Unless you’ve sworn off technology for the past few years (in which case, thanks for reintroducing yourself to the world by reading the R&R blog), you’ve likely heard that video content is essentially manna from heaven for brands and marketers.

Beyond the obvious reasons — people don’t like to read anymore and human attention spans are becoming squirrel-like — there are also some pretty powerful statistics to back up the importance of this marketing tool. In fact, video is one of those magical platforms that actually generate action at a seriously high rate.

Don’t believe me? Have a look at the stats:

• 92 percent of mobile video viewers share videos with others. (Invodo)
• 65 percent of executives have visited a vendor’s site after watching a video; 39% have called the vendor. (Forbes)
• When marketers include a video in an email, the click-through rate increased by 200 to 300 percent. (Forrester)
• 64 percent of consumers are more likely to buy a product after watching a video of it. (comscore)
• 59 percent of senior executives prefer to watch video instead of reading text if both are available on the same page. (Forbes Insight)

Believe me now? I thought so. Obviously, with stats like these it’s no wonder video is enjoying its moment in the sun. However, like any marketing tool worth its weight in analytics, there is something to be said about the actual content and overall quality of the video. You mean, we can’t just throw any old video onto the web and reap the rewards? Well, if it has a cat in it, you might have a chance, but outside of the feline genre, videos that aren’t tailored to your audience or message tend to be far from purrrfect.

Want to capitalize on video’s awesome sauce but afraid of creating a catastrophe?

Follow these four tips:

Know your audience

As a business you know who your audience is and are skilled at talking to them, so why should it be any different when it comes to creating video content? It shouldn’t. In fact, if you know what your audience likes, what they talk about, where they browse and what makes them tick, then you should be able to create a video that engages them effectively.

• Expert tip: Even the most well-read and engaged audience has a time limit, so keep your videos short and sweet, not long and winded.

What’s trending?

As social media goes — and any media for that matter — pop culture updates and the latest happenings are what get the most love, likes and shares. Therefore, it’s a great idea to develop a short, targeted video that has some on-trend material weaved in. Think about how well the Oreo blackout post was received during the blackout at the 2013 Super Bowl — so well that I’m still using it as a reference two years later. The point is, if you can use of-the-moment content to create a video about your brand, you should.

• Expert tip: Not every news story or trending topic is appropriate for your brand or your audience, so be sure you are using messaging that is authentic to your company’s values.

Tug at emotions — Maslow encourages it

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs holds that people are motivated to achieve certain needs, and when one need is fulfilled, we seek to fulfill the next one and so on. What are these needs exactly? From the bottom up: biological and physiological, safety, love and belongingness, esteem and self–actualization. In our society, we encourage and motivate based on esteem, love and other social needs. Therefore you are more likely to connect with your target market if you promote these needs when you create content, video and other types of messages. Why? Because, as Maslow found, we are programmed to want a product or service that will help us gain more love or improve our esteem. If you can show that, you’ve made your product a no-brainer investment.

• Expert tip: Stay focused on your brand, message and target market. Don’t try to meet every need in your video; keep it focused like Nike does in their ads.

Your daily grind has a story

It’s true whether or not you think so: What happens at your office actually is interesting to others. Here at R&R, we aren’t sending rockets to the moon, but people are still always curious about what happens behind the curtain. If you give people the opportunity to see around the closed door and discover the culture of your organization, you might create lifetime fans.

• Expert tip: Integrate your culture, values and people so viewers see that everyone from the inside out practices what you preach.

Feel better about your potential to create a valuable, on-brand video? Hopefully, that’s a yes. Don’t worry if your first try isn’t perfect. You’ll find your groove, and if not, you can always give us a call — we’re happy to help bring your brand and message to life.