Video killed the radio star, but what’s killing video? Social Motion President Michael Arking argues it’s not AI — it’s a poor strategy. 

In an industry awash with beautiful but ineffective content, Michael is charting a different course. He’s not only interested in making pretty pictures; he’s after cold, hard results. 

And with the numbers to back it up, his approach is turning heads and opening wallets. But don’t mistake him for a tech evangelist or an AI doomsayer. 

Michael shared with us how Social Motion is leveraging data, embracing AI, and achieving success in the creator economy — all while keeping one foot firmly planted in the human realm of strategy and creativity,

From Stop-Motion to Digital Dynamo

Founded six years ago, Social Motion has transformed from a specialized stop-motion animation studio to a multi-faceted digital content agency.

Michael brings a diverse background to his role. “I came out of direct mail, even going back to direct response catalog days,” he says. His career path led him through traditional marketing to e-commerce, where he served as CMO for a major company.

The shift to video content catalyzed Michael’s entry into the creator economy. 

“What I started to see while working with some brands was the rise of video,” Michael notes. “This is five or six years ago, even before video [was] on Amazon or LinkedIn.”

Michael recognized a market gap and partnered with a veteran commercial director to launch Social Motion. They aim to offer high-quality, cost-effective video production tailored for social media and e-commerce.

“We’re more about being scrappy and efficient and not expensive, but producing the quality that clients need,” Michael explains.

The company’s focus has matured with the market. Initially specializing in stop-motion animation, Social Motion now offers a range of services, including what Michael calls “hybrid motion,” which combines motion graphics with other digital techniques.

Social Motion primarily serves consumer packaged goods (CPG) clients, with an optimistic style Michael describes. However, the company is expanding its reach. 

“We are expanding into service now and even into B2B,” Michael says. “There’s so much opportunity out there for leveraging video the right way, and it hasn’t been explored yet to really [reach] the next level where it could be.”

Targeted Approach to Video Content Strategy

Social Motion serves a diverse clientele, primarily those operating in omnichannel environments, including major platforms like Amazon and brand-owned websites.

“They’re coming to us for video content for Amazon, both ad-sponsored content and PDP page content,” Michael explains. “And they want content that converts and to test some of that content.”

Social Motion’s approach distinguishes between lower-funnel content for e-commerce platforms and a more extensive strategy for social media. 

“When you look at something like Amazon, you’re lower funnel,” Michael says. “Users are already thinking about buying. But if I’m back at Social, I want to think more about [how] to capture those buyers before they’re in the market.”

The company employs a sophisticated, multi-stage video strategy to engage potential customers early in their buying journey. 

Michael provides an example: “Let’s say you’re a new mom and have a crib for your child, but it’s not so safe. Maybe there are better cribs out there, but you’re not in the market yet to swap it out. But now you’ve watched a video about five ways your cribs could be dangerous for your baby.”

This approach allows Social Motion to identify and retarget potential customers based on their engagement with awareness-stage content, gradually moving them through the consideration and decision stages.

The company’s production process is streamlined yet comprehensive. 

“We would go through a launch process, a meeting with a creative team, a creative brief, and separate copywriting,” Michael says. “It’s a very buttoned-up process of developing a concept and a script and then fully storyboarding everything before any video is created.”

Social Motion aims to produce high-quality content efficiently and affordably. 

“We’re more about turning more video more often, more content more often, more affordably, and getting more testing out of it,” Michael tells us.

Success Metrics

Social Motion relies on data and analytics to refine its content creation process and achieve success transcending traditional metrics. 

“As the rise of AI came to the forefront within video, we’re much more focused on results,” Michael explains.

The company employs a complex tracking system that uses Google Analytics and Tag Manager to monitor each video’s performance across various platforms. 

“We have specialized setups of reporting that tell us every single video, the location of that video, where it’s placed, whether it’s on meta or your website, the result of the click, and whether it ultimately led to a purchase,” Michael says.

This data-centric approach allows Social Motion to optimize content continuously. 

“If I set up ten videos that are awareness content around that baby crib as an example, I will first measure whether I got 70% or more view time of that video,” Michael elaborates. 

“I’m going to measure it, understand what that group looks like, and serve them the next piece of content,” he adds.

Staying Ahead

When it comes to staying ahead of competition and trends, Michael believes it’s important to be curious and have an instinct to adapt. 

“We probably have over 60 apps we’re working with within the company alone that I’m tracking at any given time,” he notes. I’m always looking at a new app and platform.”

Despite the constant technological shifts, Michael maintains that content quality remains paramount. 

“Content is even more important than all the tricks people are trying to come up with to drive results for their clients,” he asserts. 

According to the entrepreneur, focusing on high-quality, strategic content positions Social Motion as more than just a creative resource but a results-driven partner for brands.

Driving Results for Major Brands

Social Motion’s approach has yielded results for several high-profile clients. 

For SimpliSafe, a major U.S. security company, the agency created a series of 3D and scripted videos that outperformed traditional TV-based content on Amazon. 

 The result was a 220% lift in sales over an 8-week period,” Michael reports.

Another success story involves Eggland’s Best, one of the largest egg producers in the country. 

Social Motion’s campaign delivered a 37% increase in new-to-brand customers, which Michael attributes to “the style, the approach for the content, the consistency, the recognizability.”

The company’s diverse client portfolio also includes Mars and M&M’s.

Beyond the AI Hype: Social Motion’s Reality Check

Michael sees AI as a transformative force in the creator economy but cautions against viewing it as a panacea. 

“We know the rise of AI, and we know the rise of those tools is going to continue to grow,” he says. “It’s going to shift the industry in multiple ways, and it’s happening at a much more accelerated pace than what we’re used to.”

Despite the advancements, Michael maintains that human expertise will remain crucial, drawing a parallel with the design tool Canva: 

“Canva is phenomenal,” he states. “But then again, somebody has to execute, strategize, and pull it all together.”

Michael dismisses the notion of effortless content creation through AI. 

“The idea that you can press a button and have it all done for you is a bit of a fallacy,” he explains. “You can’t prompt yourself into a beautiful video without hours and hours of work.”

To succeed in the AI trenches, Social Motion focuses on delivering measurable results rather than just creative output. Michael stresses efficiently leveraging AI tools while concentrating on strategy, measurement, testing, and optimization.

The creator economy veteran recommends a comprehensive video strategy to brands and creators entering the space. 

“You have to understand what that video content looks like or what it should be,” he advises. “You must know how to identify your content pieces, know the functionality of each content piece, and understand the result of what you want.”

As AI tools become more prevalent, Michael anticipates they will facilitate faster content testing and optimization. “We are switching out hooks faster, getting in titles more quickly, and cards,” he notes.

Bridging Business Strategy and Creative Content

Michael believes video content strategy will become increasingly vital across various business sectors. 

“I think B2B is a huge future for us,” he says, highlighting the potential in professional services and medical fields. “These strategies work across service, B2B, and B2C. It doesn’t matter. Video works.”

Michael touches on video marketing, mentioning platforms like LinkedIn. “I’m already seeing broken video there,” he notes. “People are spending a lot of money on these videos and posting them. They won’t get a result without a full-blown strategy suite of content.”

To avoid this trap, Social Motion prioritizes business strategy alongside creative execution. 

“What distinguishes our company is business first, digital expertise, and a global understanding of the digital side,” Michael explains, adding that many video production companies are run by “frustrated filmmakers” who may lack business acumen.

Michael anticipates AI’s prominent role in unifying brand messaging across different content types and platforms. 

“Ultimately, everything will be strung together so you’ll have a more unified sort of marketing in the future for brands,” he predicts. However, Michael admits that achieving this level of cohesion is challenging for smaller businesses.

Despite the industry’s competitive nature, Michael sees ample opportunity for growth. “There’s $20 billion worth of video content produced yearly,” he notes. “No one company could handle all the business.”