What’s the last video advertisement you saw? Was it on television? On Facebook? Was it a display ad on the side of the browser you were scrolling through? Chances are high that the video you saw wasn’t for a major, well-established brand like Coca-Cola or Nike, but for a smaller, more unknown brand like Everlane or Allbirds.
That’s because companies of all sizes, including smaller businesses just starting out and those with less than 50 employees, are increasingly turning to video marketing as a way to increase brand awareness and sales. It’s a crucial marketing tool and one that’s relatively inexpensive with high return. Why wouldn’t a small or medium-sized business look to video to help give their company that extra boost it needs?
If you work at or own an SMB, it’s time you learned about the power of video. We’re breaking down just how it can help you and giving you some examples to inspire you – let’s get started!
How Video Can Help Small Businesses
Everyone knows the power of video. Major companies spend millions of dollars every year to advertise during the Super Bowl, and if you watch any streaming service, you’re likely inundated with short commercials that stick with you hours and days later. But for businesses with smaller revenue streams, commercials of that magnitude just aren’t on your radar.
And it’s true – you might not want to take out a major commercial spot just yet. But creating a video you can use to advertise your business online, on your website, social media platforms, email marketing campaigns, and beyond, absolutely should be on your radar.
If you haven’t thought about it yet, here are a few reasons you should think about creating a video for your SMB.
Network television commercials are still expensive to create, but if you want to reach a large targeted audience that’s more likely to convert, you don’t need anything that expensive. Videos can cost as little as a few thousand dollars to create (less depending on your needs and goals,) and creating shorter, snackable pieces of video content for specific channels, like your Facebook page, for instance, are really inexpensive to create regularly in-house.
Don’t have your own video production team? That’s OK! Hiring creative producers, directors, actors, production assistants, and more as permanent or contracted employees can get complicated and expensive. Instead, hire a production agency that can handle all of that for you. Simplifying the production process and creating beautiful content is their job – research and find the perfect agency for you and trust them to do their job well.
People expect video. As a matter of fact, consumers actually prefer video to consuming any other type of content. When video and text are on the same page, 72 percent of people prefer watching video to learn about a product or service. Seventy-six percent of video marketers report that video helped them increase sales, and when users enjoy video ads, their purchase intent goes up by 97 percent. That means if you’re not using videos, you’re not reaching the right people and the people you are reaching aren’t converting into paying customers.
Looking to raise your brand’s awareness and attract new visitors? Want to nurture your prospective leads into paying customers? What about delighting past customers so they purchase from you again? Every stage of the buyer’s journey needs a unique plan of attack, and video should definitely be part of it at every phase. And there are certain types of videos best suited for every stage of the journey, so depending on your goal, you can create and launch a video that’ll help you accomplish it.
4 Types of Businesses Thriving with Video Marketing
People expect video. As a matter of fact, consumers actually prefer video to consuming any other type of content. When video and text are on the same page, 72 percent of people prefer watching video to learn about a product or service. Seventy-six percent of video marketers report that video helped them increase sales, and when users enjoy video ads, their purchase intent goes up by 97 percent. That means if you’re not using videos, you’re not reaching the right people and the people you are reaching aren’t converting into paying customers.
Looking to raise your brand’s awareness and attract new visitors? Want to nurture your prospective leads into paying customers? What about delighting past customers so they purchase from you again? Every stage of the buyer’s journey needs a unique plan of attack, and video should definitely be part of it at every phase. And there are certain types of videos best suited for every stage of the journey, so depending on your goal, you can create and launch a video that’ll help you accomplish it.
4 Types of Businesses Thriving with Video Marketing
4 Types of Businesses Thriving with Video Marketing
No matter your industry or marketing goal, video is essential to your success. Long or short, your video should tell your audience exactly who you are and what you can do for them.
Take a look at these small businesses, which are doing just that and knocking it out of the park with their videos.
This gym shows just how powerful video can be for a brick and mortar business that specializes in serving customers directly with a product or service. Restaurants, retail shops, clinics, speciality services, and more all benefit from showing real life customers, giving viewers a real glimpse at what they offer.
And the best part? A video like this is inexpensive, since there are no extras that need to be shot, like interviews or b-roll footage. The bulk of it is shot live in the gym with a simple track and simple text overlays, but the quality is high and the message is clear: you need to join this gym.
Even when you don’t have a physical product, a video can help you share your brand message and communicate how you solve a particular problem. As a matter of fact, the harder it is to describe what your company does, the more beneficial a video can be. Screenshots, animation, and real-world applications can do a better, more efficient job of explaining complex issues and solutions.
If you’re trying to earn backing for your crowdfunding campaign, video is especially helpful in getting your business off the ground. From explaining what problem users face to showing how your business or product is addressing that issue, crowdfunding videos are key to helping you meet your fundraising goals. They’re also crucial in helping you attract more investors, spread brand awareness, and reach the people you want to reach.
Design and engineering firm Oat Foundry used their video to not only introduce themselves, but also outline their processes by highlighting one of their proudest success stories: helping a coffee brewing company scale their production.
Though a little on the longer side, this video tells an engaging story. Anyone looking for similar services will see this testimonial and case study video and be impressed with the results. In addition, we also see the personality of the company’s founder, president, and engineers shrine through, adding to their authenticity and credibility within their space.
If you work for a small business or own your own business, take a look at how video can transform your marketing efforts. No matter who your target audience is or what your goals are, video can help you get there. Get started – give us a call to see how our executive producer can help you.