Content marketing is so much more than just writing articles – video packs more of a punch. Learn to utilize video to engage your customers and be heard.

Every successful business knows that content marketing is a significant way to improve conversions, build your brand, create credibility in the market and attract new customers. 

The term “content marketing” usually brings blogs and other written content to mind. While these channels allow businesses to share their expertise and explore topics in depth, there are other ways to communicate with prospective customers – particularly video. 

Using video content in your marketing can increase engagement, expand your market, boost web traffic, drive leads, and much more. We’ll explore video marketing and how businesses can use video content as part of a successful digital marketing strategy.

What is video marketing? 

Video marketing uses digital videos to promote and market your company and its products and services. Because of its format, you can incorporate visuals of people and processes, text, spoken words, and music, as well as splashy graphics – all of which can grab attention. 

Technology like smartphone cameras, webcams and video editing software helps small business owners and marketing professionals create powerful videos quickly, frequently and affordably. 

Busy consumers may prefer a short video rather than a long article describing a product, service or concept. Many people learn better when they hear and see information, so videos can deliver your message more effectively. 

Incorporate video into your marketing plan to engage your target market on social media, explain or demonstrate your product or service, showcase your expertise, and provide social proof with video testimonials.

Types of video footage

There are three types of video: live action, animation and shared screen.

1. Live action: In live-action videos, there is footage of people, processes, and other things and places in the real world. Live action was the most popular type of video in 2021, making up 42% of the content, according to the Wyzowl video marketing statistics. 
2. Animation: Animated video comprised 33% of the video used in 2021. 
3. Shared screen: Screen-capture recordings, used primarily for software demos, made up 15% of the video content.

Types of videos

Video content offers infinite possibilities, and marketers use videos for myriad purposes. Here are the top five video uses and the percentage of video marketing they comprise, according to Wyzowl (many video marketers use videos for multiple purposes, so the total is more than 100%). 

1. Explainer videos: These are typically mid-length videos (three to five minutes) that explain a concept, use case, or product or service solution; 74% of video marketers use explainer videos.
   
2. Social media videos: Social media marketing videos are usually short (up to two minutes) and include anything from a product introduction to a funny story. More than two-thirds (68%) of video marketers produce them.
   
3. Presentation videos: These are usually captured from a webinar or live presentation, although they can be done specifically for the video and can be up to an hour. They may include PowerPoint slides and other graphics. These videos are used by half (50%) of video marketers.
   
4. Video testimonials: Video testimonials are a powerful form of social proof, where a current or past customer goes on video and talks about their positive experience with a company, product or service. These are always live action; 48% of video marketers use video testimonials.
   
5. Video ads: These short videos directly promote a product or service, appearing on the company website, social media or third-party websites; 42% of video marketers use video ads.

Benefits of video marketing

Video marketing provides a slew of benefits to businesses, no matter their size or industry. These are some of the top benefits: 

1. Video can reach a broad audience. Most American adults watch digital videos, making it a great way to reach your target audience.
   
2. It boosts brand awareness. When many prospects view your video, your brand awareness expands. Since digital videos are easily shareable, a short viral video can make a huge difference in how many prospective buyers know your company and its offerings.
   
3. It can help you find leads. Depending on what kind of product or service you have, lead generation may be an essential marketing goal. Explainer and testimonial videos can give a prospective customer enough criteria to request more information or book an appointment with a salesperson. In fact, 86% of video marketers use video in this way, according to Wyzowl.
   
4. It can drive sales. Video has been shown to help drive sales. According to Animoto’s annual social video survey, 93% of consumers say that video is helpful in purchase decisions. Also, watching a company’s video is directly tied to sales, since 71% of consumers buy a product or service after watching a brand’s video on social media. Consumers also said that video is the most memorable content from brands.
   
5. It increases web traffic. Nearly 9 in 10 video marketers (87%) say that video has increased their website traffic, according to Wyzowl. This happens because of the time website visitors spend on your site. When they watch a video of up to several minutes, Google and other search engines take note. The more time visitors spend on your site, the higher the Google algorithm ranks you, because it assumes you provide valuable content. Higher ranking directly contributes to more organic search traffic. Additionally, using short (less than a minute) videos on social media can make someone curious enough to click through to your website, adding another source of traffic.

How to use video content to boost your marketing strategy

If you’re interested in making a powerful statement in very few words, consider these four ways to use video content to improve your company’s marketing strategy.

1. Engage blog followers.

A blog doesn’t have to use only written content. To create meaningful blog content, go beyond the written word and use video to engage followers. Often, a video blog, or “vlog,” is a great way to break up the monotony of single-media blogs.  

As you create your video, keep in mind some crucial factors to help your vlog posts be successful:

• Watch your time. You have an average of 10 seconds per video to attract a viewer’s attention. After 10 seconds, the viewer will usually click away without getting to your call to action. But don’t go too long either. Keeping the videos under two minutes will maximize engagement.
• Optimize your video for mobile use. It’s crucial to optimize your video content for mobile use. On average, the desktop viewer has an attention span of two minutes or less, but the mobile user has an attention span of 2.5 to five minutes. 

2. Describe your brand.

Website visitors may wonder about your company and its mission. You could write a lengthy About Us page, but it’s tricky to say just the right thing without being wordy or confusing. You’re also limited in the number of images you can use to describe your concept.

Renderforest, a video production company, puts the effectiveness of video best: “Let’s face it. In nowadays’ fast-paced world, users prefer a short, fun video to a textual content (even if it’s a quality one) if given a choice. So, promoting your website through an explainer or company introduction video can be considered [an] effective strategy.”

To see this concept in action, watch a sample video on the company’s website. The one-minute video shows the company’s mission in a visually appealing way without taking up much time. 

3. Enhance your landing pages.

Most of your outside content generally ends with a call to action with one goal in mind: Get people to your website. While a call to action can be compelling, you also need an effective landing page to entice customers to stick around when they visit your site. 

A video on a landing page is one of the best ways to keep customers engaged. Attract visitors’ attention immediately by programming the video to play as soon as the webpage opens. You’re all but guaranteed at least 10 seconds of viewer attention, which is often all it takes to land a customer.

4. Garner social shares.

The key to getting your brand out there and attracting the attention of a broad audience is getting social shares. Because of the gripping nature of the screen, videos are much more likely to gain attention than blog posts. This is particularly true since videos take less time than blog posts.

The best way to get social shares is to create a video that people want to watch. Offer a video that’s mutually beneficial. Instead of creating a video entirely to drive conversions, create a video to educate the viewer or provide some value.

For example, humor – though not the only strategy worth using – is something everyone enjoys, so it can provide value for viewers. If you can create a commercial that makes someone laugh and then tie it into a call to action that directs them to your website, you’ll have created a video that brings value to all parties. If consumers think the video is worth sharing, you’ll get more brand attention and conversions.

Where to display video marketing content

Video is a flexible medium that you can use (and reuse) in multiple places. Don’t be afraid to modify existing video content to work for other uses. For example, a snippet from a video testimonial could be used on your product page or social media. 

Here are some places to share video content:

• Company website: Your website is an excellent place to put explainer videos (“about us” and product sections) and video testimonials (throughout the site or on a dedicated page).
  
• Blog: Post informative videos and presentation videos on your company blog.
  
• Landing page: You can use a short video ad on your landing page to capture attention and leads. You can also use your landing page to tease prospects by giving them access to in-depth content in exchange for contact information to help you grow your email list. Set up your system to automatically email them a link to a presentation video with a call to action at the end.
  
• YouTube: Especially if you have a lot of video content, it can be beneficial to have your own YouTube channel. In addition to generating traffic and exposing your content to more people, YouTube provides many SEO and analytics tools, so it’s an excellent place to host your videos before embedding them on your website or landing pages.
  
• Social media platforms: Create videos for social media platforms like Instagram. Short videos in portrait format work best here, in contrast to longer ones in landscape format, which work best in other places. Include videos in Instagram Reels, Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories, as well as in regular posts.

Wrapping up

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