As you can see, short videos went viral couple of years ago by offering viewers a more entertaining viewing experience. Now the function of short video is way more than entertaining people. In China, short video has been developed as a key marketing strategy and has shown high effectiveness in reaching the target audience and increasing viewers' purchase intention. To explore the factors of video production that contribute to the effectiveness of short video marketing, I have interviewed three insiders for professional insight.
Before the professional insight, there is some background information need to provide as it is in the Chinese context. MCN (Multi-channel Networks)agencies is a company that grows their own KOLs network and uses professional resources to create and optimize their video content, so to boost the huge commercial value of KOLs. Now short video has become a very lucrative business. When a brand wants to take short video marketing as its advertising strategy, it normally will cooperate with KOLs by going through MCN agencies first. Sometimes I use the phrase "user-generated video content to refer to the short video in which KOL is advertising the product, despite that the video is mostly created by MCN agencies. But to the viewer, it seems like KOLs really like the product, so they make and post the video for it. It is difficult for the viewer to detect the commercial purpose as they believe KOLs are genuinely recommending the product.
Emma Chen Content Creator / Tisu MCN agency
Being a content creator, Emma needs to supervise the whole process of producing a short video from receiving the brief from brands to releasing the short video. Her responsibility mainly focuses on choosing the topic and creating the script for KOL's short video, which is about what should KOLs say and how should they introduce the product in the video.
How do you decide the topic and direction of user-generated video content?
"When we receive the brief from brands, we will confirm the product's selling point that brands want to highlight in the video, to see how it can well connect with KOLs. For example, when it comes to a foundation that needs to highlight the advantage of high coverage, if the KOL has redness or blemishes, she can put on the foundation to show the before and after effect in the video, which can be more convincing to the audience. Then we will go on the short video platform to see if there is any hot short video doing the same product category. If it did, we will analyze its structure of the script, chosen topic and its audience. then we will take it as the direction of our user-generated video content."
How do you create the script for KOLs?
“In user-generated short video content, KOLs mostly advertise the product by directing speak in front of the camera and showcasing the product. It depends on the performance of KOLs when I'm creating the script for product promotion. If the KOL don't familiar with this product or the chosen topic for the video, or the KOL is weak in verbal expression, we will create the script word by word, even the tone for each sentence is decided in the script. For some KOLs who is at the top and have strong communication skills, we only need to give them the framework or the rough draft, and they will introduce the product in their own word."
How do you feel about the experience of creating user-generated video content for KOLs? What is the most challenging part?
The beginning of the script would be the most challenging part. When I am creating scripts I have to revise the beginning many times. In the short video production, there is an industry rule called "Golden Three Seconds". When the viewer is using short video Apps, the first three second will be the key that whether the viewer will keep watching or swipe up to the next. So the beginning should be intriguing enough to let the audience finish watching the video. For instance, at the beginning of the video, you can outline the key information of the video, or leave a cliffhanger by saying "Believe it or not, you can get the celebrity-like-flawless skin after watching this video".
Is there any guideline or trend you follow to create content for different types of products?
"We have a short video topic library, in which previous hot topics are collected and categorized in different short video platforms and different product categories, we usually use it to look for references and learn from them. Besides, we also will follow the trend of video platforms, that is also a good choice to gain more attention from the viewer."
How do you think of the impact of KOLs on video ads? Can we make the video without KOLs involved?
"I think KOLs serve as an IP (Intellectual Property) in the short video, they have certain awareness on video platforms. If brands use celebrities or superstars for product promotion, it would be very costly. But if brands choose KOLs for promotion, it would be a fast process from delivering the brief to MCN agency to posting the short video online. In addition, this short video can be fast widespread on short video platforms, the cost is also much lower. To be honest, the viewer's perception of KOLs would be better and more positive than that of celebrities in terms of product recommendations. It would be considered that celebrities must be sponsored to do the product recommendation. While essentially KOLs are just ordinary people who are professionals in a particular field. They are more welcome by the viewer when recommending the product via the short video."
Are there different styles of video content to promote the product? What kind of style or form of content is more effective to increase viewers' purchase intention based on your experience?
"Every KOL has already formed the particular style for their short video. When brands are casting KOLs for their product, they will prefer someone who can represent their target audience and is in line with their brand tone. So KOLs won't change their style of video for different products. The most efficient short video form to advertise the product would be the one KOLs directly speaking in front of the camera and showcasing the product. But the key to success largely depends on the scripts and KOLs. The communication skills of KOLs are important when recommending the product, and it is also the key factor in being the top KOL. Their logical way of speaking can contribute to the effectiveness of short video marketing."
What innovation and improvement you will make to increase the viewer's purchase intention?
"When the KOL has posted the video for several days, we will access and analyze the data from the backend. For the video that receives poor data, we will analyze the reason behind that and make the adjustment in the content for the next time in an attempt to increase more views, likes and purchases. We will gain insight from videos that have good data results, synthesize them and generate a mode that can be used next time."
Cindy Zhang Short Video Editor / Jingyu MCN Agency
As the short video editor, Cindy normally completes the post-production individually. She is experienced in editing and knows how to create a short video that can raise most viewers' interest. To figure out how much editing can do to increase the purchase intention of viewers, I decided to interview her for the answer.
What is the difference between editing for the short video and other videos? And why?
"Short videos are more fast-paced, and we need to leave the most intriguing part at the beginning. If most of the viewers swipe up for only watching the video for a few seconds, the completed watching rate would be low. So we need to optimize the beginning to make it more intriguing to the viewer. Besides, short videos are very short. When the video is about product recommendation, the key information and selling points of the product should be clarified and condensed in one minute."
Is that any guideline/ trend you follow to create the user-generated short video?
"Yes, we will follow the trending topic, and use lots of sound effects to create a sense of humor in the edit, which can make the video more entertaining to the viewer."
How do you understand the editing for short videos when most short videos are barely edited? How do you think of the importance of editing to user-generated video content?
"Actually, the pre-production of short videos is the leading part of the whole process. I won't say post-production can be very helpful to the video, but it is a supplementary tool to optimize the video content and improve the viewing experience. For KOLs who are weak in communication skills, we will do the heavy edit, such as adding more after effect or interesting subtitles, to compensate for the lack of ability of expression."
What editing techniques do you use to increase the audience's purchase intention? How do you process the product information in the edit?
Mostly I will highlight the product by cutting to the close-up and showcasing the before and after. As KOLs are introducing the product, I usually visualize their descriptions by adding extra footage such as related photos or elements within the shot.
What is the component of user-generated video content? what is the function? How do they contribute to the effectiveness of promotion?
Except for the video footage itself, I usually use music and sound effect to create the sense of humor, and some after effects to enhance the verbal expression and emotions of KOLs. As the short video is fast-paced, subtitles are the have-to presence to clarify what KOL said, I also use different colors and bigger font sizes to highlight keywords. While a different editor may use different techniques, the editing decision mostly depends on the video content and the imagination of the editor. A good editor would be aware of what editing techniques and effects should be used soon after he or she hears what KOLs said in the short video.
Cathrine Yu Marketing strategist / Eastroc Beverage Company.
To promote the product, Cathrine needs to work on social media marketing by running the official account on different social media, and planning offline events and online ads to increase brand awareness. She also needs to cooperate with agencies for UGC marketing, in which the video form of user-generated content would be the main advertising strategy for the product promotion of her company.
Can you describe the process of cooperating with KOLs？
"At the first, I will identify the target audience, then decide the direction in the brief. If we want to target the office worker, we will position our product as a functional beverage that contains caffeine, and then compare it with competing goods to outline the difference that our product has in the brief. When casting KOLs, I will see if their followers approach our target audience, such as demographic, age group, gender, etc, and then if KOLs' positioning and style in short video platforms meet our requirements. If it did, we will choose the KOL and communicate with agencies on the details of the short video production. It would spend about 2 weeks from reaching agencies to posting the short video."
What is the advantage of short video ads compared with other forms of ads?
"For the advantage, I think short video ads look less like an ad than a direct ad. I choose the user-generated video content as our marketing strategy is to make it looks like the KOL loves the product and wants to recommend it to everyone. Nowadays we are living in an era of short videos, lots of information is presented and shared through short videos. I think short videos can better grab the attention and eyeballs of the viewer, it is unlike reading articles which many people find it dry and hard to finish. Short videos can showcase much information at a time, and through viewing the short video you can feel the way how they expression and the tone, which make the short video more intriguing than text form."
How do you cast KOLs for short video marketing?
"First I will look into their account information, such as their positioning, data, style, type, etc, When we want to target multiple audience groups, we will reach different types of KOLs and deliver them different briefs. For instance, to promote our functional beverage, if we want to target consumers who need fitness and exercise, we will reach fitness KOLs, and outline the selling point of "containing natural electrolyte excreted from fruits" in the brief."
How do you think of the importance of KOLS in terms of product promotion? what can they do to promote your product?
"KOLs can help brands to gain exposure, brands' purposes are the same when reaching KOLs for the need of short video. First, we want to be known by the consumer, that's why we want to get help with user-generated video content. Second, We want KOLs to endorse our product. To a certain extent, followers trust the KOL they follow. So we want to make their followers feel that the KOL is using the product and love it, that's why he or she recommends it to everyone, which provides the viewer a guarantee of the product."
How do you tell a good story for the product through user-generated video content?
"When casting KOLs, I can picture what the short video will look like from their previous videos and positioning, and how KOLs will introduce the product to their viewers. Once we have decided KOLs, the production of short videos is mostly left in agencies' hands, as long as their contents are aligned with our brief. So the form and style of videos are determined. In the brief, we will require KOLs to point out the pain point of our target audience in their videos. In their short video, they can talk about the pain point by expanding it into a scenario that happened in the life of the particular target audience, like what situation the target audience would come across, and how would they feel. After that, KOLs need to make the pain point as their own and talk about it as their personal experience, then they bring out the product and say how the product solves their pain point. As long as KOLs precisely reach the pain point of their follower, they could evoke the resonance with them and contribute to their purchase intention."
Findings and Conclusion
The interview with three insiders has provided useful insight and experience in terms of purchase intention driven by user-generated video content. The pre-production is recognized as the leading part of the whole process by Emma and Cindy, as it builds a solid foundation for the video content. To increase viewers' purchase intention on the product shown in the short video, it should make sure that viewers watch your video till the end. Since the viewer could swipe up and down anytime when using short video Apps, the first three seconds would be determined to keep them stay on your video. Key information of the short video or cliffhanger can be used at the beginning to grab the viewers' attention and let them finish watching your video. Besides, following the trend or referring to hot short videos in the same product category can help to gain more attention and more views for your short video.
Both Emma and Cathrine recognized the importance of KOLs in increasing viewers' purchase intention, because for the viewer they are more genuine and trustworthy, which can contribute to the interest in the product when recommending the product in the short video. Besides, KOLs should meet the product positioning and can speak for the brands (eg. beauty KOLs and cosmetic products) and their followers should be the target audience of brands. It's also the key to have KOLs with strong communication skills and clear logic in the short video, the logical way they recommend the product with pain points mentioned can resonate with the target audience and lead to the purchase intention. According to an article called Triggering effects of mobile video marketing in nature tourism: Media richness perspective, it is important to reach the right audience with videos with the right storyline. Therefore, brands should be more careful when casting KOLs for their short video marketing, while female KOLs could be the primary choice. A journal that studied the effect of short video ads on sales has proved that the short video ads posted by buyers including a female is more effective to increase product sales.
The post-production is the supplementary stage to optimize the video content. During the editing stage, lots of elements and footage will be added to the edit. The frequent use of sound effects and background music can create the sense of humor for the video. The China Short Video Marketing Strategy Report has shown that humorous short-form video is the most popular short video among the viewer, and the journal also indicates that the presence of music could contribute to more sales. Besides, subtitles are the necessary presence to clarify the information. and visual effects can be used to heighten KOL's verbal information and emotions. The optimization of short videos through adding lots of elements and footage is in accordance with the findings in the article, which indicates that the visual cues (e.g., video clips, captions, graphics) that have a strong logical connection to the storyline and video content can affectively trigger consumer behavior. Hence, except KOLs, short video editors also should have a strong sense of logic so that they can make the logical edit for short videos.
Although short video marketing still count as a new comer compared with traditional marketing strategies. Through Insights of industry insiders, we can see that it shows great power on reaching the right audience and triggering their purchase intention. As the market of the short video is fast-developing, I believe that smart marketers and practitioners are making improvements and innovations on creating user-generated video content to make it more effective to trigger consumer behavior.
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