Since joining the media technology industry 18 months ago, I’d like to share my top marketing tips – the things that I have learned along the way and what I’d recommend you arm yourself with in your marketing toolkit of tricks!
Networking at Events
First on my list is networking! There are some great events taking place all year round, and whilst I’m yet to experience NAB, I have attended others including IBC, MPTS, and the DPP’s Leader’s Briefing. Be sure you get yourself along to these events; the panel discussions are insightful and provide you with a really good understanding of what the industry is talking about. It’s also a great opportunity to meet with your customers, resellers, partners, and outsourced resources. You learn a great deal from other people!
In addition to events, memberships and associations within the industry are also a huge advantage. The Marketing Leader’s Circle, IABM, DPP, Rise, HPA, and SVG, to name but a few. Not only do you get the opportunity to engage with other people in your profession, but you also have the chance to share ideas, learn about upcoming events, and contribute to discussions that help broaden your own knowledge. The industry might be close-knit, but there is an incredible amount of work being done, so I try to soak up as much as I can.
In the past 18 months, I have become a member of the Marketing Leader’s Circle (The Circle Society) and have been featured in their power book. I also took part in the Rise mentoring programme in 2021. All of these wonderful opportunities enabled me to meet and network with people from all across the industry. And not all from marketing positions, but with people who hold positions at various stages of the production process, i.e., editing, directing, and production. Object storage is just one element in the entire process, so it’s always good to understand the other important areas that integrate with one another.
Furthermore, all of these events and opportunities help us build a community that ultimately supports and benefits the customer; people work with people, and how we can add value to someone’s organisation is all about listening and understanding them, understanding their needs, and working together as an industry to help move them forward.
Building a Personal Brand
I’d like to mention personal branding at this point. While this industry is great in size, it’s also super friendly and welcoming, which enables you to not only promote what your company does but also enables you to grow your own personal brand too.
You have the freedom to voice your ideas and opinions, and in my experience, not all industries are keen on that unless you hold a C-suite position! And it’s really rewarding to see your peers making positive steps and succeeding in their professional development and be able to congratulate and celebrate that with them.
It’s true what they say: people work with people, not companies. And I can confidently say that in this industry, that’s definitely the case!
If you want to grow your brand (both personal and company), then you do have to be seen and heard. Don’t be shy!
Whilst we’re in a niche industry, if you want to spread the word, then you need to shout above the crowd to be heard and to be listened to. And the engagement will soon follow, as will the opportunities.
Video Content
Video content is a bit of a given…Or is it?
It is my opinion that video content should be a top priority in your digital marketing strategy. And whilst I observe the industry and what other organisations are doing marketing-wise, I have noticed that not many are doing video content. Aren’t we in the media tech industry?
Across the board, video marketing has become a vital tool for organisations to help them leverage their brand, build loyalty, and add new customers. Over the past 10 years, the number of smartphone users has increased by 50%! And especially during the pandemic, video marketing exploded. From TikTok dances to YouTube celebrities to social media influencers.
So why not?
Why not get involved? Video is engaging, it’s easily digestible, it contributes towards your SEO, and in some cases, it can be entertaining and fun! I’m still working on our TikTok strategy.
Nick…I definitely think there is a place for you and your green screen 🤣
You only have to watch our Object Matrix videos to see how fun and informative video content can be. By taking a technical point of view and positioning the message so that the viewer understands the benefits, you can make a difference in how that information is consumed.
For example, in addition to a blog post or an article that informs the reader on how a technical integration works, being able to visually demonstrate that workflow can make it easier for the viewer to understand the benefits and how the integration could fit into their organisation and/or be suitable for a strategy they are working on at the time. Short-form content is great for this.
Eventually, you start to build recognition from your video content, and people start talking about you (in a positive way, of course). I have come across this very recently on several occasions, and it’s really lovely to hear people’s feedback. It is a good indication they are watching and following!
And by having your own people on video with their personalities shining through, this can also be used as a platform to promote the sector, attracting new, diverse talent by making it accessible and as welcoming as possible.
And there are so many topics and angles you can cover with video, from customer testimonials to thought leadership content to focusing on your people; all of this works really well!
It doesn’t have to involve a huge budget for creating video content either—as long as you have a decent camera (the one on your phone will do, honestly), a microphone, a green screen (wink, wink), and some editing software or an app, then you’re sorted! Voala!
Some final food for thought on the matter; the number of people watching video content online has doubled since 2018. A recent survey conducted by Wyzowl showed nearly 81% of businesses are now using video marketing to tell potential customers about their brand.
So what are you waiting for? Lights…camera…and…ACTION!! 🎬
About Object Matrix
Object Matrix is the award-winning software company that pioneered object storage and the modernisation of media archives. It exists to enable global collaboration, increase operational efficiencies and empower creativity through deployment of MatrixStore, the on-prem, hybrid and cloud storage platform. Their unified deployment approach ensures content spans on-prem and cloud storage whilst their focus on the media industry gives them a deep understanding of the challenges organisations face when protecting, processing and sharing video content. Customers include: NBC Universal, TV Globo, Warner Bros. Discovery, MSG, ATP and the BBC, to name but a few!
