Video is one of the most impactful and effective tools of online marketing. We are primed for visual communication. According to Social Media Week, 78% of people watch online videos every week while 55% view online videos every single day. That’s a lot of opportunities to get your brand message in front of eyeballs! 👀
Bite-sized and engaging, video marketing is a memorable way to capture your audiences’ attention. It’s also highly measurable and shareable. But what does all of that really mean for your business? Will it actually be worth the time and effort that goes into creating video content? Great questions! Let’s break it down.
Why Does My Business Need Video Content?
The goal of online marketing in general is to get your brand out in front of both current and new customers as well as get those people to convert. Video is a highly effective way to reach and draw in an audience. This form of marketing tends to resonate with audiences in a range of demographics more. According to HubSpot, consumers prefer video content over emails, newsletters, social images, blog posts, and downloadable content.
Marketers report faster growth with video marketing as well. Research from Aberdeen Group revealed that businesses that use video grow company revenue 49% faster year-over-year than those that don’t. They also found that those who invest in video marketing rack up 41% more web traffic from searches than those who don’t use video. Again, more traffic equals more opportunities to catch a potential customer’s attention.
Most customers and prospective clients will shop around a bit before making a decision. They may do a Google search, check reviews, dig into your website, and take a peek at your social media. Video can be a great tool to hook your desired audience as they research your services and offerings. Roughly 97% of consumers say that video can help increase their understanding of a product or service. A study by Renderforest Survey also found that video increased brand awareness by 70%, web traffic by 51%, and sales by 34%.
In summary, videos help you sell your business to prospective customers. It’s a powerful way to get into the hearts and minds of your audience through storytelling, information sharing, and more.
What Type of Videos Should I Be Creating?
The sky is truly the limit with video marketing. You can get creative here. What makes your company unique? How do your stand out from the competition? Is it your dedication to your customers, your ingredients, your company culture, and your accessibility? Highlight that in your videos!
There are several video categories to choose from when planning a video project. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Product or Explanation Videos
As we mentioned before, your would-be clients and customers are doing their research before they choose where to put their money. Videos can help sway them in your direction. Forbes reported that 90% of customers say that product and explanation video helps them decide on purchases. Another study cited by Animoto states that 64% say watching a video makes them more likely to buy.
Testimonial Videos
Reviews are a huge driving factor in where people decide to shop and bring their business. Most of the time consumers will turn to Google or Facebook reviews to gain insight into a certain business. Capture the power of a strong review with a video testimonial. There is nothing quite like hearing about what makes a business worthwhile in a past customer’s own words. Reach out to one of your satisfied clients or customers to see if they would be willing to be in a video like this.
“Meet the Company” Videos
We are social creatures by nature. We will always resonate with brands that insert the “human” aspect of their company into their marketing. This is far more preferable than cold, distant messaging without any insight into the actual people behind the business. Don’t be afraid to give your audience a peek behind the curtains!
“Meet the company” videos can be an opportunity to show your audience how the products get made, illustrate what makes your company culture unique, or introduce your team members. Videos such as these give you an opportunity to connect with the people you are trying to market to authentically.
Promotional Videos
The internet is a land of shameless self-promotion! Don’t be shy – get in on the fun. You can and should make videos to promote your business, events you’re holding, or special deals you’re offering. Videos are a great way to generate excitement. Use a promotional video to share a short yet compelling overview of whatever you’re trying to drum up interest in. Close it out with a clear call to action so your audience knows what to do with the interest you generated in them.
Social Videos
Videos are highly sharable. Be sure to take advantage of this by using videos not just on your website but also on social media. Of course, you can share a link to any of these categories on your social media accounts. But it can be helpful to tailor certain videos for social media.
For example, TikTok is a popular social media app with a very specific set of parameters for what carries viral potential. If you want to hop onto this platform, resharing a video you created without these parameters in mind simply won’t cut it. Instead, look into the current trends and try to create a video. You can also study the flow of popular Tiktoks to create a unique video you feel might appeal to the audience there.
Podcast Videos
Do you have a podcast? If so why are you not making videos as you record? This is a simple way to produce video content. You can post these videos on Youtube for people to access. Some people love having a video to glance back at while listening to their favorite podcast. It’s another opportunity to put a name to a face – that vital human element. You can compel Spotify and Apply Music listeners to tune in by referencing visual elements during the show. Just don’t overdo it. Curiosity can easily sour into an annoyance if your podcast becomes unlistenable due to the visual references.
Live Streams
Livestreams are another opportunity to give your audience a peek behind the curtain at the ins and outs of your business. It can also help you to build strong relationships with your core audience. People can tune into your live stream and get their questions answered in real time. You can show them what a typical day in the office looks like, introduce your employees, talk shop about your industry and so much more! Again, be creative here.
Key to Effective Video Creation
Not all videos are created equally. If you slap something lazy together you likely won’t get the results you want – shocking right? Your audience is intelligent and discerning. Treat them as such and craft something that they will genuinely enjoy and gain value from.
Here are some elements of video marketing to keep in mind:
Keep it Conversational
Be sure to address your audience directly. They are there to interact with you. Use “you” statements to make them feel like you’re talking to them personally. This will help them to resonate with your message more.
Be Authentic
Your audience can tell when someone is simply marketing to them or if they are truly going above and beyond to connect with them. Be genuine. Don’t be afraid to put out an “unpolished” video if you feel it truly captures the values and voice of your brand.
Don’t Forget SEO
Always, always optimize. A video does you no good if no one’s looking at it! You can incorporate SEO into your videos by adding descriptions with appropriate keywords, uploading a transcript, or adding closed captioning.
Keep it Brief When Appropriate
Don’t drone on for too long if it’s not necessary. With so much content to interact with online and our collective attention spans shrinking, you need to hook your audience’s attention right and keep it. A great way to do this is to keep your videos brief. Videos that don’t go beyond 120 seconds are ideal for sharing on your socials.
Hook Them Right Away
As we said, attention spans are not what they used to be! You need to interest your audience right off the bat. Make sure the first 10 seconds of your video present value and illustrate why your audience should stick around. This is especially important for longer-form videos.
Include Closed Captions
Closed captioning is an absolute must these days. A lot of people watch videos without sound. And of course, it’s always a good practice to keep the hearing-impaired in mind as well. This is a great way to optimize your content for a broad range of audiences.
Example of Excellent Video Marketing
Duolingo on TikTok
What makes it successful?
Who isn’t a huge Stranger Things fan? Duolingo uses this trendy show to create content that will connect with its audience. All of their TikToks draw on trends and inside jokes that an avid user of the app will recognize. This is a great format for branded videos. It’s short, sharable, and relevant.
Slack’s Testimonial/ Product Description Video
What makes it successful?
We love Slack at BBM. We use it every day for company communication. Here we see a compelling explanation for why companies like ours use this messaging app. It is scripted and planned but still seems genuine. This could be a compelling reason for a manager to decide they want to use Slack.
Do I Need a Professional Videographer to Do Video Marketing?
Not necessarily! Most of us have a powerful little tool for making all kinds of content right in our pockets. Many successful short-form videos are created using smartphones – especially for platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
Now, if you want to get into longer-form content for Youtube or your website, having a professional can be a great asset. Consumers know quality content when they see it. There is a time and place for a casual, homemade look and feel for video. This is not the case for product videos, promotional videos, or advertisements. You want to capture an air of professionalism and skill manship in these kinds of videos.
Go Forth and Create
Whether you’re hoping to highlight your products or you simply want to connect with your audience in a more authentic, lighthearted way, video is a powerful tool to capitalize on. You have a story. You have industry information people want to know. Get yourself out there and make the content your potential customers and clients are looking for!
