As a small business owner or solopreneur you’re probably looking for new ways to market your company without breaking the bank. Video is increasingly emerging as a winning marketing tool for small and large companies alike, helping businesses bring products to life and connect with their customers.
In a recent survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, nearly all (96 percent) respondents find videos helpful when making purchase decisions online and 73 percent of people are more likely to purchase after watching videos. In addition to increasing conversion rates, the survey data also shows that video can build brand loyalty, encourage customer engagement and help to set your business apart from the competition.
While the idea of video marketing may seem daunting, tools like Animoto eliminate the hassle, enabling small businesses to create professional-quality, effective videos in minutes. As video creation becomes more accessible for SMBs, there are more opportunities for companies to incorporate video into all facets of marketing and sales and start reaping the benefits today.
Here are three videos that every company can get started with:
Company overview
Regardless of your industry, showing your brand’s personality helps build relationships with customers and keeps them coming back for more. The survey also found that nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of consumers find it helpful to watch videos to learn more about the company they’ll purchase from. A simple company overview video highlighting your company’s mission, employees or founding story helps to introduce you to your customers and reveal what makes your business unique.
One way to continue the momentum after you’ve shared an initial company overview video is to highlight your company’s culture. For example, creating video recaps of corporate events allows people to relive a shared experience, helps strengthen employee morale and shows your customers what your company is like behind the scenes. The survey found that showcasing the personalities behind a company also helps to increase customer loyalty, as 71 percent of consumers agree that watching online videos leaves them with a positive impression of a brand, service, product or company.
Product or service demo
After engaging prospects with an introductory video, it’s time to showcase your product or service offerings to help drive sales. In fact, 95 percent of consumers surveyed find video useful in their research when determining what to buy, and 93 percent said video is helpful when comparison shopping.
With these stats in mind, an informational or 360-degree view of your product can go a long way towards helping your audience understand how it works and how it will benefit them. Keep in mind your videos should be easily accessible and not too long, as 83 percent of consumers that we surveyed say that the ideal video for helping them make a purchase decision is less than five minutes.
If you offer a service and not a tangible product, video is still a valuable way to bring your offering to life. For example, real estate agents can show off a featured listing and personal trainers can highlight their personalities and training style to connect with their prospective customers from the get-go.
Customer testimonials
Video is a powerful way to continue the conversation with customers and build loyalty even after the purchase. Customer testimonial videos provide a unique opportunity to connect with prospects. Ask your customers about their experience and get their permission to use their testimonial in your video. Consider using a voice-over feature, which adds authenticity and lets prospects hear directly from your customers how your product or service has benefitted them.
Your customers are waiting for your video: Get started today
87% of consumers surveyed said they find video helpful in researching additional items from the same company, creating a huge opportunity for businesses to reel customers in — and keep them coming back for more.
The good news is that getting started is simple, and it’s likely you can leverage content you already have on hand to create the three videos mentioned above.The benefits are loud and clear — companies have a tremendous opportunity to reach customers, raise brand awareness, encourage customer loyalty and drive sales through video marketing.
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As founding CEO of Animoto, Brad leads the charge in driving Animoto to be the global standard for automated video creation. Brad graduated from Dartmouth College and currently resides in Oakland, California, with his wife and their two children, both of whom are stars of his frequent Animoto video creations.
