Now, more than ever, small businesses need to utilize every tool in their marketing arsenal to attract new customers and clients. Video marketing is a critical tool for acquiring new customers, growing almost 44% year over year. In a world where smartphones rule, advertising goes well beyond commercials on cable TV, and full-page advertisements in glossy magazines.

Years ago, video advertising was reserved for big brands that could afford expensive equipment and professional teams of videographers. But with the rise of social media platforms and video-sharing devices, small businesses can (and should) try their hand at video marketing.

The benefits of adding digital video content to your marketing efforts are indisputable. Not only does video content enhance the visual appeal of your website, but it also improves SEO, boosts conversions and sales, and keeps potential customers visiting your site for longer periods of time.

Benefits of video marketing

Videos are an increasingly popular marketing tool for one main reason: a video is more engaging and interactive than a standard static post or article. Think about your own consumer experience: Would you rather watch an engaging video, or read an article about the same topic? In 2023, it’s projected there will be 3.5 billion users streaming video or watching downloaded video content at least once per month. Go where your audience is, and your audience is watching videos on their phones. Videos allow brands a unique opportunity to showcase their brand personality in an authentic, genuine way. Consumers crave connection, and showcasing your brand with a video helps keep your company top of mind.

Many of your customers don’t have the time, or the attention span, to read lengthy posts detailing your value proposition. Videos enable your brand to share short, meaningful messages that your audience actually wants to watch. Videos are easily shareable, so your customers can quickly and easily share your message with just a few quick swipes.

Implementing video marketing

As with any new marketing implementation, take time to research before you begin. Study your target audience and their online behaviors. What social media platforms are they frequenting and how can you seamlessly integrate your video marketing content on those platforms in a way that stays true to your brand? Today’s consumer values authenticity, and while videos are a quick way to showcase that, they can also quickly highlight the opposite. Start posting videos where you have the most prominent social presence, and go from there. If you have followers on Instagram, try creating Reels or adding video elements to your stories. If your audience lives on Facebook, try a Facebook Live Stream. According to this study, audience attention diminishes after one minute, so keep your videos around 30 seconds to a one-minute timeframe. Keep in mind that one video can be used across platforms with small tweaks for optimization.

Video accessibility

As you begin your foray into video marketing, make sure to optimize your videos for accessibility, taking measures to ensure everyone can interact and engage with your content. Add captions providing the text version of the video dialogue to your video to reach those who are not only hearing impaired, but also those who choose to watch with no audio.

You can also consider providing transcripts of your video and a video description. Include keywords in your transcripts and descriptions. Adding descriptive text to your videos not only improves the viewing experience for many but boosts your SEO as well. Search engines are better able to index your website when you have informative text on visual content, like videos and images. It may seem like a lot of work at first, but optimizing your videos for accessibility means you have the potential for a wider audience, increased SEO, and places your brand at the forefront as a conscious, ethical brand.

Video marketing content

Videos are a powerful tool to demonstrate how to use your product, and how to get the most benefit from it. Use a video to answer frequently asked questions about your product, or share ways to use your product creatively. Share in-depth product demos that show consumers how to use your product. Creating educational videos for your audience establishes your brand as an authority in your field. Think about problems your customers face, and answer them in an engaging video. For example, a local nursery could share a video explaining how to care for in-season plants or helpful watering tips. Monitor the comments on your video, as the comment section is another opportunity to connect with your audience, whether it’s answering questions or just engaging with your brand community. Need help with a topic? Start with one of these ideas:

• Interview or Q&A session: Sit down with a thought leader, a team member, or a customer and take the conversation online for your audience to see.
• Behind the scenes: Viewers love a look behind the scenes, like an office tour or showing snippets of how a product is made.
• Feature/product review: Utilize any customer reviews or share a unique way to use your product.
• Live stream of a company event or function
• Announcements/reveals: If your company is launching a new product or has an exciting new announcement, tease the reveal with a short video to garner attention.
• Tutorials/how-to videos: This type of video format is one of the most searched-for video content on the web. Keep videos engaging and concise.

User-generated content

One of the most impactful ways to utilize video marketing and increase your credibility with new customers is to add customer reviews to your website. If your customers are already talking about your brand in product reviews, leverage that user-generated content for your own video marketing. Using UGC will not only save you time but also allows you to build a connection with your community by tagging and sharing customers’ posts. If you haven’t generated much UGC, consider hosting a competition encouraging customers to submit product reviews, unboxings, or testimonials. 60% of consumers think user-generated content, like customer reviews, is the most authentic content from a brand.

Product reviews not only bring validity to your product, but they also enable customers to envision themselves using your product or offer. A customer’s perspective is valuable on many levels and is often seen as more genuine and authentic.

We live in a modern world, tethered by memes and viral videos. This connectedness allows you to reach your target audience quicker than ever with relevant messaging and strategic video marketing. Tackling video marketing can be overwhelming, but with practice, you can confidently produce video content unique to your brand, retaining current customers and attracting new business by reaching a broader audience.

Let Scorpion help with your video marketing

If you need help leveraging video marketing strategy, let Scorpion help. We specialize in helping small businesses reach their full potential, bringing technology and marketing experts to focus on your brand, building your business and strengthening your brand.