How to measure the effectiveness of a branding video in terms of audience engagement?

An image film is created to communicate with target customer groups or the wider business environment. But how do you measure whether it “worked”? Effectiveness is measured primarily in terms of audience engagement. How do you get reliable results? What do they indicate? Why is it important? We explain.

Everything is for something, or the goals set for an image film

One of the first issues that are established when working on an image video is the purpose of its publication. Such material can, for example:

• be a way to generate brand interest/build brand recognition;
• help strengthen brand and product recognition and “remind people of their existence.”
• allow to create a specific image of the brand – for example, as aimed at demanding, more affluent customers or the “typical Kowalski.”
• build and strengthen specific brand associations.

So, as you can see, these are not strictly sales targets, but rather – marketing targets, aimed mainly at people at higher levels of the so-called sales funnel.

Why are we writing about it? Because it’s important in the context of measuring the effectiveness of publishing such a video. It’s difficult to verify it on the basis of sales increases in the short term – these are not materials focused on quick conversions. For this reason, it makes sense to focus on another measure, namely engagement of the audience.

Audience engagement, or what?

What is audience engagement? This is the factor that makes the viewer watch the material with interest and want to interact with it. If the video captures attention, the chances increase that it will fulfill the goals you set at the start, and indirectly and in the long run strengthen your sales.

You can recognize commitment by several “symptoms.” These include:

• the length of time the material was viewed – whether the video was turned off after a few seconds, or whether the viewer persevered to the very end;
• the number of video plays – both by a single user and more generally referring to all audiences;
• “interactions” with the video – such as clicking on links to other materials, links to a landing page or CTAs encouraging contact, but also comments and shares.

Therefore, all these elements are subject to constant “examination” and affect the evaluation of the effectiveness of a campaign with an image film.

Read also: How to prepare for making an image film? 6 things you need to keep in mind.

How do you measure audience engagement?

You may be wondering where the data regarding audience engagement that is used for branding campaigns comes from. Most often, they are available as part of analytical tools on the platform where the material is published. Such instruments give YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn, among others. You can also monitor audience engagement with materials embedded directly on the company’s website. This is where the “magic” and advantage of the Internet over traditional media, such as television, lies.

Importantly, on the Web, you can very precisely measure the audience’s involvement in watching a image video. The reports allow you to get all the key information for those responsible for marketing and sales. They are related to, among other things, reception of materials by particular audience groups. Thus, one can easily find out, among other things:

• who are the people who watch the released image video – their demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, place of residence and even online “habits” are known;
• What is the level of involvement of the various target groups in the material;
• Which elements of it caught the most attention; for example, which moment was played most often;
• How many of the viewers clicked on the link next to the video and who those people were.

Such information is very useful, because it allows you to plan your next publications even better. So that each of them further increases the chances of pulling the audience down the marketing funnel.

How to ensure high audience engagement in an image video?

The above question could also be asked more simply: “what should you do to make an image video capture the attention of your customers?”. It’s hard to point to a one-size-fits-all recipe for success, because a lot depends on who you want to create an image video for and for what purpose.

However, it is important that this production be prepared based on specific marketing objectives, to a well-specified target audience. It must also be of great quality and captivating – with images, sound and story. So that the viewer wants more.

Wondering how to create such material? Do it together with HOLE Films. We know how to tell the story of your brand to arouse and keep viewers engaged for longer. Call or write to talk to us about how to enhance your brand image!