pointers:
Define your audience and objectives
Being clear on what you’re looking to achieve with your event video is essential. So, ask yourself the following questions:
What are your objectives for the event, exhibition or expo?
Who’s your target audience?
What type of video content are they most likely to respond to?
Once you have answered the above, you should tailor your content accordingly, to ensure it’s appropriate for your target audience and aligns with your brand and visual identity. Remember, it’s highly unlikely that everyone at the event will be your ideal customer.
Your video is all about filtering out those who may not be interested in what you do and instead, focusing on attracting more of your target audience.
Clarify your messaging
Ensuring your video has a clear message and tells the right story is vital. What do you want your visitors to see – and remember – when they come to your stand?
We see far too many boring corporate or brand videos without a clear message, which causes people to switch off. In most cases, people don’t want to see video which features nice, flashy shots of your head office or product range, but not much else. They want to know how your products or services will help solve their problems, benefit them or make their lives easier.
So, stop focusing on what you do and start explaining why you do it. That’s what truly resonates and inspires.
Make it impactful
You only have a few seconds to make an impression, so making your video content short, powerful and impactful is key. Most people have a short attention span, particularly in a busy exhibition hall where plenty of other stuff is happening. So, keep things short and simple. Most people aren’t going to stick around watching a 15-minute video of your CEO talking about how good you are.
They will respond better to a short and snappy 60-second video capturing your brand’s essence. That’s what you should be aiming for.
Ensure its accessible
Creating an inclusive experience that involves everyone is essential, especially in a society dominated by social media. Anyone with a smartphone can trash your reputation online in seconds if they feel aggrieved or excluded.
So, make sure your video content is inclusive of all communities and cultures, and is accessible to people with hearing or visual impairments. Use subtitles or descriptive text wherever possible, especially if your video has sound. Be mindful that not everyone may be able to see or hear your video properly, so have the information available in other formats or languages if needs be.
Include a strong call to action
The whole point of video content is to prompt your visitors to take action. It may be as blatant as asking them to buy a product or as subtle as getting them to check out your website for more information.
Whatever it is, tell the viewer what you want them to do with a clear call to action at the end.
This will also help you to monitor and evaluate any leads or conversations that come your way, so you can assess whether your event was worth the investment. In general terms, we find that investing in video usually is, because it makes your stand more engaging and interactive.
How can Exhibit Interactive help?
Research shows that video is by far and away the most effective medium to deliver complex information and content through, because it can be easily presented and digested. We can help you integrate video content into your exhibition stand to deliver a memorable customer experience.
Our digital offering has evolved to meet the growing demand from customers to deliver their content in more engaging and memorable ways. While many clients might not think they have the budget or resources to create and deliver great video content, we can help bring costs down, deliver value and maximise return on investment.
We create dynamic video content specific to your product or brand, that will encourage more visitors to stop and watch. We can incorporate your products or services within your LED video display and customise content that interacts with it, to bring your business to life and show your customers what to expect when they work with you.
We can also provide both on-location filming and green screen services to create stunning video content for use on your exhibition stands and product displays
With many years’ experience in the live events space, we know what works and what doesn’t.
To see how we can help, give us a call today.
