When you set out marketing campaigns for your startup, there’s one common piece of advice given: be authentic. So, what’s more, authentic than lo-fi content filmed on your phone and uploaded straight to Instagram without fancy equipment or a high budget? For most consumers, nothing.
Lo-fi content, otherwise known as low-fidelity, means it requires little production, can be filmed on a phone, is behind-the-scenes, or is filmed on the go, meaning quality isn’t as high as usual. It’s more DIY and easier to release more often than, say, a big campaign that takes months to get right and costs more.
Recently, consumers have been wanting content from their favorite startups more frequently. Producing hi-fi content, as mentioned, takes a long time, whereas lo-fi content can be uploaded as soon as it’s finished – keeping your most loyal customers satisfied.
More than that, lo-fi content boosts your startup’s authenticity, reduces costs for you, and deepens consumer relationships. By seeing you reject the usual high budget, high impact, we’re too good for you type of marketing that has been the top dog for so long, potential consumers can see themselves using your product or service and will be more inclined to find out more.
So, how can you achieve this?
Make Your Phone Your Cameraman
It’s amazing what a smartphone can do these days. No more will your pictures and videos look like they were taken on a potato, though they still might not be as high quality as someone with a professional camera… It’s their limitations that consumers want to see now. They want to know they’re buying and supporting a real person who isn’t airbrushed and messes up every once in a while, and the best way to see that is by using your phone as your cameraman.
Be the Star
As much as we all get a kick of seeing which celebrity is in the latest campaign for a brand, the truth is that consumers would rather see someone just like them. It builds trust between your startup and your target audience, it humanizes your company, and it’s as authentic as you can get. It’s a daunting thought, to be the star of your own campaigns, but it will have a greater impact on your target consumer base.
Keeping It Simple
Just the thought of trying to film something high budget with a full cast and crew on an iPhone is enough to make your head spin, so keeping the content you create simply is the way forward. This can be things like a day in the life, tutorials, Q & A’s, and even resharing content created by your customers.
Utilize That Audience
It’s most likely that there is a wealth of content waiting to be used by your consumers. With the popularity of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, it’s easier than ever for anyone to create a short-form video from their own phones featuring your startup. Also, consumers trust other consumers more than they do anyone else, so get into your tagged posts and see what you can find.
Be Unafraid of Imperfection
The public is tired of perfection. They want to see how your startups’ product or service looks like in an everyday situation to know if it’s right for them. They want to see it in bad lighting, how it looks through a phone lens and used by someone who is just like them. If the video you shoot yourself is angled slightly off, the audio is a bit rubbish, or the lighting isn’t studio-quality, it doesn’t mean it goes straight to the cutting room floor. In fact, videos shot on phones have an effectiveness rate of 164.5%.
So, if you’re a startup on a budget or if you want to do something fresh with your campaigns and content, the lo-fi route could be your answer. Contact us at blazon and our team of creatives can help make your lo-fi dreams a reality.
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