Leveraging Lightweight Videos in Your Marketing
Video is one of the most effective ways to reach audiences and share your content. It is visual, personal and captures the attention of viewers. Digital and social media platforms continue to prioritize video, but it can be difficult to produce videos due to the time and investment needed to create one. So how can you reap the benefits of video when you don’t have the resources to produce videos frequently? Lightweight video is an effective way to balance resources and results.
What is a lightweight video?
Lightweight videos, sometimes called lightweight motion content or motion media, are created by combining assets like images, text and audio and adding animation. Lightweight videos typically contain no true video footage, unlike traditional long-form or short-form videos, which utilize original video footage to create a file that is more cinematic in nature. Lightweight videos are often used for social media posts, website content or digital advertising purposes.
Benefits of Lightweight Video Content
Leveraging lightweight video content can benefit your marketing efforts in several ways.
Because they are created using readily available assets, lightweight videos typically have a much shorter turnaround time than traditional videos. Unlike a traditional video piece, you can create one and have it ready to post on the same day. This means you or your team can operate more efficiently and spend more time focusing on the strategy behind your content.
Lightweight videos are also a great option if you do not have a large amount of raw footage or the resources needed to transform raw footage into a story. There are many editing software options to choose from and they are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. If you have access to still images and can strategically combine them with copy and music that resonates with your audience and goal, you are on the right track to creating lightweight video content.
Because you can precisely control the images and animations that are included, lightweight videos are great for creating video content that consistently meets brand standards and matches your brand’s identity. They are also easily editable if you need to change specific aspects down the road, such as an individual image used.
Best Platforms to Use Lightweight Motion Media
Because they are a video format, lightweight videos can be leveraged on a variety of platforms as video. You can use them on video advertising platforms such as YouTube, or run them on social media as organic or paid content. As algorithms continue to evolve, video performs better than static images, meaning better results and a higher return on investment. By using lightweight video, you reap some of the benefits of video without the large investment required for traditional video.
Lightweight videos are a great option if you want to capture your audience’s attention on social media or utilize video advertising but don’t have resources for traditional video. If you have the resources and it makes sense for your product or client, a combination of lightweight and traditional video is ideal. But if you don’t have the resources or are just looking for a creative new way to reach your audience, consider mixing some lightweight media into the mix.
