Shoutout Videos

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.

It should come as no surprise then that influencer videos with shout-outs are gaining popularity in the marketing world, as they come with plenty of advantages and upside for the content creators and the brands. Here are four reasons why this partnership makes sense for both sides.
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1. Collaborating and Sharing in the Same Vertical

Brands and creators are recognizing that there is cross-pollination between similar channels, products or services. By partnering with one another in shout-out videos, they encourage their audiences to crossover and explore areas of the internet and brands they wouldn’t otherwise. Audiences also tend to come with a more open mindset after hearing good things about the brand or product via the influencer shout-out.
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2. New, Innovative Advertising Strategies

With the growing popularity and prevalence of videos on the internet, they also come with exciting new opportunities for advertisers in digital marketing. Brands now have another way to go directly and quickly to their audience through influencers that share the space. 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’.
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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 touch points to help stay top of mind as well as, listen in for critical feedback that can support product development.
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4. Word-of-Mouth Credibility

Word-of-mouth is one of the most credible forms of advertising. Marketing audiences are less likely to see a shout-out campaign as a form of marketing and instead approach the opportunity with a more open mind as the trust has already been established between themselves and the influencer. With that type of built-in credibility, marketing campaigns that include shout-outs can be even more powerful than the more traditional marketing efforts.

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 barreling into the future, smart innovative brands will see the Shout-Out video as an increasingly valuable asset in their portfolio.
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Want to learn more about how to take advantage of user-created content as a brand? Learn more here about how Vyrill can help.

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About the Author

Katy boasts two decades in B2B technology & services, spearheading growth and brand evolution. A former Adobe marketing maven for 9 years, she’s since built growth teams for 5 tech startups that have all been acquired. With a stellar record in operational excellence and creating demand, she excels at leading successful cross-functional initiatives that enable companies to scale up.