Why Videos Should Be Part Of Your Marketing Strategy And How to Get Started

More than 70% of customers say they would prefer to learn about a brand by watching a video, and following a purchase, 84% say it was watching a video that determined their buying decision.

If those numbers alone aren’t convincing enough, here are a few more reasons to include video marketing as part of your strategy:

It Builds Trust

Unlike an image that can be doctored or taken at exactly the right angle, video offers a high level of transparency. When you are showing what your product can do or answering a few questions over a video, there’s really nowhere to hide. You’re able to show your audience that you’re the real deal.

It Offers a Lot of Info, Quickly

You know a picture is worth a thousand words, and a short, 15-second video can replace paragraphs of text. You can share a lot about your brand message, your product, and the value it offers to customers in a short amount of time.

It Benefits Your SEO

Search engines love new material showing up on your website, and they particularly favor sites with video. Be sure to include features like captions, keywords and transcripts to get the most SEO benefits out of a video.

There’s a Low Cost of Entry

You might be picturing some sort of sound stage being built at your location, but all it takes to get started is a smartphone and a tripod.

It Works for B2B, Too

You might be tempted to write off video marketing as something that’s suited better for B2C, but it’s a popular decision-making tool for B2B buyers. Consider these two important stats:

• 57% of a purchaser’s decision is made before they even contact the company
• 72% of B2B buyers use videos to help make their decision, and more than half watch over 30 minutes of video content before making a purchase.

Now that you’re on board, it’s time to dive in.

Here are a few steps you’ll want to follow to get started:

1. Know Why You’re Making a Video: What are your goals? Maybe you want to raise brand awareness, introduce a new product line or address some questions that tend to come up over and over.
2. Decide Who You’re Talking to: If you already have a defined marketing strategy, you probably know who your target audience is. If you can drill down further and create a buyer persona, your video will feel more personalized.
3. Determine a Distribution Plan: You’re probably planning to post your video on social media, and it’s a good idea to start with the platform where you already have a presence. Keep in mind that different platforms have different ideal formats, so you’ll want to create a video that works best on the platform you choose.
4. Create Your Plan: Your first video is probably not the best time to just wing it. While you’ll want to have a natural feel to the dialogue, you also want to know where your content is headed. Create a storyboard, a script, and do a quick run-through so that you can spot potential challenges before your deadline for posting.
5. Schedule and Promote: Decide when your video should post and be prepared to talk it up a bit.
6. Refine and Adjust: Plan for your videos to evolve and get better over time as you learn what works to engage your audiences.

Want more great tips like this one, be sure to check us out on our podcast and socials.