How to Use Video Marketing for Small Business Growth

Video marketing is one of the best ways to attract new customers for small businesses. But, the growth is entirely depends on creating an effective video marketing strategy. Let’s take a look at how to use video marketing for small business growth.

Small businesses usually don’t have the time and resources to create elaborate marketing campaigns that involve many moving parts. Instead, they have to limit themselves to using a small number of marketing strategies that are likely to provide a good return on their investment. And one of the items that’s been making its way onto small business marketing shortlists, is video marketing.

It’s easy to see why this is the case. Online video consumption has been steadily rising in recent years – according to a Cisco study, video streaming will account for as much as 82% of all online consumer traffic. In comparison to other content formats such as text and images, video is much more effective at creating engagement because it utilizes multiple channels of communication to deliver a message.

However, this added complexity also means that video marketing requires a bit more skill to utilize effectively. To find out more about how to use video marketing to make your small business grow, take a look at our short guide on the topic in the rest of the article below.

Video Content Types

Before you start filming, you first need to decide on the type of content you wish to create. Different video formats work for different companies, depending on the marketing goals they are trying to achieve, and the line of business they’re in. While you can create different types of video, it’s best to pick a single format when you’re just starting out, and then expand once you get a hang of it.

Product spotlights also known as product explainer videos are especially effective for SaaS and ecommerce businesses because they help you demonstrate the value of your product better than text as viewers are able to see your tool and its problem-solving features in action, without having to read long descriptions. If your marketing budget allows, you can partner with experienced companies focused on explainer and ecommerce video production to have high-quality and engaging video content for your business..

Behind-the-scenes videos are a type of content that is commonly used for marketing your brand online. Startup companies rely on them to attract investors, and other businesses can leverage them to humanize their brand.

Tutorial videos are a content format that has seen an explosion of popularity thanks to platforms such as YouTube. Companies use tutorial videos to provide their customers with additional value in exchange for their patronage.

Q&A videos and video streams are a common means for boosting audience engagement. They give small businesses the opportunity to solicit valuable feedback directly from their customers.

Ephemeral content is the latest trend in the world of video marketing. These short, perishable clips are a hot commodity on platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, which thrive on spontaneity, authenticity, and humor.

Video Content Creation Tips

Once you have decided which content format works the best for your company, it is time to record some footage. Creating video is more art than science, so there are no strict guidelines you have to follow in order to make something worthwhile. However, there are a few practical tips you should take into account to make your job easier.

• Make sure that your script is tight, clear, and to the point. Don’t spend too much time on explaining things – your audience won’t have the patience to listen to you go on and on about your products or your brand.
• Create shorter length videos. Attention spans are at an all-time low according to recent studies, so it’s best to keep things short just in case. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t make long-form content, but it’s more risky and time consuming to do so.
• Include calls-to-action in your videos. Marketing videos should always be made with conversion in mind. If you don’t provide CTAs in your videos, your potential customers will simply move on with their day after watching your content.
• Don’t neglect audio. Video is a multimedia form of content, so make sure you use it to its full extent. Poorly recorded audio will make you seem unprofessional, in addition to making your content more difficult to consumer.

Video Content Creation Alternatives

If you don’t feel confident in your video making skills, you can outsource the process to a third party. This approach works well for businesses with a smaller staff, or one-man operations. Losing direct creative control might appear like a downside at the outset, but what you can get in return can easily offset the negatives.

Read: How COVID-19 Changed Companies’ Perspectives About Outsourcing

Reliable digital marketing agencies specialized in video content creation can provide you with video material for a price. The quality that you can get varies greatly from company to company, so be sure to do your research before deciding who to hire.

Video content creators such as YouTube and Twitch influencers might be willing to promote your company in exchange for favors. And if you are diligent in your search, you can even find brand advocates that will do it for free.

Crowdsourcing is a way to create video content that’s been rising in popularity in recent years. One of the most common ways to crowdsource video is to create a contest, and offer rewards to the best applicants.

Distributing Video Content

Once you’re satisfied with the content you have created or otherwise acquired, all that’s left is to spread it around the web. Different channels of distribution can produce different results, so you have to be clear about what you want to achieve with your video. Your target audience will also determine which means of dissemination work best for your business.

Uploading your videos to Instagram and other social networks can work really well if you are targeting younger audiences such as millennials. The ability to include hashtags is also great for reaching out to people across the globe.

Hosting your videos on your website is a good idea, if you have the infrastructure to support it. Putting them on your landing page is a great way to entice prospective leads into becoming customers.

Conclusion

Video content is one of the more powerful marketing tools at your disposal as a small business. However, launching a video marketing campaign can be a difficult process for small business, but this shouldn’t discourage you from trying. Once you acquire more experience under your belt, creating video content will become second nature to you, allowing you to reap the rewards in terms of engagement, conversions, and overall business growth.

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