Author: Victor Blasco

You are probably already tired of hearing how video content is a fantastic way to promote your company. After all, the evidence does keep piling up! And so, you are now thinking about dipping your toes in the video marketing pond. But where do you start? Figuring out how best to approach and engage your audience using videos can be a bit daunting - Especially when you are a first-timer. There are plenty of video types out there, and they can all serve different (even multiple!) goals. Deciding which type of video fits your strategy best is the cornerstone of powerful video marketing. To help you make sense of it all, we’ve compiled a list of the most effective and popular ones out there! All in an effort to set you off on the right path. Tutorials (or How-to Videos) But your business has nothing to do with teaching, you say. It doesn't matter, I answer! Regardless of niche, most companies can benefit from using How-tos and Tutorials in their marketing. Their workings are pretty straightforward; they give instructions and tips to solve problems, usually, by following a step-by-step format. The secret for great tutorials as marketing pieces is to think outside the box. Teaching something original and useful to your audience will have your brand standing out from the competition. Solve their actual problems! Make your tutorials helpful, dynamic, educational, entertaining, and most of all, transparent. It isn't enough to just throw tips at the camera; they need to be helpful and valuable! Use your products or services as a reference, but consider looking beyond just making a direct How-to about them. Consider related fields and activities, and then work with those ideas. For example, if you are a Gym owner, maybe create short how-tos about exercising while sitting at the office. Are you a translator? Create a series on the phonetic pronunciations of weird or funny words in different languages! Tutorials have a huge sharing potential if done right. They are often liked and shared on social media platforms, giving them a lot of value as inbound marketing pieces. Who should embrace them? Businesses are looking to increase brand awareness or drive attention to specific areas of interest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeQOi4JD7mM&feature=youtu.be Explainer Videos Explainers simply live up to their name, describing products or services in smart, engaging, and endearing ways. When done right, they require little to no effort from your potential buyers to understand, and that's what makes them such a powerful marketing tool. A good explainer focuses on a specific issue your audience has and offers a solution to it — namely, your product or service. By narrating the main character’s journey – from the moment that the problem presents itself, to the "enlightening" discovery of your brand – you chart a path that customers can relate to. Explainer videos should be short and sweet, but powerful and meaningful nonetheless. Keep them on-task (illustrating your product or service) without cramming them with unnecessary "filler” information. Lean and mean is the way to go here, but never sacrifice quality! Animated explainer videos, in particular, usually turn out to be more charming and captivating than their live-action counterparts. Who should opt for this type of video? The great thing about explainers is their versatility, so virtually any business or brand looking to improve sales and awareness can benefit from one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9jczPckyCE&feature=youtu.be Company Story (or Culture videos) In these videos, your company is the star. Company stories are meant to show that your brand or company is worth building a relationship with. That it is worth investing in, not from a financial but a human standpoint. These videos showcase what values your company has, and the people that embody them. The trick with company videos is to capture your business' vibe. Your brand's identity and purpose. Why what you do matters. This allows audiences to empathize with your message and work. People crave meaningful connections, even from the brands they interact with. They want companies to be ethical, fair, and sustainable. They want real people, just like them, behind the wheel. So, what's the best approach to create such a video? Well, the main component is precisely real people! Organize your workforce and have them speak about what they do, and why they do it. How your company helps them and how they help, in turn, their customers. Pair that with a likeable arrangement of music and killer editing, and you'll be all set. Which businesses would benefit from these videos? For sure, any company trying to humanize their brand or generate a stronger connection with their audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daWBKTI76sA&feature=youtu.be Testimonials Testimonials go hand in hand with consumer trust. They are fleshed as a sort of interview or review where we only get to see the satisfied customer sharing their satisfaction over a product. Testimonials can be collected at events, through customers at your store, or you can reach out to loyal clients and ask them to participate. The best way to engage audiences with testimonials is to forget about scripted dialogue or paid actors. Viewers are keen to pick up fake emotion, so your best bet is to talk with real customers who are happy with your service. And do so through a candid, friendly conversation. As a general rule, it’s best to avoid using several testimonials in a single video. Instead, you can tell the individual story of each customer in a separate piece. Who will benefit the most from testimonials? Businesses that depend on consumer trust to grow their client base. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soIOu2bsHF4&list=PLHc0mjU0coBytGGrzTaZtiMmQKijm-NFc Live Videos Just like the name implies, these are real-time, live-streamed broadcast, usually over a social network's platform. They excel at giving your audience a fresh approach to your brand or business. Among other advantages, these videos let you stream directly from your business’s social presence, which immediately serves inbound marketing purposes. There's also no need for editing afterwards, as audiences enjoy the “real” feel. They do, however, call for excellent pre-production setups. Welcome spontaneity into your live videos, but plan ahead and anticipate setbacks without obsessing. The streaming should flow and allow your audience to connect, respond, and interact with it. Which businesses could gain the most from these videos? Those looking to increase their social media presence (followers, subscriptions, etc.) and boost awareness of upcoming events. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va5i42D13cI&feature=youtu.be&t=791 To Wrap Up Yes, video content is a fantastic marketing tool. However, for your video marketing strategy to meet your probably steep expectations you use it right. Whether that means enlisting the help of an outside animation or video production company, or dedicating time and resources to research and execution varies. But the results have to be videos of the highest quality, as they will reflect your company's worth in your potential customers' eyes. Figure out your video marketing goals, match them to the type of videos that work best in that department, and get working! Do things right, and you won't be disappointed. Go On, Tell Us What You Think! Did we miss something? Come on! Tell us what you think of our guide on the Using Videos To Increase Sales in the comments section.

Author: Victor Blasco

Using Videos To Increase Sales [An Actionable Guide]

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