The Power of Video Content

Everywhere you look online you are inundated with content as businesses vie for your attention and hopefully your custom. Most of the time you just ignore all the noise but now and then there is a post that will catch your eye and it will probably be a video clip.

More and more small business owners are realising that video content is an effective way to connect with prospects and customers alike. And when you look at the statistics surrounding video content you can’t fail to be impressed.

Internet users spend an estimated 16 hours a week watching digital video content. An incredible 66% of consumers would rather watch a video than read a post about a product. This is all well and good for B2C businesses but what about B2B? Well the figures are equally impressive; 71% of B2B marketers are using video marketing and a whopping 81% of all businesses are using this medium.

A great opportunity for small businesses

If you are a small business owner who hasn’t already invested in video content then you may be missing out on an amazing opportunity. You are not alone but you are definitely in the minority. There are various reasons why some startup founders and small business owners haven’t ventured into the exciting world of video marketing yet. 

Maybe they don’t believe their audience needs or wants video content and as a business they are doing OK without it. Perhaps they haven’t got the physical resources to create their own content. Or haven’t got money to spend on the latest technology or to hire a professional videographer to produce high quality content for them. It might even be as simple as they haven’t had time to start shooting video content themselves but do intend to get around to doing it someday. Well someday may be too late, so please don't take this approach because rest assured your competitors are probably using video content and reaping the rewards that this type of dynamic marketing delivers. 

Still undecided?

Perhaps you are still unsure even after reading those statistics above and need some gentle persuasion. OK. Here goes.

Out of businesses that do use video content, almost 65% agreed it was their most effective type of marketing. And 77% stated it formed an important part of their digital marketing strategy. You can understand why the feedback is so positive when you realise that video posts attract three times the engagement than posts without video. Additionally, the conversion rate for websites is 4.8% for those that use video as opposed to 2.9% for businesses that don’t. The reason behind these figures is simple - audiences love video. Now surely you are convinced.

Getting started

You don’t need a lot of resources to start producing video content. Mobile phone technology is so advanced that the cameras are of a high enough standard to start producing video content. You can invest in better equipment later on or hire a professional videographer to give you the high quality footage your business deserves. It’s worth bearing in mind the adage practice makes perfect, because the more you rehearse, the more professional and polished the finished video will look.

What should you film?

Video, unlike any other media, gives you the opportunity to tell your story in a concise, powerful and persuasive manner. Start with why you started the business, this gives a personal touch, allowing you to introduce yourself to the audience. Being a startup founder or small business owner is an advantage over the bigger brands, so use it.

Alternatively, an explainer video is ideal for your first foray into producing video content. Keep it short and sweet, 60 seconds is ideal. Use simple conversational language, no jargon and include some shots of your actual products or service. Remember to be yourself because customers would rather buy from people than some faceless corporate giant. Customer testimonial videos are also another powerful marketing tool because it reassures prospective customers and gives your business credibility.

Find out what your customers’ pain points are. What do they want? What frustrates them? And use your video content to demonstrate how your product or service will benefit them. Celebrate success and promote the good news via video content. Let your audience know how good you are without coming across as arrogant.

Keep filming

Ok so now you’ve made a start and posted your first video and one video is better than none. But you can’t just put your feet up and wait for customers to come rushing to your website. No. You need to keep creating video content because the key to maximising your return on investment (ROI) is to publish videos on a regular basis. Be consistent with the timing of when you publish your posts too.

Don’t start flooding your communication channels with any old content either, believing in the misconception that quantity is more important than quality. You need to produce quality content to stand out from the crowd.

The frequency of how often you publish video content is up to you and opinion is divided on this matter. Approximately 30% of SMEs publish videos once a week, 25% once a month and 22% publish two to three times every week. The aim is to remain at the forefront of your customers minds when they think of a product or service that you offer and it is far easier to achieve this if you post regularly instead of sporadically.

YouTube is the next step

Once you have become proficient at producing high quality engaging video content you may want to consider launching your own YouTube channel. There is no other platform in the world to match YouTube for the amount of video content viewed and is seen as underutilised by small businesses.

So if you haven’t used video content yet to communicate with your audience, what are you waiting for? Lights, camera, action…

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