Think back to the content that captured your attention the most on social media this week. What posts prompted you to hit the share button or tag a friend in the comments section?
Chances are that the content was in the form of a video — whether it was a silly clip of a cat running into a mirror, a step-by-step video of a new recipe, or a how-to video of a creative DIY project.
On average, U.S. adults spend six hours watching videos every day. (That’s only about one hour less than the average American’s amount of sleep every night!)
If that statistic does not scream “massive video marketing potential” to you, then it might be time to rethink your strategy to place branded video content in the front seat of your marketing efforts.
Why Is Branded Video Content Important?
“Video marketing is the most effective way to communicate with your prospective customers,” Chad Rogers, Lemonlight’s Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer, said at the Inbound 2018 conference. Video works because it captures your audience’s attention and creates emotion, he told attendees.
In fact, 85 percent of people want to see more video content from brands, and 95% have watched an educational video to learn about a product or service.
From live streaming to online shopping, today’s consumers seek instant gratification. Rather than scrolling through lines of content, they want to be stimulated and receive information at the touch of a button.
Videos allow companies to fuel this need for instant gratification by visually introducing their brand and summarizing their message in a short, engaging way. It also enables customers to connect with brands on a personal level.
Additionally, video marketing is becoming more affordable, while offering targeted advertising opportunities and advanced analytics, according to Lemonlight’s Rogers.
Effective Content for Your Video Marketing Strategy
Understanding and accepting the importance of video marketing as part of your overarching strategy is only one piece of the puzzle. The hard part is determining what types of videos will be most effective for your business.
During his session at Inbound 2018, Rogers highlighted 20 different types of content for attracting, engaging, and delighting your audience. Below are some of the different types of clips to attract new customers:
Social Media
Social videos are short, conversational clips designed specifically for social media. From live streaming on Facebook to Instagram Stories, brands can cast a wide net around prospective customers and reel them in with captivating content. While every consumer is different, most social users do not watch videos longer than two minutes. We recommend keeping your content short, sweet, and engaging.
For example, as part of our overall social strategy, the Criterion.B team posts bimonthly videos to our Instagram feed called “Tip Tuesday.” With these short 15- to 20-second clips, each member of our team shares a comical life tip. The strategy behind these clips is not to provide motivational advice but to make our followers smile and encourage social engagement.
Brand vs. Product
Brand videos offer a high-level overview of your company’s brand, mission, and style. This content can be clips of your office and can showcase company culture, but should not sell a product. According to Rogers, you should think of a brand video as your mission statement.
Product videos, on the other hand, educate your audience about the benefits of your product or service. With this content, it is important to highlight and explain customer benefits and not just the features.
Testimonials
Customer spotlight or testimonials showcase one of your customers and how they benefited from your product or service. These videos offer a great alternative to a traditional, written testimonial on your website.
At Criterion.B, we have seen word-of-mouth communication as a powerful force — especially when it comes to building brand trust. Your prospective customers will trust the opinions of your current customers more than they trust your website content, blog, or advertisements. Video testimonials are an authentic way to capture your customer’s feedback and potentially drive more leads to your business.
Trending
These videos leverage a trending or timely topic at the core, whether it’s a clip related to a holiday, upcoming election, or just a hot topic within your industry.
For example, we developed a video on the importance of building buyer personas, which was featured during a panel discussion at NAA Apartmentalize. The clip was timely (for the event), trending (within the multifamily market), and relevant to all of our buyer personas. Watch the full video below!
Captivate Your Customers
While social media videography is important, you should also leverage video across your website, landing pages, and emails. The idea that branded video content offers massive marketing potential is not new. What is new is the increasing popularity among consumers, and the importance marketers are putting on this content. It’s up to you to take advantage of this popularity to attract new customers and engage your audience.
Discover More Insights from Inbound 2018
Want to learn more? Click here to check out some of the best moments of Inbound 2018 and listen to full sessions.
