How to Understand Your Audience for Video Content

I woke up at 6am the last 14 days to write documentation. My goal was simple. Document every single creative thing we do at Odyssey. The most important document? The 10 creative commandments. Let’s break them down. 1. Understand specifically who the creative is for You need to understand who they are and where they are in the buying process. Who they are: - Demographics - Their problem or desired outcome - What they are influenced by Where they are in the buying process: - Completely Unaware - Problem Aware - Solution Aware - Product Aware - Most Aware 2. Find the single most compelling insight Find it from past performance, competitive research, or customer reviews. 3. Use a storytelling framework Always use a storytelling framework as the foundation: - QUEST - Enemy - PAS - Outcome - AIDA 4. Leverage consumer psychology and the 7 human desires The 7 human desires are some form of: - Convenience / comfort - Social approval - Longer life span - Romantic companionship - Higher status in society - Protection of loved ones - Freedom from fear or pain These are the reasons why people buy things. 5. Write in the audience’s language Don’t write like a brand. Write in the audience’s language. How? - Find the words and phrases the actual customer uses - Be as SPECIFIC as humanly possible - Use numbers 6. Use references to accelerate the creation process A hero reference accelerates the creation process: - Make it easier to write your script / storyboard - Makes the creation process easier for the creator - Makes the editing process easier for the editor Utilize Foreplay to easily find, organize, and share creative references. 7. Respect the attention of your audience “If there is ever a hint of boredom, I cut it.” - Mr. Beast. Your competition for attention is one swipe away. Your audience does not have time to waste. Don’t make boring ads. 8. Start with the most compelling thing Mr. Beast uses the Inverted Storytelling technique in every video. This means that he shows a peek of the end result right in the beginning. With an ad, you have 1 second to capture attention. Stop thinking chronologically. Then tell the story you want to tell. 9. Show undeniable proof of the outcome The viewer is skeptical. You need to show undeniable proof that your product solves the problem / delivers the dream outcome that you claim. 10. Show macro shots to allow viewer to shop the product Think about when you shop for t-shirts in a store. You probably touch and feel the shirts to get an understanding of the quality of the material and how comfortable it will be. You need to recreate that experience with your digital ads. --- Those are my 10 creative commandments. What do you think I missed?

As the owner of a marketing agency, I've noticed a distinct difference between clients who achieve good results and those who achieve great ones in content marketing. The key? Clarity. Firstly, our most successful clients have clarity about who they are. Authenticity isn't something you put on; it's who you are. Don't fall into the trap of imitating others online, creating a persona that feels forced. People can spot inauthenticity from miles away, and it's a turn-off. Secondly, they know their audience inside out. This means understanding their pains, problems, and what they genuinely want to see in content. It's not about chasing viral hits; it's about consistently addressing your audience's needs and interests. Another crucial aspect is knowing where your audience spends their time. It's not just about getting views on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. It's about ensuring that your content reaches the right people, in the right place. At the end of the day, content marketing, especially video marketing, is all about being at the right place at the right time for your audience. If you're spreading yourself too thin across various platforms, with inconsistent messages and personas, you'll be forgotten. Focus on clarity in who you are, who your audience is, and where to find them. That's the recipe for great, not just good, results.

Eventually, the content well will run dry. You’ve set up some high-performing automations, sent out email campaigns to your list consistently, and then all of a sudden… There’s a glaring issue: You don’t know what to talk about next. Everyone’s been there – but how do you refill that content well, gain inspiration, and start pumping out quality emails and posts to your audience? Through talking with people, asking questions, and listening. I always recommend people to talk with others in their company, especially those in a customer-facing role, and especially talk to customers themselves. Get to know your customers on a deeper level, by finding out: – What questions do they have about your products? – What influenced their decision to buy the most? – What do they love/hate about your products? – Do they use your products in a unique way? – What do they want to hear more of? You can’t create content that captivates and converts your audience without properly understanding them in the first place.

Every single time I sit down to write a social media post, I ask myself this question... Who am I trying to reach with this post? If my answer is "everyone," then I have a problem. Think about it this way: You wouldn't try to hit a dartboard blindfolded would you? You might get lucky, but you'll mostly miss the mark. Loan officers, the same is true with your marketing. When you know your audience (i.e. removing the blindfold) your content will hit the mark more often and be more relevant. Do you... → Know what your audience wants? → What keeps them up at night? → What excites them? Maybe they want to understand the mortgage process without feeling like they're reading a foreign language. Or maybe they want insights on investment properties but with a touch of humor. With either scenario, it's your job to know. Alright, here's the takeaway... You're not just dealing with loans, you're dealing with people's futures, their homes, their families. And to win them over, you must understand them. This isn't just about more leads or higher numbers. It's about relationships, trust, and creating something meaningful. So grab a notebook, write down who you think your ideal clients are, delve into their wants and fears, their likes and dislikes. Then, create marketing with them in mind. And when this happens, your engagement rates will receive the boost they deserve! ------------------------------------ P.S. Want an entire guide on homebuyer personas--including different buyer stages, their likes, dislikes, challenges, etc.? If so, 'like' this post, comment "SEND," and I'll DM you the link. Also, you can get more insights like this in my weekly newsletter: https://buff.ly/3Ymsxm7