•••

Shoutout Videos

The Value of a Shout-Out video in your marketing strategy

A 'Shout-out' is a type of video where an Influencer mentions or plugs another Influencer, brand or product during one of his/her videos. Before the rise of Instagram, ’Shout-outs’ were common on YouTube, where two YouTubers could mention each other at the end of the video to cross-pollinate their audiences. For example, two artists or two chefs mentioning one another’s work. 

Nowadays, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are not just entertainment or social networking platforms. They are also platforms where brands go to engage deeper and reach farther in their efforts to find new audiences.

Influencer videos with Shout-Outs are gaining in popularity for the following reasons:

1. Collaborating and sharing in the same vertical: Brands and influencers are seizing the opportunity to cross-pollinate between similar channels, products or services
    
2. Innovative advertising strategy: D2C collaborations between brands and influencers can be seen as a new strategy to impact consumers more directly and quickly. With a cost, Brands can achieve their goal of reaching a bigger audience, with the advantage that they are assuming the ‘influencers voice’ which would not be considered advertising –‘per se’. 
3. Opportunity to nurture the community and brand relationship: Consumers and influencers are having conversations about brands whether the brand itself is present or not. Shout-Out campaigns raise awareness and raise the number of brand touchpoints to help stay top of mind as well as, listen in for critical feedback that can support product development.
    
4. Word-of-mouth credibility: Word-of-mouth is one of the most credible forms of advertising. Building engagement with your community as they consider you as a reliable product that has been recommended.

The value of a Shout-Out video is pretty clear when you consider the points mentioned. Still, Shout-Out videos have a long way to go before they are considered equal to the testimonial or product review videos. 

It may be that working with Influencers on a Shout-Out campaign is just one small piece within a larger, strategic campaign. Still, as we go barrelling into the future, smart innovative brands will see the Shout-Out video as an increasingly valuable asset in their portfolio.