5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Crowdsourced Video Partner
Demand for video advertising continues to boom. In many cases, demand outstrips the rate at which brand marketers and agencies can supply it – leaving opportunities behind and money on the table.
This is a shame because video ads remain one of the most effective ways to engage audiences about a brand, product or service and the case for video is only getting stronger.
- Mobile video consumption will more than double between 2012 and 2016, according to a report documenting both on the go and in home viewership.
- Broadcast TV advertising continues its resilient growth, predicted to grow 3.7% in 2012 to occupy 41% of the total US ad revenue.
To meet growing demand, many marketers and agencies are tapping video crowdsourcing websites like Zooppa. More than just a video production alternative, crowdsourced video platforms typically provide marketers with:
- A host refreshing, if not unexpected, brand insights from content creators and advocating consumers alike. “We received an unfiltered community perspective on how cities can be changed for the better,” said Tobias Dennehy, Editor in Chief Corporate Communications at Siemens, about the company’s recent crowdsourcing campaign. “We have some great material to use in our communication efforts around the issue of sustainable urban development.”
Read the Siemens crowdsourced video case study here.
- Shortened production timelines and cost-efficiencies. “We turned that sucker around in about three weeks,” said Zappos Senior Brand Manager Michelle Thomas about the nearly 200 HD ready-to-broadcast videos generated through their holiday season campaign. “It was one of the most cost-efficient campaigns we ran during the holiday season.”
Read the Zappos crowdsourced commercial case study here.
While approach is similar among the handful of video crowdsourcing partners in the market, each possess unique features in achieving crowdsourced video success. Here are five factors to consider when choosing with which crowdsourced video platform to partner.
1. The Crowd
- Who comprises the crowd that will contribute to your project?
- Has the crowdsourcing partner executed campaigns relevant to your category?
Consider how factors such as sex, age, and location can influence submissions. Look for crowdsourcing platforms that have a track record of being able to produce promotional videos across a range of industries or for a range of target audiences. These partners may be more likely to succeed creating content for your brand, especially if you have a unique or unconventional request. See the results of Zooppa campaigns for Hormel Foods, Horizon Milk, and Pillsbury where the community successfully created content targeting stay at home moms.
2. Promotions
- How does the crowdsourcing partner communicate with its crowd?
- Does the partner target and segmenting capabilities for its communications?
Successful crowdsourced video projects require participation. To get participation, projects require strategic promotions with consistent prom calls to action. Ask the partners how they communicate open projects to crowd members. Those that have an integrated means of communication, across email, social (see our Community Manager on Facebook and Twitter), forums, and other media, will can ensure that the right projects get in front of the right crowd members.
3. Management
- Does the network manage and moderate all incoming content?
- Does it provide the tools for your team to review all submissions as they come in?
Big payoffs can come from relinquishing some control to consumers, but crowdsourcing platforms that acknowledge that a level of quality assurance and feedback is needed will help your campaign stay focused and on track. Ask about workflow and what happens to submissions when they are uploaded, where they are uploaded to, and what approvals can be required before the content is made available to certain audiences. Platforms that provide dedicated campaign management, like Zooppa, will ensure that members of the crowd who are interested in producing and have questions will not be ignored.
4. Awards and Fulfillment
- What kinds of awards motivate the partner’s crowd to create?
- How does the crowdsourcing partner allow you to structure awards and fulfillment?
At Zooppa, we hear it from our crowd members every day, “Cash is King,” but it’s important to be able to have the flexibility to design an awards structure that will both attract the crowd’s attention and accommodate your budget. Review the resources you have available and compare it to awards structure of previous campaigns (view a list of current Zooppa campaigns and their awards here) and their performance on the partner’s platform in order to decide if it’s a right fit. Consider how a partner’s crowd has previously responded to special awards, like all-expense paid trips and product awards.
5. Distribution
- Does your vendor offer a post-campaign distribution solution?
- What can they guarantee and how fast can the deliver?
Some marketers and agencies crowdsource video projects in order to expedite the video production process. In these scenarios, having a bundled distribution can quickly and seamless get the best and winning-est content in front of the right people, adding to the efficiency already inherent the crowdsourcing model. Check to see with what publishers and networks the crowdsourcing partner has relationships and review the nature of their distribution model. Some crowdsourcing platforms, like Zooppa, can guarantee views of videos among target audiences.
What other factors should marketing teams consider when choosing a crowdsourcing partner? Tell us in the comments below.
Thinking about crowdsourcing your online video ad campaign? Download our white paper to learn five reasons why you should get started today.
