To say that the video revolution is changing the world around us for is something of an understatement. This is particularly true in the world of business, where an optimal video marketing strategy has been responsible for connecting with a whole new generation of consumers in a meaningful and organic way.
According to a study conducted by Vidyard, marketers who make video a core component in their marketing campaigns are able to grow their revenue 49% faster than those who don’t. Another study revealed that 65% of B2B marketers increased their investment in online video in particular over the course of 2015, a trend that has remained steady over 2016 and into 2017 as well.
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Speaking of mobile video, as of 2015 mobile video views exceeded desktop views for the first time – a trend that shows no signs of reversing itself anytime soon. So not only is video important to your marketing efforts, but the mobile video itself is actually the key to attracting new audiences to your product or service. According to Forbes, over 75% of executives at Fortune 500 companies viewed online video multiple times per week.
How video can help propel your marketing efforts
Perhaps the most important thing to understand about video is that while it’s a powerful tool on its own, it doesn’t exist in a silo – or at least, it shouldn’t. “Building a video marketing strategy” and “building a marketing strategy” are not two separate things – they’re two equally important parts of a much larger whole. When used properly, video can actually help increase the effectiveness of nearly every other marketing technique you’re using in a host of different ways.
According to one study, including a relevant, quality video on your landing page can increase the conversion rates for that page by an incredible 80%. The same study revealed that 92% of people who consume mobile video are likely to share that video with others. Luckily, you’re probably already using the number one way that they do exactly that: social media.
But the benefits of building an optimal video strategy in 2017 don’t stop there. Including a video in an email – along with including the word “video” in the subject line – can increase the click-through rate on that message by between 200 and 300%. Combining a video with a full page ad will boost the engagement of that add by an astounding 22%.
How video can help your sales team
Video collateral can also be hugely beneficial to your sales teams, helping them to generate leads and close sales every day. One study said that B2B marketers specifically cited video as being responsible for a “very high” quantity of newly generated leads. A well-designed video can be a great way to increase both brand awareness and interest in a product or service, which itself can be essential in terms of generating more prospect meetings. 46% of all B2B technology buyers said that they are more likely to purchase a product or service after viewing video content online.
Case studies or testimonials can also help motivate to purchase, having positive effects like optimizing closing percentages and even shortening the sales cycle as much as possible. According to one study, more than 70% of all B2B buyers said that they viewed a product demonstration before making a purchase.
The many types of video collateral
Product overviews and demonstrations are all great for early in the sales funnel when people are looking for any information they can get about what a product is and what it does. FAQ videos, tutorials, “Getting Started” pieces and even case studies can also be helpful once someone has made a purchase and is looking to get more out of their investment. Video blogs and videos for social media can be an efficient way to accomplish many goals, like keeping customers informed of new developments after a purchase has been made as well as acting as an educational tool to help ease the learning curve of new product adoption on an ongoing basis.