As the world continues to adapt to new work environments in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw many wonder what the future held for both content marketing and for business as usual. However, our Return on Empathy™ campaign helped shine a light on these answers. And our Chief Brand Strategy Officer Tim Leon put these ideas into practice in his accompanying social media video series. 

The idea behind Return on Empathy™ is that now more than ever is the time to listen closely to your customers and communities you serve.  And when it comes to creating online video, understanding how to effectively engage your customers is a result of truly understanding your customers and what they value in your brand.

And that comes from empathetic listening. 

Through this series of LinkedIn videos, Tim saw a big jump in engagement, with video views far exceeding our targets. Not to mention the conversation it started. And while we throw the word “conversation” around liberally in the marketing world, this heartfelt messaging did spark it. 

Of course, we were working from home at the time, so there was no way we could manage a studio setup. Or even much by the way of lighting. However, we understood at the time that people were not seeking out high production value or giant promises of “the top 10 secrets to pandemic success.” People wanted honesty and a roadmap that may not have been always easy to execute, but is easy to understand. 

So with this in mind, Tim pulled out his iPhone and hit record. Then the G/L Content Studios editing team got to work packaging up and turning it around within a day. Since Tim was discussing current events and trends, so time was of the essence. It seemed like huge news was breaking every second for weeks on end, so our nimble production process helped seize upon the moment to talk about current events while they were still…current. 

Of course, the answer for online video isn’t for every company’s president to pull out their iPhone and go to town. The point is that effective marketing is based upon gaining a deep understanding of your audience, planning carefully and then determining the best way to communicate your message effectively and timely. 

We believe that the businesses that displayed an empathetic attitude towards their customers during the pandemic are the ones that positioned themselves for long-term success. But empathy doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t) stop there. If we can inject it into everything we do, then we build a solid foundation for long-term success in our marketing strategy. 

If you would like to learn more about how to build an online video strategy that deeply resonates with both current and future customers, get in touch. We’re always happy to listen.