There’s no getting around it. The video format is here to stay and your brand has to commit to it to grow.
It’s become a tool that marketers are turning to for quick wins. In fact, as many as 71% of marketers say that video helps them drive more conversions than any other form of content they produce.
But there’s a little more to how crucial video has become for business.
As a tool, it’s the easiest way to reach out and engage buyers and it’s also evolving the way brands market themselves.
Today, more businesses are committing to video. Content Marketing Institute’s annual B2B Content Marketing Report shows a 64% increase in videos, live streaming, and webinars.
Video-On-Demand (VOD) platforms and social media to strengthen their messaging and close content gaps.
It’s not uncommon to see businesses produce videos that help educate their customers on how to use their products and services.
As competition heats up, brands are looking to ways to develop stronger relationships, drive more conversions and increase the customer lifetime value.
When it comes to video, just shooting content and putting it out there isn’t enough.
You need to be strategic.
You need to consider where and how video fits into your buyer’s journey.
This also means ensuring your videos are optimized for each platform, and, most importantly, that they’re packed with the kind of value that makes your buyers stop and say, “I want to see more.”
In this blog post, we’ll share 7 types of videos you can use to generate more conversions for your business.
Before we jump into each type of video you can use, you need to know how to produce your very best videos.
How to create great videos
The most effective videos include the following four elements:
A strong storyline
The most effective content is always based on a strong storyline, with the buyer’s interests at the heart of it. Your buyer has to experience every twist and turn.
And while we could dive into the deeper facets of the hero’s journey and the 12 stages your buyer might move through, there’s a simpler approach.
Focus on your buyer’s journey.
A clearly defined buyer’s journey will help you plot exactly what your audience needs to see and hear in your videos.
Source: Hubspot
Here are 3 questions to help you find an angle for your next video:
- What kind of challenge or problem is your buyer facing? Is a lack of information required to better understand the intricacies of a problem? Do you need to share new ideas or ways of thinking?
- Where are your buyers on their journey by the time they come across your video? Is the problem at the beginning, middle or end of the buyer’s journey?
- What kind of information do your buyers need to be able to take the next step on their journey comfortably? Does your audience need cold hard facts in the form of stats or will a success story do?
Answering these will help you develop a narrative that speaks directly to your buyer, making your storyline strong enough to capture and hold their attention.
Build an emotional connection
Whether you’re selling to businesses or consumers, establishing an emotional connection is crucial.
But how do you identify the right emotion(s) to appeal to?
Think about your viewers’ before and after states.
Source: DigitalMarketer
Understanding which emotions your buyer experiences before and after you deliver valuable insights through video will help you create stronger messaging.
Use enticing CTAs
You need a strong and clear call to action. When it comes to video, there are different ways to deliver one.
Yours could be prompt to download a piece of content, set up an appointment, demo your product or subscribe to your YouTube channel.
Source: Wholesale Ted
As you can see, structuring your videos can make them powerful. Doing so will enable you to capture the attention of your audience, engage them on a personal and emotional level, and deliver real value.
7 types of videos you can create
Now that you have a solid framework for creating effective videos, here are 7 types of videos you can produce to boost your conversions along with useful tips to produce your best content:
1. Customer stories and testimonials
Case studies and testimonials are ideal for converting bottom-of-funnel leads. Research shows that 88% of consumers perceive testimonials to be as strong as personal recommendations.
Testimonials act as persuasive nuggets that paint a clear picture of the idea after state your buyer.
Source: QuickBooks
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the length of a video testimonial. You can create longer in-depth or shorter versions. Regardless of the length of yours, place emphasis on the before and after states of the customer you’re showcasing.
Viewers will want to know what particular problem your solution solved for your client. They’ll also want to know how you helped and if your solution will work for them and possibly deliver more value.
2. How-tos, tutorials, and demos
There are tons of tutorials and how-to videos for almost every type of product and service available today.
When done well, these types of videos are ideal for driving more website traffic and converting bottom-of-funnel leads that want to ensure your solution will work.
For example, StacksAndStacks.com, an organizational houseware e-tailer, found that website visitors were 144% more likely to buy after viewing a product video.
They’re also great for helping existing customers better use products and services.
While great how-tos and tutorials help connect the dots for buyers who are eager to find a solution, poorly executed ones can turn the most valuable prospects off.
When producing your tutorials and how-to videos, ensure that you are thorough. Provide as much detail as possible to give your viewers the insight they need to feel ready to take the next step on the buyer’s journey.
Source: Teacher’s Tech
3. Behind the scenes and culture videos
There’s something special about behind the scenes video. It’s able to portray a more personal side of your business, especially when team members are featured.
If well-produced, they can be powerful tools for businesses in crowded markets where every brand claims to offer the best product and support.
They can also help your brand attract more of the best talent. CareerBuilder found that including a video icon along with job listings lead to a 12 percent increase in views over postings without video.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L0en33hfqI
4. Animation explainers
Animated explainer videos are everywhere! They’re so common because they help break complex ideas into simpler and easy-to-understand concepts.
Explainer videos also make it possible for brands to create highly engaging content and draw on analogies that can be illustrated using animated video much easier than using live subjects.
In fact, 83% of businesses say their home page explainer video is effective!
While they work well for complex concepts, they’re just as effective for use as short or long and impactful messages about any kind of product or service.
For example, when billionaire Ray Dalio wanted to share his business philosophy with the world, he did so with a series of 8 videos. The videos are part of a content marketing strategy to help promote his book titled “Principles in Action.”
Source: Principles by Ray Dalio
5. Ads for webinars
Webinars have become a high-converting tool for businesses with some being able to convert as much as 22% of their attendees. They’re also easier to produce today than they were a few years ago.
Using video posts and ads can help generate interest in your webinar. And the recipe for using video ads is simple. Create a short video describing what the webinar will include and post it along with a link to the registration page.
Source: MIT Institute of Design
6. Product and service reviews
Product and service reviews are big business! According to Google, 68% of YouTube users watched videos to help them make a purchase decision. Reviews sell more goods and services because people want honest reviews before they commit financially.
They’re also the perfect sales tools for brands because reviews are often produced by influencers with large audiences who are highly likely to purchase your solution.
While often produced by influencers, it’s worth noting that you can reach out to customers and produce reviews as you would case studies and testimonials.
Source: Marques Brownlee
7. Live streams
Live streams have been around for a while and they are becoming a popular tool for brands. YouTube reports that 60 of the most-watched live streams occurred within the last 24 months.
As a tool, live streams offer brands the opportunity to engage viewers in real-time. For example, Microsoft’s Surface event generated over 260k views and received tons of messages in the chat.
Source: Microsoft
Your live streams can take the format of product launches, Q&As and AMAs. You can also host interviews with an expert in your field or a customer that has a great story to share.
Like webinars, to attract a large viewership and generate as much engagement as possible, promote your live stream to attract a large audience.
Ways to maximize video marketing on social media
Getting ready to create a video and looking for ways to make it stand out? Here are four tips to help generate as much traction and results as possible with your videos on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat:
1. Create in-depth videos for LinkedIn
In the last 24 months, LinkedIn has made strides with video. In fact, 84% of marketers said that using LinkedIn video has been successful for their brands.
LinkedIn allows you to serve-up native ads with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes. This makes it the perfect platform to use for more in-depth content. As a professional network, people expect more detailed information and to see the expertise. So, take the opportunity to produce a well-thought-out video that showcases unique insights.
2. Shorter videos on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat
Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat have become go-to platforms for brands because they generate results. For example, 80% of marketers on Instagram and 71% of marketers using Twitter say they’ve seen positive results using video.
And as for Snapchat, design updates led to wins for publishers. According to their CEO, Evan Spiegel, the new design resulted in a 30% increase in publisher story views.
These platforms are more suited for shorter videos due to the quick pace at which people scroll through feeds and stories. While they also offer many options (think ads types), make your videos punchier to grab attention.
And don’t miss the chance to capitalize on organic Instagram Stories. They are still the best way to stay at the top of follower feeds using frequent updates and behind the scenes footage of your brand.
3. Hook viewers fast on Facebook
Facebook videos can also vary in length. According to the social media giant, over 100 million hours of video are uploaded daily. This means there are tons of competitors contending for your viewer’s attention.
How do you stand out?
Facebook recommends capturing your viewers’ attention in under 2 seconds, or risk losing them to something else in their feed.
Consider creating curiosity or suspense. Both emotional responses are linked to the human need for exploration and uncertainty about the future. Using one or both will surely pique viewer interest.
4. Livestream
You’ve picked a great topic for your live stream, but you’re a little concerned about turnout.
What do you do?
Building a large audience for your live stream needn’t be a painful experience. Here are three ways to ensure that your live event is a success:
Constantly build anticipation
Social media is filled with content that’s released every second. For your event to have any chance of being noticed, you’ll need to get the word out early and do so regularly as you build up to your live stream.
Leverage your followers
Ask followers to share posts about your live event. This will help you reach a larger audience of people who potentially share similar interests with your followers.
Use notifications
Advise your followers to turn on notifications so they don’t miss your event
Cross-promote
Partner with other brands and cross-promote your live event. This tactic may not be easy to pull-off in a short period. It requires a degree of trust between brands as well as an agreement that includes some form of mutual benefit.
How to use video ads to support your marketing campaigns
While video can be used as stand-alone content, it can also be incorporated as a support content format and use for remarketing purposes.
Here are three ways to use video remarketing:
- Target website visitors who have viewed product pages. There’s a good chance that anyone looking at a product page will want to know more about your offering before making a purchase. By retargeting product page visitors with timely video messaging, you’ll increase the possibility of more visitors becoming leads.
- Remarket to visitors of pricing pages. Website visitors who have visited pricing pages are likely ready to make a purchase. If they’ve left your website without doing so, remarketing to them via social platforms with video messages can help convert more visitors into customers. For this strategy, ensure that your video of choice is persuasive.
- Remarket to home and about page visitors. Remarketing to home and about page visitors is a top-of-funnel strategy. The goal is to use remarketing to convert more visitors into leads.
Conclusion
Video marketing is effective. It has been proven to generate higher conversions than any other form of content. But to create your very best videos, you need to produce a strong storyline, engage your viewers on an emotional level, share valuable insights and use strong calls to action.
You also need to know where to publish your videos and how to use them to support your content marketing strategies to supercharge your conversions.
Altogether, this may seem like a lot of work, but if you commit to the process, you’ll be able to create competitive video content to help boost your conversions.
Be in the know 📥
Sign up for The Mention Memo
Get the latest and greatest digital marketing
+ social media tips every week!