Improving Audience Engagement With Video
It’s March, and like any self respecting Hoosier, that means I’ve been watching a lot of basketball. It’s a big deal for me and my closest friends. And I am a huge fan of Purdue basketball. I have been for many years. In fact, I used to do Gene Keady’s makeup. It’s a long story.
So, bear with me, because this post is going to be very Boilermaker-centric. But, the truth is, the Purdue athletic department is doing some truly exciting things with video. What used to be occasional cringe-worthy videos on the scoreboard during a game are now remarkably well done and engaging. And, perhaps most importantly, they are using video to give their audience (like me) a seemingly exclusive glimpse into the team that, prior to social media, would have been impossible.
The result is a true engagement between the school and their fans. After watching these videos, I feel more connected with the players and staff and I feel even more invested in the outcomes of games. And, while I don’t have numbers to back this up, I’m nearly certain that this increase in video coincides with more ticket and branded merchandise sales.
Let’s look at some examples:
Updating The Bracket:
The Boilers had a huge win against Villanova to send them to the sweet 16 and they shared this video of the team celebrating and updating their oversized bracket. It’s hard to watch this and not feel excited about these guys.
Open Locker Room:
Sometimes video can be used to simply share your culture. Videos like this one let Purdue show the players interacting with each other. It’s refreshing to see these unrehearsed clips of the kids just being themselves.
Not Done Dancing
Other times, video can be used to just create quick hit videos and GIFs that will become effective scroll stoppers for your audience.
I know Purdue isn’t necessarily unique with this strategy. And, yes, this post was partially an excuse for me to ramble on about my favorite team. But I honestly do think this is a very effective strategy of engaging an audience. Any audience. And when an audience has unique access, they are more invested. Isn’t that what all marketers are looking for?
I’d love to see any other examples (even non-basketball examples) of brands and organizations using video to give their audience a peek behind the curtain. Please share any favorites of yours.