Yes. You should definitely have a video for your startup. The best business decisions are made not from your gut, but from carefully researched information. And the numbers around using video to market your business are pretty convincing.
According to traffic guru Neil Patel, “Not only do videos provide a 74% increase in your visitors’ understanding of your product or service compared to pictures, but they also increase the likelihood of your visitors purchasing your product or service by 64%.”
Those are pretty compelling numbers.
But there’s more. Wordstream shares some pretty crazy numbers as well:
- Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined.
- Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text.
- The average user spends 88% more time on a website with video.
Making the business decision to use video as a marketing strategy is a no-brainer. What kind of video to create, however, is a little more art than science. Here are a few types for you to consider:
The Differentiator Video
Most products and services are competing with similar products and services. You need to let people know why they should choose you over another company. What makes you unique?
Take for example the Jisiwei. At first glance you might assume it’s just like a Roomba. But this video lets the consumer know that it’s not just robot vacuum. It doubles as a home security system.
Notice that while this video is showing what makes it unique, it also is showing you what it can do (any pet owner out there will yelp with glee at seeing that little machine pick up that chunk of dog fur with no problem), as well as answering concerns a consumer might have (How will it work with my stairs? Do I have to charge it all the time?).
When creating a video like this, seek to answer these questions for the consumer:
- How is this product or service different and/or better than the competitor?
- What pain points does it solve?
- What are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about it?
The Emotional Video
While consulting the numbers is best practice for making business decisions, most sales come down to an emotional decision. Sales expert Geoffrey James argues that all buying decisions come down to a mixture of six feelings:
- Greed. “If I make a decision now, I will be rewarded.”
- Fear. “If I don’t make a decision now, I’m toast.”
- Altruism. “If I make a decision now, I will help others.”
- Envy. “If I don’t make a decision now, my competition will win.”
- Pride. “If I make a decision now, I will look smart.”
- Shame. “If I don’t make a decision now, I will look stupid.”
Focus on how you feel when you watch this video:
Most likely you felt surprised that jetpacks really exist and then a powerful urge to fly one. You’ll notice that this video doesn’t have any speaking – just throbbing music and intense visuals. It is all designed to pump the viewer up and get them excited about this new technology.
When making an emotional video, consider:
- What emotion(s) you want the viewer to feel
- How you will best express that (visuals, music, text, voiceover)
- How people of various backgrounds will feel about it
The last one is important. It may not change what you create, but you need to be prepared in case of backlash. For example, you might create a very masculine, adrenaline-pumping video that from a woman’s perspective seems misogynistic. Think through how the video may appear to different sexes, genders, ethnicities, age groups, etc.
The Explainer Video
This video type is especially helpful in the tech world, but is useful for any company that produces a difficult to understand product or service.
pHur had to explain how water and salt are a better cleaning product than the lemon-smelling chemicals we’ve been using for years. It could be a tough sell, but the video explains not only how and why pHur works, but also how you’ve been using traditional cleaners incorrectly.
When creating your explainer video, it’s important to start with the audience you’re trying to reach. The explanation of a complicated tech solution will look different for IT professionals than it would for the average consumer.
Lights, Camera, Action
These are just a few of the videos you could create. There are brand videos, social videos, interview videos, presentation videos, and more. Regardless of which ones you choose to create, the case for having them is strong. Get filming today to boost your business.