5 Ways Drone Videography can Boost Your Ad Campaigns
Drones have been pretty much everywhere these days. You can find these little flying machines hovering over buildings, residential sites, weddings, film sets, construction sites and more.
And over the years, drones have become increasingly popular from a marketing perspective as well. Companies are slowly but surely realising the power of drone videography and how it can enhance the brand campaigns, making them more interactive and interesting for the audience.
Drones come in all shapes and sizes and can be equipped with a camera to capture angles that are otherwise difficult to get. Because of this, drones are becoming increasingly popular in AEC (aka Architecture, Construction and Engineering) industries.
A lot of AEC organisations are using drones not just for land surveying and aerial asset inspections but also to create engaging company profile videos.
These profile videos capture the essence of the brand and help convince potential investors to get on board with the project.
What’s the Big Deal with Drones?
If you compare footage taken from the ground with aerial drone footage of the same area, the difference is clearly visible. Aerial photographs and videos are far more attractive and impactful.
This is because aerial footage gives you a bird’s eye view of the area, something that you cannot capture from the ground. With drone videography you get a holistic perspective of the area/object as it is now accessible from multiple angles.
Earlier, companies turned to helicopters for these aerial shots. The problem with helicopters is- they are not easily accessible. It is quite expensive to hire a helicopter. Add to that the environmental impact and excessive noise pollution and it becomes even more unsustainable.
Drones on the other hand, are a more eco-friendly, affordable and accessible alternative.
Here are some benefits drones offer to companies when it comes to crafting an interesting ad campaign. Check out the five main ways drone videography can be used to boost your ad campaigns:
#1. Using drones as an active participant
Drones are interactive and can be used not just as a passive medium but an active element of the ad. For instance, you can center the entire campaign around drones and offer viewers a drone-centric perspective to make your ad more interactive.
Another way to use drones actively in your campaign would be to feature drones and drone pilots in the videos.
Just take the new Amazon Prime Air commercials for instance! These innovative ad campaigns feature drones carrying and delivering packages to customers, becoming an instant hit with the audience base.
#2. Using drones to capture stunning photographs
This is kind of an obvious point but an important one nonetheless. Drones can capture a site location from multiple angles and altitudes. And in the hands of a good drone videographer, you can easily create high-quality stunning clips perfect for your ad campaign.
What’s more, videos and images captured by drones are easier to process and edit. You can produce all kinds of ad content for pamphlet, website images, social media posts, introductory videos
#3. Using drones to tell a story
Drones are not just a medium to capture the location. When used smartly, drones can be an effective tool to narrate an engaging story. These little flying machines give you an opportunity to show the location or the object from a fresh angle.
Aerial videography with helicopters is not only cumbersome but also restrictive. You don’t have the freedom to zoom in or focus on a specific aspect or location point.
Drones being a lot smaller, offer better flexibility when it comes to shooting from different angles. With drones you can capture anything from wide angled sweeping shots of the horizon to long shorts of a narrow corridor inside a building.
#4. Drones as the surprise element
Drone videography is quite distinct from the more traditional videography styles that were earlier known.
So, drone videography does bring an extra oomph and surprise for the viewer to enjoy. Marketers can take advantage of the novelty of drones to attract and impress the audience.
Drones are also used to establish a more physical connection with the customers. For instance, companies like Amazon are using drones to deliver packages to customers in record time.
#5. Drones for communicating a message
Commercial drones have been used for land surveying and site inspection for a while now. But did you know that drone mapping is also to tell your brand story?
Yes, UAVs are great for communicating your brand message. You can use drones to create a storyline, capturing the site or the object from multiple angles and perspectives.
You can even use drones to cover the behind the scenes activities, giving the customers a sneak peek into the preparations and effort that goes behind creating an ad campaign.
Drones are a great way to capture product launches, press conferences, marketing campaigns, workshops, trade fairs and other such events that call for customer engagement and interaction.
Checking for drone regulations
I would recommend companies to check the drone regulations of their state to avoid any legal or technical obstacles in the future.
In Australia, for instance, CASA or Civil Aviation Safety Authority is a government body responsible for regulating drone flight in Australia. Drone operators here have to be licensed by CASA to fly drones in and around various areas in the country.
I suggest brands contact their drone service operators and verify if they have the necessary permits/certifications required to operate drones in the country.
This would save you from a lot of legal hassles in the future.
And while we are at it, let us also talk about commercial drone insurance. Commercial drone insurance comes in two main types:
Public liability insurance: covers any external damage to the site and around neighbouring properties
Hull insurance: covers any damages done to the drone equipment, camera and surrey setup.
Most drone pilots opt for public liability insurance. However, I would also recommend you get a hull insurance as drone equipment can be quite expensive. You can contact your drone operator to learn more about which of these two options work best for your business.
How Can Drones Be Used for Marketing?
Drones can be used to either lead or complement your marketing campaigns. Brands are turning to drone videography for capturing the site location from different interesting angles, changing the narrative style and making ads more immersive and engaging.
Drone images and video footage provide the much needed oomph and dramatic factor to your marketing content. It is a far better alternative than the standard on-ground photography. These captivating shots add dimension and movement to your website, print materials, commercials and more, leaving an impactful and awe-inspiring impression on your audience.
And partnering with a reliable drone videography service ensures that you get clean-cut, well-edited drone footage that is compatible with websites, mobile phones and other devices. A good photogrammetry software can help you edit the drone footage and convert it into a number of formats.
It is no hidden fact that an engaging drone footage can boost your website’s reach tenfold. People love to watch immersive videos highlighted in your website’s homepage. The website design definitely contributes to the conversion rate and Google ranking it enjoys.
The average internet user spends 88% more time on a website with video, incorporating drone footage on your website would be an integral part of marketing the footage.
In addition to website marketing content, drone footage can also be used in social media campaigns. You can post videos on your YouTube channel to give viewers a glimpse of your brand.
With YouTube being the second largest search engine and the third most visited site on the web, this video-based social channel is perfect for showcasing your company’s drone footage. Add to it the traffic generated by social media networks like Facebook and Instagram and you have got a lot of clout!
And the more views you get, the better your chances of converting these leads into successful business.
Talk to your drone service provider and ensure that you clearly communicate the need and purpose of the drone footage to them. It gets a lot easier for the drone operator to capture and generate drone videos and images that would best suit your requirement.
Which Industries Can Use Drones?
Commercial drone photography is gaining prominence in pretty much every sector you can think of. A few of these industries include construction, architecture, agriculture, mining, real estate, news and media, film production, energy and many more.
The scope and potential of drone videography has come a long way from the yester years. Today, drone videos are not just used for site inspection and worksite management. More and more brands are getting on board with the idea of using drone footage for their marketing campaigns.
Drone videography, particularly in the AEC (i.e. architectural engineering and construction) sector has opened up quite a few avenues for growth. I hope that these tips would help you optimize drone videography solutions for your business in the best way possible.
About the Author
Chris Patchell is the General Manager & Director of Operations at AVIAN Australia. He is an avid drone enthusiast and loves innovative technologies. Chris is highly motivated and has a very hands-on approach to things and his goal is to create awareness about drone tech in Australian AEC industries. On his days off, he is often scouting locations for photogrammetry and laser scanning. These days you’ll probably find Chris around the place using his drones and laser scanners to capture and recreate the real world in 3D space.