It is no secret that branching out into video is one of the cornerstones of contemporary digital marketing.This can hardly be called a trend as it should be considered the new standard! Any broader digital marketing strategy that fails to incorporate some video media is failing to take advantage of the opportunities that this medium provides. Pictures are worth a thousand words and moving pictures can engage with your audience in ways, which other formats simply cannot. This is not only for B2C companies. Thus, looking at ways B2B companies can use video in their marketing is a wise investment of your time.
Simply knowing that you should get into digital marketing is not enough, however. What is needed are actionable steps that your business can take to leverage this tool effectively. With some practice and trial-and-error, you will find that your web traffic will be approximately 41% greater than companies who are opting to not use video marketing.
Let’s take a look at how your B2B company can use video in your marketing to make 2019 your most successful year to date.
- Provide Informative Explainer or “how-to” Product Videos
Video is a great way of providing your audience with information about your products. So-called “explainer” videos are an easily digestible way of communicating critical aspects of your business. Take the opportunity to address common questions and concerns that you have noticed among your client base.
How-to videos are also a good option for businesses whose products are less straightforward to use. In fact, 65% of people say that they have used YouTube to help them solve a problem. Going step-by-step through instructions via demonstration in video clips is one of the most practical ways of how B2B companies can use video in their marketing.
Getting across what your product is and what it can be used for using video makes it more likely that users will actually pay attention to what you have to say. Human beings are wired to more easily absorb visual information and taking advantage of this evolutionary fact can reap benefits for your bottom line. Just make sure that you have a prepared script and well-edited final product.
A great example of this is the ‘What Is Hubspot?’ video released by Hubspot to showcase their product to other businesses. They strike the perfect balance between explaining exactly what it is that Hubspot does, while also talking about why your business needs it. This is a great example of an explainer video as it grabs the attention of the viewer right away, highlighting customer pain points and the different technologies the software focuses on. Overall, the video is to-the-point, highlights the advantages of using Hubspot while always ensuring that the content is customer-centric.
- Product Reviews And Testimonials
Another one of the best ways of how B2B companies can use video in their marketing is to present clips of real people either reviewing your products and services or providing personal testimonials. Watching an objective commentator promote your products can bolster the credibility and reputation of your company.
So-called social media influencers present an excellent opportunity for such the use of this method. Solicit individuals who could potentially showcase your company’s products in a realistic and informed way to expand your audience and client base.
While the ultimate goal of video marketing is to convert viewers into sales, it is sometimes best to let these product reviews and testimonials speak for themselves. Avoid pushing the sale too strongly in this context as this can be annoying and can alienate your audience.
- Add Expert Interview Videos To Add Authority
Whether conducted in a face-to-face setting or presented as a split-screen Skype conversation, adding interviews with experts in your industry can serve to bolster the authority of your business.
If you are searching for brand-building ways of how B2B companies can use video in their marketing, this method can even increase the web traffic of your pages. This can be done via posting these interview clips on your social media pages or even having your guest expert publish links to the interview on their own pages. This symbiotic exchange can provide your products with credibility and can actually give your audience useful insights.
- Experiment With Webinars
Expanding on the previous point, another great way of how B2B companies can use video in their marketing is through the webinar format. Having a resident expert within your company or inviting an external expert to speak via web conference is a great way of connecting with your audience. Choose topics that are of interest to your clientele. You can even program a mini-series of content to keep your users coming back for more. If your content is good, you will certainly be able to convert many of your participants into reliable customers.
To squeeze out the most fruit from these webinar sessions, you can also edit the recorded session to generate smaller clips for public consumption on your social media and other pages.
- Incorporate Humor With Care
Especially in our contemporary politically correct times, incorporating humor into video marketing should be carefully considered. There is a delicate balance between one person’s entertainment and another’s offense. There is nothing worse than planning and implementing a video marketing strategy only to have it backfire and leave your company image worse off than if you had done nothing.
The appropriateness of particular content will differ depending on the nature of your brand, target audience, and past marketing strategies that your business has created. To do your due diligence before publishing humorous video marketing materials, run your work by your marketing colleagues and management. This can serve as an informal test group to minimize the potential for a marketing disaster, which seems to happen more than you would think.
With these provisos in mind, humor can be an effective component of a digital marketing strategy that incorporates video. With the popularity of platforms like YouTube, video entertainment incorporating humor is a huge draw. Properly executed comedic video segments can establish your brand as trendy and relevant. Tools like Promo can help you create an effective humorous and eye-grabbing marketing video in no time.
More Tips For How B2B Companies Can Use Video In Their Marketing
Treat video marketing as an exciting opportunity to expand your digital presence. Rather than being a burdensome task, you will find that it is a fun and fresh way of making your company engaging and reputable. Explore some of the methods and strategies outlined here to get your company started. However, your best work will be the result of trial and error and in dialogue with your target audience. Going forward, be sure to stay engaged and watch your business go from strength to strength.
To help you get utilize video marketing in your digital marketing strategy, get in touch with our dedicated and passionate team today. We are recognized as a top Digital Marketing Company on DesignRush and have helped countless clients to improve their digital marketing efforts and reach their goals.