Stuart Stubbs, industry contributor for Cedar, highlights the importance of a video distribution strategy to enure your content gets the recognition it deserves
For many years distribution has been planned on the back of creative executions. But with the growth in both opportunities and challenges around content discoverability, it’s important to map out distribution first.
According to comScore, only 25 per cent of video views come through YouTube or YouTube-embedded players. That means a huge 75 per cent of video views are happening in the open web with platforms such as Facebook achieving over four billion video views per day. Given that how, where and when people consume video is rapidly changing, one can’t just expect to upload content to a platform and for it somehow to find its audience.
This means it’s vital to have a foolproof distribution strategy before finalising the creative, considering where content will sit and how to seed the content so your audience will find it. It might sound odd to determine the distribution before the video has even been made, but finding out where the target audience is active will determine the length of video that can be created – for example a six second Vine will have a markedly different brief to an 11 hour long video posted on YouTube.
Having a solid distribution strategy from the start ensures the end result is fit for purpose in length, format and call to action, and seeks out the target audience where they are already. Here are top tips on how to be found and seen:
1. Design a distribution ecosystem
To build out a solid launch strategy it’s important to understand first the whole distribution ecosystem. Brands need to look at both their online and offline paid, owned and earned channels in order to plan how video content can be seeded throughout the available touch points.
2. Choose the right blend of platforms and channels for your audience and objectives
Understanding the channels that are available doesn’t necessarily mean they will all be suitable for a campaign or launch. It’s important to identify where the target audience is, where the video will sit, and how it will be promoted as well as seeded in order to create a buzz. This could entail seeding content through a blend of owned and earned media channels to reach existing audiences, as well as partnering with key influencers to reach and engage new audiences.
These publisher-led content partnerships can be really effective in tailoring content to the channel and the audience in a mutually beneficial way. For example, the British Airways ‘Best Summer Ever‘ campaign, which used unique content created for the campaign by celebrity vloggers, was entertaining content for the target audience from a trusted source and voice, providing the brand with a stronger impact. It also benefitted the vloggers by promoting their content across the brand’s channels and reducing their own production costs.
Self-discovered native approaches can also be successful in reaching audiences on an opt-in basis. For example Tesco Food’s ‘How to‘ videos are shared across the brand’s social channels for subscribers and searchers alike. This is useful to the viewer as it allows them to view what is relevant to them rather than being obliged to watch it as an ad, while it still serves the brand purpose of reaching the right audience.
3. Plan a distribution calendar in advance but optimise in real-time
Timing is everything, a solid launch strategy needs a day-by-day plan of how and where the video will be seeded in order to build buzz. Distribution isn’t just about the ‘where’ it’s also about the ‘when’ – plotting content across a calendar in line with big events the target market is interested in will help to prioritise content on an annual basis. That being said, it’s equally important to be agile: the best video content distribution strategies are flexible and can be adapted depending on regular reporting and feedback.
Creating a strong distribution strategy gives your content a far better chance of reaching its audience and achieving its goals. Nobody should put good content in a corner.
