You’ve heard of video marketing. You’ve heard it’s the future of marketing and you have to get on board now if you want to grow your business.
But how, exactly, does it work? How can a video help you grow your small business into an empire?
Reach Mobile Viewers
People are continuing to spend increasing amounts of time on their cell phones and tablets, and while they are reading on their mobile devices, they’re much more likely to watch a video. They’re also much more likely to use social media on their phones, and video views on social media have gone up dramatically, which is part of why Facebook and Instagram have started promoting their users’ videos so heavily (videos rank better than text, links, and even images). If you want to get in front of all the people who are glued to their mobile devices, you’ll have a better chance of getting their attention with a video.
Demonstrate Your Product’s Uses and Benefits
If a picture says a thousand words, a video says a million. While you can talk all day long about your product, nothing is as effective as showing people exactly how it works and what makes it so effective. It’s why the big corporations still invest thousands (if not millions) into making traditional TV ads that show people how to use their product and how they make their customers’ lives better. By doing something similar and putting it online (instead of paying the big bucks to air it on TV) you can achieve similar results at a fraction of the cost.
Prove There’s a Human on the Other Side of the Screen
As our world gets increasingly digital, people crave human connection more than ever. They’re also skeptical of much of what they see online because they’re aware of how many of them are generated by robots and algorithms. If you can prove there’s a real, live human behind the content they’re seeing, they’ll be that much more likely to work with you. This is also why you should consider starring in your own marketing video, although you don’t have to. If you don’t feel comfortable getting in front of the camera yourself, we have some tips to help you get through that.
As a content writer, most of Alison's work happens in front of the computer screen or between a pen and paper, so making her face visible and voice heard provides her audience the reassurance that she's a genuine person on the other side of the ink.
Build Anticipation
Before you release a new product, you can release a video talking about how cool it’s going to be … when you release it. This will help get your audience excited and talking about the product before it even launches, which will make sure it gets off to a great start with a successful launch. Just make sure they know where to go when it does launch – or better yet, make sure your teaser video has a way for them to sign up for updates so you can tell them as soon as it launches.
Cork and Chroma does everything right in this video. They demonstrate what their business is all about simply by showing off what a fun time it is to be there. And they build anticipation for the launch of their new location with side by side footage of where they are to where they'll be going.
Interact with Viewers
The best part about social media is it lets you interact directly with your customers. Make them feel like they’re hanging out with you by doing a Facebook Live video where you answer customer questions. Instead of waiting for followers to join in, you can get the conversation started by answering questions you’ve received via email or DMs to your social media account. Start talking and see who joins the conversation. It’s a great way for you to find out exactly what your customers want from you, and they’ll love you for it.
If you think you might need some professional help using video marketing to grow your small business, don’t hesitate to reach out today.