Generating More Leads with Video White Papers
If you’re a fan of white papers, you’ve probably noticed the changes that have taken place with the medium over the past ten years. In fact, this rate of change seems to be progressing at an increasingly faster pace each year.
For example, ten years ago, the limited number of commercial industries that fully embraced the white paper medium treated it like a technical brochure. White papers were written, printed, and distributed in a hard copy format just like spec sheets, brochures, and user guides.
With the advent of Adobe Acrobat PDF technology, white papers took the next step and evolved as a screen-based medium where it is read online rather than as a hardcopy document. Today, in this format, we see white papers using professional design along with a series of visual aids to enhance information assimilation such as concept graphics, business charts, stock photography, network diagrams, product cutaways, integrated case studies, and hyperlinks to web pages. This evolution has been a very good trend. As reading habits are increasingly influenced by online information such as Social Media and it’s short, quick, messaging formats, the white paper must evolve to accommodate these changing reading habits.
So what is the next trend with the white paper medium?
Many say that given this trend video and interactive white papers are the next logical step on this evolutionary path.
Video white papers are a way to make white papers interactive and engaging. They are particularly effective for educating buyers about complex products and services because of the detail they can provide. In fact, a recent B-to-B study of over 4,000 respondents found that 80% of buyers rely on vendors for educational material to solve a problem. At the same time, online video is becoming the preferred medium for web users. A recent AOL/Google study that found 75% of respondents reported watching more video online than they did a year ago, and half (52%) expected to watch more online video over the next year.
How are video white papers produced?
A leading producer of video white papers is Accela Communictions. According to Kevin Flatley, the client supplies Accela Communications with a standard white paper and Accela will produce a 5 to 7 minute executive summary video of that paper. Banner ads are produced prompting the viewer to register to receive the PDF version. That registration data is passed to the client. The client can run the video on their website, and a AccelaCast inBanner rich media banner ad will be created to promote and launch the program via their own media buys. Accela can also guarantee leads via their AccelaCast Media Network. Accela Communications will take care of all aspects of the project including scripting the video, hiring an actor to appear in the video, and handling the video production.
The cost? About the same as about two professional written and designed white papers.
What are the results? According to one case study posted on the Accela website, Biomni, a leading enterprise Request Management solution provider, saw the following results from the implementation of their video white paper after one month of activity: (You can see how Biomni implemented their video by visiting their home page).
• Total unique viewers = 546
• Total views including repeats = 671
• Total view time = 49 hours
• Average view time for classified registrants = 6:41 or 81% of the program
• Total downloads of textual white paper = 395 or 76% of all viewers
These results are certainly impressive and represent a glimpse of how video white papers can influence demand for PDF white papers. For enterprise organizations that embrace white papers as a regular part of their ongoing marketing programs, the addition of video white papers allows prospective customers to easily assimilate complex solution messages, as well as, increase the number of PDF downloads as evidenced by the Biomni results.
As business executives are falling out of favor with traditional white paper registration methods, and enterprises are searching for new and more effective ways to generate high quality leads from their white papers, the addition of video white papers looks like an innovative, and more importantly, a highly effective way to generate leads and new business opportunities.
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February 6th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
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February 7th, 2010 at 1:09 am
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February 7th, 2010 at 4:56 am
Interesting! I can see people loading up these videos on an iPod and watching while traveling or at a boring conference, meeting etc.
This is perhaps a more attractive way to check out content before going to the ‘trouble’ of consuming written content e.g. printing out white papers.
However, I wonder how efficient it all is… I had to watch the 8 min video to make sure I didn’t miss anything (compared to scanning a white paper in 2 mins to see if worth reading in detail.)
The video does present a very professional image to the viewer – and that must be worth a lot in the “first impressions count” marketing arena.
They had some nice touches – pre-qualifying my interest by asking me to give contact info in a form after I had clicked on the agenda link to find out what the video covered.
There was also a question link where the viewer can ask something and get a reply “within 48 hours”. If handled right I can see how this would generate good leads…
February 7th, 2010 at 4:57 am
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February 7th, 2010 at 10:02 am
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February 7th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment.
I see the application of video as a compliment to an existing white paper document, not a replacement. If the video can quickly grab reader attention (fulfilling the goal of “Short Attention Marketing”) and then draw that viewer into more detailed, solution-oriented information, I’m all for it. Therefore, the video and the PDF have a one-to-one relationship.
I can also see the application of video taking a second route. As a supplemental information source WITHIN a PDF. Imagine in the sidebar a video that provides an industry overview, animated business chart, or expert analyst providing commentary. I think that would be a powerful addition to an existing white paper that would further drive reader interest. It would be an extension of the current use of text callouts, or business charts that currently occupy that space.
What do you think about that?
Jonathan
February 7th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Yes, I think ‘call out’ videos would add real value if they provide or clarify specific info in the text. They’ll have to be brief though – I can’t ‘see’ senior folks taking the time to watch video beyond a minute or so…
Another thing, many video watchers will probably need headsets to listen in open plan corp office environments. Not sure how widespread this is in mainstream corp culture.
Exciting times ahead…
February 8th, 2010 at 12:18 am
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February 8th, 2010 at 12:24 am
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February 8th, 2010 at 7:06 am
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February 8th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
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February 8th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
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February 9th, 2010 at 6:00 am
For some reason, white papers have not taken off to the same extent in Europe?? Combining video sounds like a fascinating idea and one that could be really effective. Thanks for sharing, Niall
February 9th, 2010 at 6:15 am
Hi Niall,
Maybe video white papers haven’t taken off yet in Europe, but certainly the medium is alive and well in the UK. I have highlighted several informative public sector white papers distributed by the UK government in my weekly Friday Free White Paper List. These white paper examples combine professional design along with charts, graphs, and illustrations to thoroughly inform the public on key societal issues.
In either case it’s nice to see that white papers have become a vibrant and fully accepted marketing medium.
Thanks for your input,
Jonathan
February 16th, 2010 at 7:50 am
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February 22nd, 2010 at 1:00 pm
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March 14th, 2010 at 4:18 am
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