How to use Video Content to Drive Results for the Digital Consumer
Video marketing is one of the most efficient and effective ways to reach customers and promote your brand. Over the past few years, video content has continued to grow in popularity. In 2022, it is predicted that video will account for 82% of all internet traffic.
That’s because video is an incredibly versatile and powerful medium. It can be used to build trust, educate customers, and increase brand awareness.
To acknowledge the hard work it took for organizations to shift to digital-first campaigns and experiences, we’ve rounded up the best video content examples in order to get the most out of your video content campaigns.
The growth of remote work has shown us what works and what doesn’t in a digital-first world. Web traffic was up 120% in 2021 compared to benchmarks, and conversation interactions were up 121%. Video content offer the opportunity to reinvent oneself, and that’s what we saw from business who invested in new ways to reach customers and existing clients.
Video content can be extremely effective when done correctly. However, it can be difficult to know where to start. Our guide provide some great examples of how to get the most out of your video content..
Virtual Events Reach Customers
With technology becoming more and more advanced, it’s no wonder that virtual events are becoming more popular. In fact, a recent study showed that the number of people who have participated in a virtual event has increased by 400% in the past three years!
So, what is a virtual event? Simply put, it’s an event that is hosted online. This can include a webinar, conference, or trade show. Attendees can participate from anywhere in the world, making it a great option for those who can’t attend a live event.
With physical proximity no longer an issue, attendees could now choose from a global menu of events to attend. To stand out in a crowd that big, you have to do something different.
CB Ventures Media partnered with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc to host their 16th Annual College Fair using a virtual platform. The best virtual events used a combination of live and pre-recorded video and included plenty of opportunities for attendees to be social. CB Ventures Media hosted the event on Youtube live with the ability to host across Facebook and Instagram.
Virtual events are a great way to engage with your audience and promote your brand. By using video marketing, you can create a rich, interactive experience that your audience will love. Don’t be afraid to embrace the virtual event - you can reach more people and create a stronger relationship with them.
Authenticity Matters in Video Content
It's no secret that video content is becoming an increasingly important part of digital marketing. In fact, Cisco predicted in 2019, that video would account for 80% of all internet traffic. But what many people don't realize is that simply slapping together a few videos and expecting them to go viral is not a sound marketing strategy.
In order for your videos to be successful, they need to be authentic and engaging. This means taking the time to produce high-quality content that your audience will actually want to watch. It also means being true to your brand voice and values.
Authenticity Matters! This doesn’t mean that you can’t be creative or that you have to be yourself on camera – but it does mean that you need to be thoughtful about the way you present yourself.
And authenticity doesn’t have to be saved for your customer-facing programs. Staying connected to your teams in the virtual work world is just as important. This was demonstrated by the law firm McDermott Will & Emery, which created an internal storytime series in which members of the leadership team read a favorite storybook to connect with their employees’ families at home and build a more vital company culture.
Be known as the Subject Matter Expert
One of the most successful ways to create content that goes reaches customers is to be a resource. When you become a go-to source of information for your industry, people will share your content because it is helpful and relevant. Additionally, using video to educate your audience can also be a successful way to generate shares and traffic.
With the power within the Phones, prospects and customers are constantly connected- they want answers—they want them now—and You want to be the one to provide them. Craft content in an entertaining and engaging way, and you’re already beating the competition.
Pre-recorded or asynchronous video is one method that can be effective way to educate and offer content to prospects while helping them move through a customer acquisition process with the least amount of effort.
People are more likely to watch a video than read text, so using video as a medium for content can help you reach a larger audience. If you can produce high-quality videos that are both informative and engaging, you’ll be more likely to see success with your video content.
Format Matters
When using video, consider the strengths of the format. Talking head and whiteboard videos are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what you can create with video. Focusing first on design strategy, creates innovative ways to show instead of tell, to grab attention, and stir up conversation.
Let’s look at Trimble. They do a lot of work in the civil construction sector, commonly referred to as “moving dirt from one side of the road to another.” Obviously, this is a massive understatement, but Trimble took that theme and ran with it to create “Dirtkhana 2”, a nine-minute documentary video that highlights the construction of an epic motocross track and features Trimble technology, equipment manufacturers, social media influencers, and celebrity dirt bike riders—and of course they “ride the hell out of it.” The video premiered at CONEXPO where it helped create, not just business, but fans.
Video-First Is the New Digital-First
Digital-first is a given with a digital consumer. In 2021 it was a video-first approach that gave companies an edge over the competition and generated better business due to the pandemic. This doesn’t just mean creating a nice series of videos and leaving it at that. It’s a philosophical shift that involves incorporating video into every part of your business- at every stage of the customer journey and across multiple channels and programs, to generate more leads, accelerate pipeline and close more deals. If that sounds daunting, be brave! It only takes one person to set the shift in motion.
In a video-first shift, you don’t have to be a massive team or have huge budgets to make an impact—as long as you have a plan.
Let’s highlight 7Geese, a performance management software company with a “small but mighty” marketing team of two. At the beginning of the pandemic, they jumped on the use of video as a way to connect with their audience from home without having to access additional funding and they achieved great success by focusing on three key areas: brand awareness, in-funnel leads, and web conversions.
For brand awareness, they regularly published timely and relevant Q&A videos and started building a following. They included those videos in an email newsletter sent directly to those in-funnel leads. Finally, they strengthened their typical chatbot responses with product walkthrough videos which resulted in higher conversions and over $100k in new sales. Check out the wealth of video resources on the 7Geese YouTube channel.
Follow-Through is Everything
To be a true video master you have to understand and act on all the points above and then keep going. Don’t just provide educational content, become the go-to resource for educational content in your field. Don’t just make marketing videos, tell really good stories. As you continue to use video, we will be your partner and your skills will mature along with your video content strategy so that the two are intertwined.
As we move forward, there’s no doubt we will continue to see businesses embracing a video-first approach to connect with prospects and customers and make a splash in the new digital landscape.