Now that the demand for online videos is at an all-time high, video marketing has quickly become a staple strategy for every savvy business that aims to cut through the clutter. In this post, we’ll break down the essential reasons why you need to invest in a video marketing strategy and how you can use it to its full potential.
Why You Need a Video Marketing Strategy
Today, more than 86% of marketers use videos as their marketing tool. Here are some reasons why:
#1. Boost SEO Efforts
SEO practices have always been a critical element of digital marketing, and videos are one of the most effective ways to improve SEO. By including videos on your website, you can increase your site’s rank in search engine results pages (SERP), helping you reach more potential customers. When you have a higher chance of appealing to more audiences, you can boost your online presence.
#2. Generate Trust
A well-crafted video marketing strategy also helps you to generate trust with your customers. Using videos, you can show what you offer, how it works, and how to use it, so you help potential customers to set a clear expectation and build confidence to buy from you.
According to a survey, 79% of consumers say that they trust online videos from brands as much as they do TV commercials. And when customers trust your brand, they’re more likely to buy from you.
#3. Convey Message Effectively
When you have complex messages to deliver, using videos can be the most effective way to communicate them. Using both engaging visuals and audio elements, videos allow you to break down even abstract topics into easily digestible pieces, making it easier for customers to understand your message and take action.
That way, it would be much easier for them to understand what your business is all about and why they need to invest in your brand– which translates to an increase in conversion rate.
You can also use animation to get your message across to the audience in a more creative way, grabbing attention and engaging customers.
#4. Highly Shareable
Another best thing about marketing videos is that it only takes a few clicks to get spread around the internet. By using a video marketing strategy, you can increase your chances of going viral and reach more potential customers organically on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter.
That’s why businesses that use videos have been seeing an average organic traffic growth of 94% compared to those who don’t make any videos at all.
#5. Quick and Easy-to-make Marketing Tool
Of course, hiring a professional video production company can help you craft professional-looking marketing videos. But, when you’re a small business with a shoestring budget, you can still craft your own marketing videos using your own smartphone cameras and some video editing tools. The key here is to provide value and be less hard-selling.
Popular Video Types for Marketing Strategy
No marketing videos are created the same. One type can’t work for all businesses, so you need to choose the type that’s best suited for your needs. Here are some of the most popular marketing video types:
Explainer Videos
Explainer videos are perfect for businesses who want to introduce their products or services in a fun and engaging way. These videos are typically around two minutes long, and they explain how your product or service works in a clear and concise manner. More often than not, explainer videos rely heavily on animation, such as motion graphics, classic 2D animation, whiteboard, etc.
Tutorial Videos
If you offer complex products or services that need a demonstration, tutorial videos can be an effective way to show potential customers how to use them. These videos are typically around three minutes long, and they walk customers through a process step-by-step. Oftentimes, tutorial videos include screen recordings of your product or service in action.
Testimonial Videos
If you want to build trust with potential customers, testimonial videos can help. In these videos, current or past customers talk about their positive experiences with your business. These videos are typically around two minutes long, and they can be filmed in a variety of ways, such as through interviews or recorded customer testimonials. So, instead of bragging too much about your products or services yourself, your happy customers do all the talking.
Brand Videos
Brand videos are perfect for businesses who want to introduce their company and its values in an engaging way. It’s an ideal video type to show off what makes your company unique. You can use a variety of visuals and styles in brand videos, such as animation or live-action footage– any elements that align with your business personality.
Product Videos
If you want to showcase a specific product or service that you offer, product videos are the way to go. In them, you can show off the product’s features and benefits in an interesting way. They focus on a single product, so the potential customer can have solid insights into how it works and how they can get benefits from it. Plus, they’re perfect for including on your website’s product page.
Quick Tips for Video Marketing
Just like any other strategy in digital marketing, a video marketing strategy needs to be properly planned so it can bring you the maximum result. Here are some quick tips that you can use to improve your video marketing campaigns:
Understand Your Audiences
When you understand who you create the video for, it means you can create videos that are more likely to appeal to them. So, do some research and figure out what your target audience wants and needs, then create content that caters to those desires.
Define Goals
Make sure you create one single video for one specific goal. Having too many goals for one video will only lead to confusion and a lack of focus. For instance, if you aim to generate more trust with video marketing, customer testimonial video would be a great option. Meanwhile, if you want to boost brand awareness, explainer videos can do a great job at it.
Choose the Right Platforms
Find out where your target audiences are hanging out online, then create a video that’s optimized for them. For instance, if they’re on YouTube watching videos all day long, creating an explainer or tutorial video can be effective. On the other hand, if your audience is always checking out Twitter to see what their favorite brands are up to, posting short brand videos with catchy hashtags will work best.
Tell Less, Show More
The main purpose of a marketing video should be to educate and engage your target audience, so keep the talking to a minimum. Instead, show them what they want to see– such as how an innovative product works or why customers love using it.
Be Consistent
Once you’ve created one video, make sure you use that content for other videos on your blog posts and social media channels. A video marketing strategy isn’t a one-time thing– it’s an ongoing process that will bring in long-term success if you’re consistent with it.
Start Your Video Marketing Strategy Today
Video marketing has become an essential part of any successful digital marketing strategy. It’s a great way to connect with your target audience, build trust, and educate them about your products or services. So, if you’re not using video in your campaigns yet, it’s time to start. And luckily, creating videos doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Remember that the most important part is that you provide your audience value. You can check out the complete video marketing checklist to make sure that you don’t miss any important things.
Author
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).