This is an amazing example of how to use video content to engage audiences, increase traffic and awareness about your brand.

SickKids, as everyone Knows, is a world famous Hospital specialized in treating patients still unborn until adulthood. Recently, an ambassador patient, Myles Lynch, who is a double transplant lung recipient, ran with the Pan American Torch on behalf of the Hospital.

Take a look at the video campaign released prior to this event, and had over 50.000 views on Facebook, without any paid support. The video invites passerbys to run 200 metres like someone who has cystic fibrosis, in other words, wearing a noseplug and breathing only thought a narrow straw.

By putting random people on the spot, allowed the Hospital educate their audience about the illness, and also grabbed attention to the following video: the actual Myles running with the Torch.

Now,  it's impossible to say no when they ask for your support.

This is what a good marketing campaign does, let you know more about the work they have been doing, show you the best result possible, and invite you to be part of the team.

The traditional belief says that only powerful and large-scale brands have access to create, produce and distribute videos as a marketing tool, but nowadays with the exponential growth of digital marketing these barriers have come down. According to Brigthroll and IAB Canada Agency who recently released a survey on how advertisers are locating their marketing budget, digital video is proven effective:

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The graphic reveals that consumers are more interested in what the business has to say rather than which media is used. This understanding added to a cost-effective production budget leads to an opportunity for small businesses to stand out and be part of the present of advertising that engages viewers.

Here are 4 reasons why video benefits business:

1) Attention

The competition on the Internet is huge, and most of the time unfair. A business website can easily be lost among hundreds of pages of search engine results, or be so dull that that it does not even make a dent in the users memory. Video grabs a viewer's attention and allows connecting with the consumer without overwhelming them with text. Remember: not everybody prefers reading as the best way to absorb information, in fact nearly two-thirds learn more effectively audio-visually.

Having Video on the website's landing page, or in an e-mail marketing campaign guarantees multiple ways of learning are covered.

2) Personality

Video says more than anything else. It is the word of mouth on the Internet. It showcases who you are and what you do. A study demonstrates that 64% of researchers find it helpful to watch a video to learn more about the company they intend to purchase from. Using video to establish this personal connection, either through a product or corporate video, will make them feel more comfortable and close to the business, which results in a positive impression and increases purchase intent by up to 85%.

Another benefit of using video is to set a business apart from the competition, and to elevate their status as an expert in the company’s field. Watching someone talk from an area of expertise, leaves the impression that the company is already the leader in the market, and knows more than other companies.

3) Shareable Engagement

"Any emotion that fires us up--humor, awe and excitement, but also anger and anxiety--drives us to share.” Jonah Berger

Video conveys emotion and talks to costumers in a personal way. Most people need to share what has touched their hearts. It’s important to understand that a video doesn’t need to go viral to be considered a success. For the small business, using measurement tools to analyze how well a video performed in their specific target audience is the best solution to evaluate if the campaign is moving towards achieving their marketing goals.

4) Increased Traffic through Video SEO

Forrester Research says video is 53 times easier to rank first than text pages. Optimizing your online video with relevant keywords, tags, titles and description will boost costumer’s interaction and increase traffic.

For a small business owner, defining a marketing budget and how to spend these dollars can be a challenging task. Investing in high quality video is a surefire way to establish their presence and see their business reach new levels.

Want to know more about leveraging video content for your business?

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