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Video marketing is using videos to promote and market your product or service, increase engagement on your digital and social channels, educate your customers and consumers, and reach your audience with a new medium.

Video marketing for small businesses is not as complicated or expensive as you might think. If you are reading this article with a smartphone, you already have a video recorder in your hand.

The Importance of Video Marketing

As the technology to create quality videos gets easier, it’s become more popular with marketers. But that’s not the only reason video is the dominant form of communication today.

First, there was the rise of smartphone technology that made watching videos easier and more convenient. Then the pandemic boosted online media consumption by 215% in the U.S.

As of 2022, people are spending an average of 19 hours a week watching videos online. Ignoring video marketing is no longer an option for brands who want to excel.

A Renderforest Survey found that videos helped businesses increase:

• Brand awareness by 70%

• Traffic by 51%

• Sales by 34%

The outcome is quite amazing, isn’t it? The key to their popularity lies in their relative ease to engage with both prospects and clients across multiple platforms.

Small businesses like yours are increasingly using videos to attract, convert, and retain new customers with great success.

With some planning and a sprinkle of creativity, you can create marketing videos that amaze your audience. If you are still hesitating about the value of video for your business, especially if you’re a small one, here are some facts that might convince you.

1. Video marketing encourages social shares.

Video is the second most popular content type on social media for increasing engagement.

Platforms like YouTube and TikTok have always been about video. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are focusing on video.

Even platforms that don’t offer native video uploads emphasize the value of video marketing.

• Tweets on Twitter get 10x more engagement.
• 68% of video marketers plan to use LinkedIn video this year.
• People watch almost a billion videos a day on Pinterest.

2. Video marketing improves SEO and boosts conversions and sales.

31% of marketers add video to improve SEO. Websites see a search engine boost when they add video because it increases page quality and the time visitors spend on the page.

More than 60% of marketers say their customer acquisition cost has gone up. At the same time, 83% of video marketers say that video helps them generate leads.

That’s because video hasn’t only transformed how businesses market and consumers shop; it’s also revolutionized how salespeople connect with and convert prospects and how service teams support and delight customers. In short, video is incredibly useful throughout the whole marketing wheel, its not just about increasing brand awareness.

Video can be a versatile tool for salespeople throughout the entire customer buying journey, and it can do much more than increase engagement. Backend analytics also help salespeople qualify and prioritize cold or unresponsive leads.

3. Video marketing appeals to mobile users.

Mobile users are a driving force for video consumption. According to a Statista study, 77% of those surveyed use a mobile or tablet to watch online videos. And Facebook says it’s 1.5x more likely for people to watch video every day on a smartphone than on a computer.

4. Video marketing is great for educating and building trust.

While 91.9% of users are content to watch any type of video at all, 31.3% want how-to videos and another 29.8% want educational videos.

Other Reason Why You Should You Use Videos in Your Social Media Posts.

Video posts:

• Stay visible longer on social feeds

• Get more exposure and engagement

• Increase the understanding of your product

• Stand out more

• Provide a more personable way to engage with your audience

• Are powerful sales tool

• Rank higher in search

• Are growing in popularity across platforms

Types of Marketing Videos

Before you begin filming, you need to decide what type of video you want to create. Check out this list to better understand your options.

1. Demo Videos

Demo videos showcase how your product works — whether that’s taking viewers on a tour of your software or unboxing and putting a physical product to the test.

2. Brand Videos

Brand videos are typically created as a part of a larger advertising campaign, showcasing the company’s vision, mission, or products and services. The goal of brand videos is to build awareness around your company and to intrigue and attract your target audience.

3. Event Videos

Is your business hosting a conference, round table discussion, fundraiser, or another type of event? Produce a highlight reel or release interesting interviews and presentations from the gathering.

4. Expert Interviews

Capturing interviews with internal experts or thought leaders in your industry is a great way to build trust and authority with your target audience. Find the influencers in your industry and put these discussions in front of your audience.

5. Educational or How-To Videos

Instructional videos can teach your audience something new. These marketing videos can also build the foundational knowledge they’ll need to better understand your business and solutions. Your sales and service teams can use videos like this as they work with customers.

6. Explainer Videos

This type of video can help your audience better understand why they need your product or service. Many explainer videos focus on a fictional journey of the company’s core buyer persona who is struggling with a problem. This person overcomes the issue by adopting or buying the business’s solution.

7. Behind-the-scene Videos

Give your audience the opportunity to meet the people behind your company and understand how your product is made. Authenticity isn’t something you should try to fake. It is an effective way to build an emotional connection with your customers.

8. Customer Testimonial Videos

Testimonial videos are a great way to increase social proof and influence your target market. Your customers want to ensure that your product is the perfect solution for their needs. This type of video marketing can help showcase your products while also building trust.

9. Live Videos

Live video gives your viewers a special, behind-the-scenes look at your company. It also draws longer streams and higher engagement rates.

According to Google in 2021, 85% of people have watched a live stream in the last year. And live-stream interviews, presentations, and events encourage viewers to comment with questions.

How to Get Started With Video Marketing

Video marketing has become the content strategy leader in the marketing world and is the content your audience expects in the future. 

1. Script your video.

While there’s a time and place for videos to be off-the-cuff , most video marketing needs a script.

If you skip this step, you’ll find yourself editing more than you need to, releasing a video longer than it should be, and probably losing your audience along the way.

2. Shoot your video.

Use a high quality DSLR or Mirrorless camera to shoot high quality videos for a better viewing experience. However, if you don’t have access to DSLR or Mirrorless cameras due to budget constrains, you can use your smartphone. That’s your most accessible asset for creating video content. If a mobile video is good enough for YouTube superstars, it will likely be good enough for your first filming.

3. Edit your video.

Video editing can be confusing. But there is a range of great options for video editing software based on your skill level, operating system, and budget, including tools like FlexClip which make it easier for even people with limited editing skills to edit videos, and video editing mobile apps.

4. Upload and Share Your Video

Your video is now ready, but you need more than a brilliant video to get eyes on your video marketing. Upload your video to a video hosting platform of your choice, like YouTube, or Video, and also share on all your social media platforms for you audiences.

Alternatively, you can save time and resources by hiring our experts at Empex Digital to do all the work and deliver a professionally done video that will tell your brand’s story to your target audience.

Conclusion

Video marketing can be overwhelming at first, but with a little practice and patience, you can easily produce high-quality video content that is unique to your brand.

Pick up a camera, start filming, and watch your engagement levels increase. It’s time to make video a key part of your marketing strategy.