It’s time to use videos to attract traffic to your small business. The use of video is quickly gaining popularity in the realm of social media. YouTube indicates that its viewership is in the billions, Vimeo celebrates 14 million, and Twitter boasts 13 million Vine users. In fact, 90 percent of global consumers watch video content over the Internet.

Four Ways to Use Videos

Videos are fun, entertaining, and feasible for small businesses on a tight budget. They can be relatively inexpensive to create using existing video equipment or a handheld device. Here are four ways that you can grow your email list with videos:

  • Share Customer Stories— Customer testimonials are one of the most effective marketing tools for small businesses. Capitalize on the positive reviews that you receive from your greatest fans. Help others envision how they can use your product or service to become your next success story.
  • Educate—Your customers and prospects need answers now, and if you don’t help them it’s likely that someone else will. Stop educating exclusively on your product. Enhance your customer’s experience by providing learning experiences that supplement your product or service offering. Think outside the box. If you sell clothing or provide web design services, consider providing education on color combinations. If you sell protein supplements consider providing exercise instructions or calorie calculators on your website. The options are endless, and if done effectively you might be able to monetize your video content.
  • Entertain—Videos that entertain can help with getting your name out there. People have a psychological need to be entertained. Generally, we tend to relax and become passive watchers as the events unfold before our eyes. With a fluctuating economy and stress-filled days the norm, it’s no wonder why we gravitate to a world that takes us away from the normalcy of our hectic lives. We simply need a break from reality on occasion. Give your customers a chance to laugh, cry, and connect with your brand. Even if the only time they see your brand is in the sponsored by section.
  • Humanize Your Brand—Customers relate to businesses that have personality. They are increasingly turning towards social media for input before engaging in a purchase transaction. It’s more important than ever to show your prospects and customers that your business is more than just an entity. Use videos to take them inside your office or warehouse and show them the culture behind the product. Help them see that your product is more than something they need. Help them see that it’s something that does good for our society because it creates jobs, happiness, and freedom. Who couldn’t use a little more freedom?

Different Video Platforms

Once you’ve identified the type of video that you want to produce. You’ll need to determine the platform you want to use to share it. For short videos that are seconds in length you can use Vine by Twitter or Instagram, which produce 6 and 15 second video clips respectively. House longer videos on your website to improve search engine optimization. Alternatively, Vimeo and YouTube make excellent choices. Ideally, you should experiment with each platform and choose the solution that works for your individual needs.

Now is the time to grow your email list with videos. Be succinct and creative in your approach, while showing that you’re human and that you care. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth so much more.