To create a fusion or be exclusive: an exploration of integrated and dedicated videos

Integration and dedication videos are two styles of video marketing in the influencer marketing space. Each has its place and significance, but knowing which one to use can be critical in ensuring the success of your influencer marketing campaign. We'll explore these two video formats to uncover which one is best for your brand or business.

Integrated Videos

These videos are where an influencer speaks about a brand's product or service but does not make the entire post or video about the brand. 

Influencers can place the branded content, a.k.a the ad, at the video's beginning, middle, or end. The branded portion could be anywhere from 60 to 120 seconds and is incorporated into the video's subject matter. For example, a creator making a video about photography, midway through the video, leads to the ad by saying, "I always enjoy using functional and simple scanners, and that brings me to the sponsor of this video, Epson. Epson is a brand that I enjoy using because of their scanners…". This style of ad placement is often very organic and does not feel contrived to the viewers, making them more likely to watch the ad. 

Many content creators and brands utilize integration in their ad campaigns because it is much easier to gain an audience for the video. So the strengths of integration lie in its universality, naturalness, and ease of implementation. The downside of integration is that viewers can skip the ad portion of the video as it only lasts for a short while.

Dedicated Videos

These videos are ones where an entire video is about a company or brand. These sorts of videos usually involve the creator showcasing the product or service in their video while giving feedback about their experience with it. 

Dedicated videos on YouTube usually come as unboxing videos where the creator unwraps the product and candidly gives their initial reviews to the viewers. Other forms of dedicated YouTube videos include reviews after the creator has used the product or service for some time. 

Dedicated videos are harder to gain views and can feel contrived, especially if the influencer has never spoken about the brand or similar products before the promotion. It is critical that for dedicated videos, brands allow influencers to give their honest opinion about the product rather than giving them a script to follow because their audience will be able to tell that they are not being honest. 

However, dedicated videos can be beneficial for your brand if they are done properly: giving influencers the autonomy to voice their opinion, making sure they are in your niche (a fashion brand, working with a science channel may not be the best idea), and possibly offering a discount code to their audience. These videos can be difficult to execute, but if done correctly, they can be vital for your influencer marketing campaigns.

Choose the right format 

It comes down to your goals. For instance, dedicated videos can be a good choice if you want to increase your brand recognition and allow people to see a product they may not be aware of. Emerging brands typically need more exposure than well-established companies, so increasing your brand's reputation is important, and thus dedicated videos are usually a great choice. 

Dedicated videos can be a good choice if you want to increase your brand recognition and allow people to see a product they may not be aware of
 

Large brands typically succeed more with integrated ads because many people are already familiar with the brand and business and, therefore, less inclined to watch videos about something they feel they already know about. You can look at the integrated video format as a reminder to the customers that your company is providing certain products or services. And maybe this promotion tips them towards purchasing your products over a competitor. 

It is important to remember that there is no fixed recipe or rule book for the use of these video formats for the success of your influencer marketing campaign. A good campaign may have a mix of both and depend on many other variables. Brands must understand these video formats and optimize their use based on their goals and targets.

For brands that have not previously engaged in influencer marketing or need help navigating their next campaign, relay.club is here to be a resource. Feel free to contact us with any questions about topics we have discussed or anything influencer marketing related!