Videos are gradually becoming the favorite content format for small and big businesses because of their engaging nature and ability to drive traffic. According to the recent studies conducted by MarketWatch, the global video streaming market is expected to increase by 18.96% by the year 2030. That is why including videos in your marketing strategy can be beneficial for businesses, regardless of the industry.
With TLDR becoming a norm today, videos help in capturing the attention of customers seamlessly. Videos boost conversion rates by influencing the viewers into making thoughtful purchasing decisions. It helps in building brand recognition and increasing SEO rankings. It also helps in driving generous traffic to websites. Furthermore, videos are excellent assets for social media marketing.
Now that we are aware of the benefits of videos, let us quickly look at some of the best videos that small businesses should make.
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Six videos small businesses ought to make
#1. Product introduction or demo videos
Product introduction or demo videos exhibit and visually explain the benefits of products or services to customers. It demonstrates how customers can leverage products for their benefit.
Product introduction or demo videos can guide people who aren’t familiar with your product in understanding how it works and provide them with all details required to make a buying decision.
According to Google, 55% of customers leverage videos to make a purchasing decision. This explains why businesses should create engaging videos that do not explicitly appear promotional but influence customers into making a purchase.
Take a look at this introductory video by Grammarly. The video focuses on swiftly explaining all the major product features. They go a step further by introducing various people in the video thereby conveying the message that the tool can be used by all, irrespective of the job role.
The conversational approach to presenting the message is very enticing. Lastly, they share a social proof with the help of interesting statistics, which makes this video even more effective.
Similarly, check out this product demo of the Ring door view camera. This compact camera adds more security and convenience to doorways. The video rightly conveys the message the company wishes to convey.
It places all its features before customers and briefs them about how this product will simplify their lives. It is engaging, informative and comprehensive.
#2. Customer testimonial videos
Customers are the biggest brand advocates. According to Wyzowl’s study, 79% of people watch customer testimonials to learn more about a company, its products or its services. That is why businesses should focus on including customer testimonial videos in their marketing strategies.
The primary objective of making customer testimonial videos is to turn prospective buyers into customers. Reviews and testimonial videos are more believable than the traditional one-line textual testimonials. The reason being your existing customers have a chance to convey how your product or service has enhanced their businesses to the potential customers.
Customer testimonials also serve as the best social proof for lead generation and other promotional activities.
Check out this customer testimonial video by WalkMe, a digital adoption platform aiming to deliver a simplified yet impressive user experience. In this video, Jennifer and Rebecca from Tyler Technologies talk about how WalkMe helped them simplify the eLearning experience via interactive walkthroughs. The video also gives glimpses of their software, demonstrating how WalkMe supplemented user experiences for their product.
Great customer testimonials are short, precise and engaging. Interview your customers and set up your testimonial videos as they have the power to influence your target audience and bring in more customers.
#3. Product explainer and how-to videos
Giving customers step-by-step instructions helps them learn more about product features. The purpose of these videos is to educate customers on using a product better and turning them into loyal customers.
This video by GetAccept, a digital signature platform demonstrates how companies can quicken the document signing process by using their software. As you can see, this video puts forth their message by narrating it in the form of a story. It throws light on how challenging the manual document signing process is.
Further, it goes on to introduce the product and showcase how easy and quick document signing can be done with the help of digital signatures.
Focus on making your how-to videos punchy and short. Try to explain what your product does to solve users’ problems. Create an emotional setup that would appeal to the target audience by explaining how your product can simplify their lives. It will help your customers relate to the video and instantly feel the need to use your product.
Check out this video by Tasty, the world’s largest food network. In this video, they demonstrate how to cook various kinds of pasta perfectly. While most of us follow one standard method of cooking pasta, this video takes us through different ways while sharing the best tips and tricks.
It is the simplicity and easy-to-follow instructions that make this video educative and more engaging.
Another video that you must watch is the one from ThinkGeek. It is an online e-commerce store selling apparel and merchandise related to science fiction, technology and fantasy stories. In this video, they give viewers a quick preview of the various products they sell.
#4. Company story videos
People love stories. Leveraging stories to share your brand journey is one of the best ways to engage customers as well as attract new prospects. Create engaging videos to tell your company story.
Let the audience know how your company was born, the challenges it faced and how you resolved them. This builds an emotional connection between a company and its customers.
Ensure that your video showcases your company culture, and work environment, and speaks about your mission and goals. Further, you can have employees contribute some messages and make this video more appealing.
Have a look at this video by Duolingo, a language learning platform. The CEO of Duolingo, Luis Von Ahn tells the viewers how he wanted to make a change in the educational sector. His motto was to give everyone equal access to education irrespective of their location, gender and social status.
Here is another engaging company story video that you should not miss. It is by Pegasus Bay Winery. The Donaldson family takes us on this amazing tour of their vineyards, and brewery while telling us their business story.
#5. Behind-the-scene videos
Sharing behind-the-scene videos is one of the most effective ways to humanize brands. It gives customers a quick peek into what happens at the company or workplace on a typical day.
These videos could show anything from how products are made to how they are packed. They could share day-in-the-life videos or highlights of company events.
These videos showcase the fun side of a brand. They speak about the company culture, what work life is and its products. All this makes a brand unique to its customers. It allows brands to be transparent about their business and helps in building a relationship of trust with customers.
For example, Mermaid Straw is a rapidly growing e-commerce store focusing on reducing plastic waste with stylish reusable alternatives. Their products include straws, drinkware, flatware and other accessories.
Mermaid Straw’s YouTube channel is always bustling with behind-the-scene videos that not only depict employees’ lives at work but also are a treat to the eyes. Further, they add a tinge of charm by making these videos relaxing with the help of ASMR.
Have a look at this product packing video to understand what we are trying to convey.
#6. Thank-you videos
In this world where videos are ruling every segment, creating a thank-you video for customers is the best approach to building a lasting relationship. Expressing gratitude to customers by sharing such videos is probably the best way to make them feel appreciated.
Remember the main purpose of these videos is to express gratitude. Hence, it is important to keep such videos short and to the point. Let your customers know how they have contributed to the success of your business.
Check out this video by Kroger. In this video, the CEO, Rodney McMullen thanks employees as well as customers for being a part of Kroger during the pandemic times.
The CEO also mentions how employees have gone out of their way to ensure customers receive their deliveries. In addition to this, the video also tells us how the organization cares for its employees.
Wrapping up
Creating videos for your small business doesn’t have to be an expensive affair. All you need to do is to set an objective for your video, know who your audience is, write a detailed script and get started with your team. Take inspiration from the above-mentioned videos and create relevant ones to engage your customers and prospects.
