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The global demand for newspapers, magazines, and other printed content like pamphlets and brochures has decreased significantly. This is a result of the ever-changing nature and rapid growth of digital platforms. As such, digital copywriting is also on the rise to meet the demands of digital marketing.
What was once a newspaper article is now a blog, and the contents of a traditional brochure are now packaged for a digital platform where the target audience is likely to scroll past it. Another form of marketing content that is increasingly popular, one that every emerging or established brand should consider taking advantage of, is video content.
Video content goes far beyond the viral dances and challenges that we come across on social media platforms. Copywriting for video content refers to the text or script that forms part of an advert, and also the text in motion graphics that are in pop-up adverts on digital platforms like websites or social media pages.
Marketing content of all forms has the sole intention to engage with and call prospective customers to action, and video content is no different. The gist of the message should be delivered within 10 seconds of the video, or hopefully within the few seconds that the motion graphics pop up. Otherwise, you risk losing the audience’s attention.
Imagine for a second that you’ve just arrived back home after work and you’re settling down and unwinding with a few YouTube videos, News, or sports highlights. Inevitably, an ad pops up at the start of the video you’re about to watch, and for those 10 seconds that they don’t allow you to press “skip”, you must endure the video. Chances are, most people are going to skip the video without a second thought, but the ad will have done its job. Or, it should at least leave a lasting impression.
There’s a script from an advert that lives rent-free in my mind. And although I can’t remember the ad word for word, I captured enough information to feed into a search engine and have it fill out the blanks. A simple two-word Google search, “Monday organizer”, brought up the video advert and service because their marketing video was built around a compelling copy. Within the first 8 seconds of the advert, all the information I needed was already there. Even if I do decide to skip the video.
Copy that is written for marketing purposes can also be sewn into regular, long-form content like your favorite series, and it still has to have the same effect as a video that is created to market that specific product or service. Placing an ad inside a universe that the prospective client identifies with creates a sense of familiarity because they associate it with someone they relate to, even if it’s a fictional person.
How many times have you heard a stressed-out character say something along the lines of “I really need a Xanax.” And how often have you seen cheeseburgers being associated with party-goers who stay out until the early hours of the morning? More often than not, the script is written to include the product, and brands can pay a lot of money to have characters say just the right thing to get the audience’s attention. This is an embedded marketing strategy that is also sometimes called product placement.
There should always be a balance between what the text says and how it looks. It’s not very often that a copywriter is tasked with graphics animation or designing motion graphics, but understanding color psychology can help you to work better with the graphic designer. Because colors can affect the decision-making process the same way that words do. Color psychology is the study of how color affects people’s behavior or mood, and how it can influence their physiological reactions.
Words that are written in red can symbolize danger, or heat, and can catch the reader’s attention to make them more alert. On the other side of the spectrum, words written in blue have a calming effect and are reminiscent of cool temperatures. For instance, if there was a pop-up ad for a new hot sauce and the entire motion graphic was written in blue, it would probably be hard to believe that the sauce was really hot, even if the words “fire-hot” were in the text.
Meta, the mother body for Facebook and Instagram, suggests that creating and sharing video content is one of the best ways to create brand awareness on social media platforms. Social media algorithms are likely to make pages that share video content more visible, so it’s important to have videos on your website and social media pages. However, not just any video will do. It has to be a video that engages with your audience and gives them all the information they need in one go.
You can trust TMG Global to help you draft the script for your next marketing campaign, or we can assist you in choosing the right words to use in a motion graphic. Whatever your communication needs, the team at TMG Global can help you reach your audience in the most effective way.
