– The First Videos Your Business Should have –
So what types are there…
How can a business with a limited budget get started with video marketing? The answer is actually pretty simple: start with the videos that will have the greatest impact on your business. With that framework in mind, let’s take a look at the first videos your business should start making today.
The demand for video is increasing rapidly. According to research from the folks at HubSpot, 54% of consumers want to see more video from marketers in the future. So if you haven’t started investing in video, now’s the time!
Many of the videos outlined below we can create for you but in there are instances you would need to create some of the footage for us to incorporate, in your promo video.
Classic Marketing and promotional video
This type of video is the one and most important videos that your company should have at a very minimum. It describes your company it services and products as a whole. May include your company mission statement. Can be produced with a set of stills (static images) only, but can also incorporate video footage that you may have taken or that is legally purchased from various stock art websites.
Product Explainer Video – For Quality
Another type of promotional video is a product video where you can highlight a new product (or service) release or go through a range of existing products (services).
Still images used to be fine; now people expect to see video of your products; this is a chance to engage their attention and showcase the quality that you are offering, while also marketing it by talking customers through the features and benefits for them.
If you don’t make any other video this year (though we’re confident you’ve got what it takes), start with a product explainer video. Think about the last time you surfed around a company’s website and thought to yourself, “Is this business even legit? What the heck do they do?” This is the last impression you want to leave on a site visitor or potential customer, which is why a product explainer video is the first video you should make.
Remember that the content of your video is far more important than how shiny or professional it looks. You don’t need to break the bank to make an effective product explainer video — in fact, before you invest in a big production, try making a video that’s a little more on the DIY side and see how it works for your business. You can always upgrade your video later or even test other versions against it to see which one resonates most with your audience.
“Remember that the content of your video is far more important than how shiny or professional it looks”
Take a look at this product explainer video from Basecamp, a project management and team communication software. Small budget? No problem.
This video doesn’t simply showcase all the best features Basecamp has to offer. Instead, it paints a picture (or in this case, draws one) that clearly points to a problem the software can solve (if you’re a busy project manager, use this tool to make your job easier).
It’s easy to focus on your product’s features, but what you really want to do is hone in on the problem your business solves. Appeal to viewers’ emotions and explain how your solution can help make their lives easier, better, more fulfilling — whatever the case may be — and you’re on your way to seeing success with video.
Types of explainer videos you can make
Now that you’ve hopefully seen the value of product explainer videos, let’s dive into a few different types of videos your small business can start investing in. Depending on what resources are currently available to you, not to mention how much time you want to put in to the final product, there are a number of avenues you can take.
Animated video Arguably one of the most popular types of explainer videos a business can make, animated videos are easy to outsource thanks to services like GoAnimate or Powtoon, who can turn your script into an imaginative video.
Live-action video If you plan on shooting the video yourself (whether you have an in-house video producer or not), consider the following tips for making your video as effective as it can be:
- Start with a great script.As odd as it might seem, the written word is the foundation for any great explainer video.
- Keep it short and sweet — 60 seconds or less is perfect.
- Use simple, conversational language. No business jargon allowed!
- Incorporate some shots of what you’re actually selling in your video — show and tell.
How-To Video – For Authority
Other types of promo videos are ‘How-To videos can bring you the status of the local go-to person in your industry very quickly if you make them well and get them viewed and optimised.
These are tutorial videos that show people how to do a specific task related to your industry…they can be short 2-minute videos of a plumber changing a washer or a more-involved one of a landscape gardener creating decking.
They help to build your authority and that’s what will help convince your audience that you are the one for the job!
Training Videos
Other types of that aren’t essentially promo videos but can be produced to train staff particular tasks.
But they can also be used to show your customers how you run such an efficient company and that your company is geared up no matter what to deal with customers.
Examples may include a training video on ‘Improving Your Team’s Customer Service Skills’
Something your customers would be equally interested in how they should be treated from a company perspective.
Company story video
If your business has a particularly interesting background, company story videos are the way to go. How did your business get started? What was your motivation for starting the company? By featuring the friendly faces of your teammates, you can make your prospects feel right at home. After all, people are buying more products and services based on emotion rather than logic, which is one reason why appealing to a visitor’s psyche is so important.
A company story video lets you show off what makes your business so special and unique on a human level like no other medium can. When people are able to associate familiar faces and names with a business, they’re more likely to feel a strong connection to it — and ultimately have a positive experience with your brand.
“A company story video lets you show off what makes your business so special and unique on a human level like no other medium can.”
Here is an example of a small company that has created a great story video https://www.redbarn.com/about-us/
What if your story isn’t as cute and wholesome as Redbarn’s? Not to worry, because there are some other types of videos you can make to achieve a similar goal. Your company’s culture and how team members feel about working there today are just as important as the story behind how you got your start. Here are a few ways to underline that:
- Crowdsource a simple video featuring current employees. Empower your peers to tell their own stories by submitting video clips that can be compiled into one video.
- Interview some of your own employees. Think “customer testimonials” but from your employees. Ask them some questions about their day-to-day life at your company and record their responses.
- Use B-roll footage from a company event or party and record a voiceover after the fact. This is a super low-budget way to make a video that emphasizes what your company culture is all about, with virtually no pre-production effort involved.
We can also look upon these story videos as Introductory videos that promote your business by adding authenticity to it. Text and images do not allow you to look your customers in the eye and to show them that you are a real business with real products and real team members based in a real office.
This instantly helps to remove many people’s fears of being scammed, which is probably still the biggest fear preventing someone from buying over the Internet. If you don’t address this fear then you are reducing your potential market drastically. A video on your web site and/or on YouTube helps you to do that.
Customer testimonial video
Some businesses tend to shy away from collecting testimonials, and who can blame them? The task can feel scary and intimidating, and ROI is difficult to predict at the outset. But what’s so great about testimonial videos is that you only need one or two solid ones in your catalogue to see the difference they can make.
Start by interviewing some of your long-term customers that have seen tangible results thanks to your product, and share those videos on a prominent page on your site. Again, building trust can be a tricky part of marketing a small business. But with an effective testimonial video, you can go above and beyond that goal.
“Start by interviewing some of your long-term customers that have seen tangible results thanks to your product, and share those videos on a prominent page on your site.”
When it comes time to brainstorm who you might reach out to for these interviews, think about who your ideal customer is. Make sure the customers you feature in your testimonials are aligned with your target audience. Ideally, your prospects will be able to see themselves and their businesses in the testimonial videos you create.
Ultimately, video testimonials help visitors feel more confident in your business and the services you provide. And why wouldn’t they? Your most authentic subjects are your actual customers.
Ready to produce your very own video testimonials? Here are some of our favorite tips for making a compelling testimonial that builds trust and looks great:
- Before the interview, give your customer an idea of what topics you’ll cover, but don’t share all of your questions just yet! You want their responses to sound as natural and unrehearsed as possible.
- Shoot the video at the customer’s own workplace if possible, as it helps drive home the authenticity factor.
- Capture additional B-roll footage throughout the shoot, whether you think you’ll need the shots or not. These small moments can round out your video and make it more cohesive.
- Let the camera run, and edit the takes later. Ask your interviewee to repeat what they’ve said if they fumble over their words, but for the most part, try to keep your footage natural.
- Keep it conversational so your subject feels comfortable. This can often lead to more emotional, authentic responses.
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