Everyone loves a good online video binge. The very mention of YouTube is likely to send many into a dark hole of pets playing musical instruments and kids sinking blindfolded baskets from half court. But it’s no secret that the power of video can be harnessed to great effect for B2B marketers as well.
Video has a tangible impact on whether prospective customers go on to engage with a brand. According to eMarketer, 72 percent of people who watched videos as part of marketing materials went on to research the product further, 54 percent visited the brand’s website and 46 percent purchased the product. The key is understanding what your video needs to achieve.
“With 70 percent of B2B marketers using videos as part of their overall content marketing strategy, it’s important to consider what makes video essential for brands looking to connect with consumers, drive brand engagement and increase sales,” said Sara Flick, ZOG Digital‘s director of content strategy.
Plenty of reason, then, to learn what makes a great video that people will not only want to watch, but will drive further engagement with your brand.
1. Know your purpose. Long before anyone picks up a camera, it’s crucial to know what you want to get out of your video. Make sure you’ve outlined an overall strategy and how each video fits into that plan. Videos designed to generate leads, makes sales, entertain or increase awareness of a product are very different and need to be approached that way. “Like any other marketing media, video content should provide relevancy with focus given to the wants and needs of the intended audience,” Flick explained.
2. Sell benefits, not features. While a video might seem like a great opportunity to show customers what your product does, it’s more important to demonstrate how it can help them. “For example, it’s less important what a product costs and more important how the product can save a business money through streamlining business operations or increasing efficiencies,” Flick said.
3. Get to the point. The sweet spot when it comes to video length is usually between three and five minutes; drag on longer than that and viewers will rapidly lose interest. That said, every audience is different and it’s important to strike a balance between getting your message across and chattering unnecessarily. As always, test different video lengths to find out what works best for you.
4. Get the word out. As with other content, sharing videos on YouTube and other social platforms will dramatically boost reach. Makes sure that YouTube videos are optimized for search to take advantage of keywords in titles, descriptions and captions, helping drive more organic traffic to your content.