Super Bowl Commercials: How to Win Big in the Online Marketing Game

A 2010 Super Bowl commercial re-ignited Betty White’s career. See how the rules of game day advertising can be applied to your online video marketing.

This afternoon, Super Bowl 46 will be held in Indianapolis between the New England Patriots and New York Giants, re-igniting a fierce rivalry between the two teams. And while many people tune in to catch the touchdowns or the half-time show, a highlight of the game every year for many is the commercials. Thousands of people tune in to see what creative and interesting ways companies will promote themselves in 30 second slots throughout the game. The best and most memorable commercials will stay in the media conscious for weeks to come, and be talked about around water coolers across the nation. A Super Bowl commercial even revived the acting career of Golden Girl Betty White, who starred in an advertisement for Snickers and has since appeared in movies, hosted SNL, and even has her own television show.

Buying a Super Bowl ad isn’t cheap; it costs 3.5 million dollars for a 30 second time slot during the big game. This means that companies have to make the most of their airtime, and so a method has been perfected to create the most effective commercials. Many of the tools used by these big corporations can be applied to your business, especially in online video marketing. Here are a few things Super Bowl commercials do that you should consider in social video marketing for your company:

Keep it Short: 30 seconds doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but a good commercial tells a complete story and gives the audience an understanding of the product in only half a minute. An online video doesn’t need to be quite this short, but somewhere between one and a half and two minutes is recommended. This gives you enough time to introduce your business to prospective customers, but is short enough to ensure that they watch the video until the end.

Be Selective With Your Information: The purpose of an online video, like a commercial, is to provide enough information about your company or product so that a viewer is interested in learning more. But avoid too many fine details, long winded speeches, or an overwhelming amount of text, as it can be off putting to a viewer.

Make it Engaging: No matter how wonderful your product is, if people forget your advertisement, you’ve wasted your time and money. And with $3.5 million on the line, the marketing experts behind Super Bowl commercials know how important it is to make it engaging. For your social video marketing, the keys to keeping it interesting include a high level of technical skill, quality video production, and showcasing your product or services in a unique way. Many viewers are drawn to humor if it’s done well, but this isn’t the answer for every business video.

Use the Internet to its Full Extent– This year, every Super Bowl commercial is linked to a Facebook page, Youtube account, or Twitter feed. Even with a viewing audience of 111 million, companies know there are still millions more that can be reached online. This dedication to getting their brand out there is exactly what your company needs to be thinking about. Having video on one website isn’t enough; think about linking it to your Facebook, Google +, website homepage, or Youtube account to get the most of your social video marketing.

So whoever wins the big game today, watch the commercials. Pay attention to how this year’s commercials adhere to tools and suggestions in this post, and see if you can use any of their creative solutions for your business needs.