Whether you're in a service or product based business you should be producing video for your content strategy. It's oftentimes a lot easier said than done! There's a lot of parts to planning video content for your marketing and in this post we'll consider why video works as a tool generally, the three types of videos you can start making right away, and how to use video content across marketing channels.
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Video Really Does Work.
Video content can be tedious to plan, expensive to shoot and edit, not to mention hard to film if you're shy in front of the camera. With that being said video content 'works'. What does that mean? It converts. It builds trust with your audience and it shows why they should believe in your product or service, all while creating a relationship between 'you' (or the speaker) and the brand.
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When you start out producing video for your marketing channels (i.e. website, social media, email or even a designated YouTube channel etc.) it's important to first consider what production value you can budget. Can you shoot with just your cell phone and a Rhode microphone? Can you edit 'in app' and post directly to your channels? Or do you want to refine your style and invest in sound, lighting and film equipment? Whichever you choose the first thing to do? Is to choose one style at all! Don't become paralysed by the options out there. Start small and if that means starting with your cellphone and a few Instagram Reels, that's still somewhere.
Three Types of Video:
Once you decide how you'll film your content it's time to decide what you'll actually produce. There's a lot of options out there. How can you decide what to do for your brand? Look at your competition! What are they doing really well or not so well? Can you create something for your business which meets a customer need they are ignoring?
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As long as you employ effective storytelling techniques, stick to the time limit (attention spans are SHORT!) and add captions you're video content is on its way to being a great success.
To start there are three key types of video content that you should start with. And that's not three videos, that's three types of videos. Within each of the three genres you could find excuse -- and reason! -- for dozens of videos. Don't limit yourself! Those three key types of video content are:
Brand Story: What is your business story? Who is the founder? What does the team look like? What is a day in your business like? Why do you know what your customers/clients need? Show, show, show!
Product Demos: How does your product or service work? What can a customer or client expect when they purchase or order from you? Is there a feature of your product or service which is different to competitors? Online customers can't pick up and investigate like Brick & Mortar ones can -- do the investigating for them. Take a product or service and look at it from all the angles.
Testimonials: Can you get your customers to record or share their reviews to camera? Can you interview a client to camera? Can you tour a facility where your service or product is in use? Never forget the power of UGC to build trust and engagement with your audience -- which is made up of prospective, current and past customers. Speak to all three with your testimonial content!
Multichannel Uses:
Don't give all your ideas to social media. Consider spreading 'them', your ideas i.e. your videos, out! How can you use one of the three types of video above on your website? Could you put it on your landing page or perhaps the 'About Us' page? Could you use the product demos in the carousels of the products on the individual shopping pages? Or link to the videos on the various services provided pages? Is there a place where you can house your testimonials -- even on the product or service pages?
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Once you have your video content to hand and edited you don't have to just use it one place. You can use the same video on social media as in email as in paid advertising as is on the website. When you multiply the uses for your content you multiply the ROI. A one time video shoot -- which could take a full day -- could create enough content to market your business for weeks.
Summary:
People buy from people. Putting forward a face or a voice for your brand via video is important. Videos such as brand story, product demos and testimonials are great tools in your content marketing arsenal. When videos are reused across marketing channels your ROI for one piece of content increases. Use video!
Get in Touch.
Have a question about using video for your business? Write to us at liz@litirmarketing.com today!
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