Video, you simply cannot avoid it anymore. If you are serious about putting your company on the market, you need to have a good video marketing strategy. But what does that entail? In this guide we will tell you all about video marketing so you can get started. We hope that after reading this you will have a good idea of the possibilities, forms and usefulness of video marketing so you can take your business to the next level.
Are you ready? Great, then let’s get started!
Video marketing, should it be?
As a business, you want to communicate with video. Maybe you already knew that, or maybe you’re starting to get a better idea about the possibilities of video marketing. In any case, before we begin, we’ll list the many advantages of video marketing. Nice and clear:
- Creating greater reach
- Brand growth and solid marketing ROI
- 64% of users more likely to buy a product after seeing video
- Video on a landing page can lead to 80% more conversions
- Visitors spend 88% more time on wish sites with video
- 72% of consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read a product description
Sounds good right?
Video marketing is the way to get more customers and serve your existing customers better, easier and faster. But in order to communicate with video, you have to get people to watch your videos. And you do that with a well put together video marketing strategy. And we’re going to tell you exactly what’s important in creating such a strategy. Because what content you create and how often you post and where, that has everything to do with target audience, desires and specific goals that fit your business.
Let’s start at the beginning
If you’re new to video or a seasoned video strategist eager to know if you’re on the right track, pay attention. In fact, we’ll start with the basics of video marketing to get you started. Later, we’ll go a little deeper into the different forms of content, but for now, we’ll cover the basics of video marketing.
“Video marketing is the use of videos to promote your business, product or service.”
Video marketing can be well used to market new products, increase engagement on your digital channels, educate consumers and customers, and find new customers. Video marketing is not simply (having) a video made and put online. There is much more to it. Video marketing is designing, planning, creating, editing, publishing and promoting video content. That may sound like a lot of steps, but if you master all these steps you will see that video works wonders for your marketing.
Designing an effective video strategy
Before you get started creating your content, you will need to think a few things out. What is the ultimate goal of your video marketing and how will you achieve it? That’s where some strategy comes in. You also need to take a good look at the prospects and assess the growth of your business.
After all, it’s important that any video content you create aligns with your company’s current and future/expected needs. Make clear to yourself what your company needs to convey. Do you have a clear corporate identity, and if so, has it already been implemented for video? From use of color, to logo, style of writing, shapes and icons, everything can come up. In all your expressions, the look and feel should be the same. That way you remain recognizable to your customers and people know how to find you faster because you are distinctive.
Read more about Video Productions here!
Create a content calendar
With your needs in mind, you can of course plan out your video marketing all the way in a content calendar. You don’t have to put any concrete dates on it yet, but it helps to determine that dot on the horizon. Your content calendar can start, for example, with a new corporate video on the homepage of your website that shows what your company stands for. You can then distribute this, for example on Facebook and Instagram or combine it with a number of newsletters that refer to the new film.
Through your film, you’ll also be found faster online, especially if you design one or more landing pages to go with it that are well put together in terms of CEO. Supporting videos, such as short branding videos (whether or not acquired from the material of the company film) could be a next step, which you can spread quickly and easily via social media and which further increase the visibility and recognizability of your company.
A QuickWorks Case Study
As an example, we like to take our client Bab Star. They have divided their marketing strategy, and therefore their video strategy, into several components that all fit together. It all started with the 75th anniversary that they wanted to create attention for and use in their expressions. Part of that included a new website, a corporate film, an online magazine full of interactive and video content and printed anniversary magazine.
In creating the content, a lot of behind the scenes material was shot that was distributed via social media. The printed magazine was sent to all customers and referred to the digital version through QR codes and references. This also contained the corporate film (which had already been deployed separately). The website was announced with its own video. And everything was further shared with the target audience via newsletters and social media.
The result? A sea of content that not only increases Bab Star’s visibility, but also sets them apart, keeps (potential) customers engaged, clearly reflects their identity and remains usable for multiple purposes for years to come.
The Who, What and most importantly Where
How to create the best content, you can read all about that in our blogs and business video guide. For now, let’s focus mainly on the kind of content you want to create and how often, and in what places, you share it with your target audience.
So it is important to make your video marketing 1 whole. Make a content planning. Decide for yourself what is convenient. You don’t want an overkill of content, but you also don’t want to communicate too little. What channels does your audience use? You won’t sell a mobility scooter on Instagram and you won’t be so quick to post a job opening on LinkedIn. That may sound easy, but at its core, that’s what it is. How often you post and where you distribute videos has everything to do with your target audience. Of course, a video production company can advise you on this if you can’t figure it out yourself.
How do you develop a video marketing strategy?
To be successful with your video marketing, it is important to have a solid strategy. A good strategy meets the following points:
- Examining your client’s problems
- Coming up with topics that solve the problems
- Outlining or writing out the video content
- Developing a unique look and feel for the videos
- Recording and editing the videos
- Incorporate the videos into landing pages, mailings and other communications.
- Distributing the videos through social media
Five forms of video marketing essential for any business
Of course, your perfect video marketing strategy does not consist of just 1 single video. You need multiple forms of content to fill your content calendar and stay on your customers’ radar. Therefore, here are the five types of video that are truly essential for any business. Be sure to use these forms of content in your video marketing!
1. Brand Videos
Brand videos are often created as part of a larger advertising campaign. These videos are often used as advertisements on social media for increased brand awareness. They aim to show the personality and vision of your company or product. With a Brand Video, you show what your company stands for. A cinematic business card.
2. Corporate Videos
With a Corporate Video, or corporate video, you give potential clients a good look behind the scenes. In a few minutes, the viewer has a good idea of your company, what you do and what you stand for. A corporate film helps:
- Build credibility and trust
- To get information on your website in a faster way
- Giving you the opportunity to show the human side of your business
- Connect with your target audience on an emotional level
Watch our own corporate film with a wink 😉
3. Video Commercials
Do you have a product or service and want to promote it in a visual way? A video commercial, also known as a promotional film, makes an impression, sticks in the mind of your future customers and gives an entertaining insight into the problem you are going to solve for them. Due to the combination of storytelling and a short length, these videos are very shareable and do well on social media.
4. How To Videos.
Educational “how-to” videos can be very popular. You use these videos to teach your target audience something they want to know. For example, how customers can get the most out of their product.
5. Explainer Video
Explainer videos, or in proper Dutch; instructional videos, are used to explain how a product works or how to use a service. An Explainer video gets you to the point quickly. People immediately see what you do or what you have to offer. That attracts people and prevents a lot of misunderstandings in communication. Visual, substantive, short and powerful.
Customer journey centric with Google’s 3H video model
A simple and effective planning model is Google’s 3H video model. We use it regularly when we are in discussions with clients about video marketing and where to start. The customer journey of customers is central to this. After all, customers who don’t know you yet or customers who are considering buying your product serve you with different video content. It’s also a useful model for prioritization. How to play with the 3-H model can be found here.
Good branding is everything
Good branding is everything when it comes to video. With your visual style, you need to grab attention right away. Make sure you are recognizable to your customers and that people immediately know what you stand for and who they are dealing with. For example, you can use a recognizable slogan. Take a look at the following statements:
Hotel ….
Yeah? …
…. There is always something to do.
I’m Lovin it.
Even without the brand name attached, you can probably guess which companies these slogans are from. A good recognizable slogan in your video can make people recognize your company right away. By adding humor, you also make your video more fun to share, which is a great way to get word of mouth. Humor, branding and recognition are important elements in good video marketing.
Another thing to think about: how important is budget?
Many marketers make the mistake of thinking that a video project will automatically be a big success if they put a lot of money into it. A big budget does not automatically guarantee success. Good preparation does help. Cutting your budget too much is not a good idea either, it can damage your company’s or product’s image by not getting the message across properly. Talk to the video production company beforehand about the options that fit your budget. There is often more possible than you think. Don’t forget to also put some of the budget into promoting your videos to get the most out of your video marketing.