In a digital age with so many avenues to reaching out to an audience, it might seem that getting your product in front of potential customers is pretty straightforward. But hold on - it's anything but!
There's an actual customer journey that needs to occur, and video content is the perfect way to nudge people down the sales funnel. Ask any best-selling brand if you don’t believe us.
Quick delivery and high engagement rates make video a must-have in every marketer's plan. Not for nothing; there are more video production companies active now than ever before. But there are so many flavors of video online that figuring out the best approach for you can be really tricky!
Each type of video works better for certain marketing objectives. And when paired with different stages of the journey, ta-da! The magic happens.
So, to help you get your bearings and invest your time and resources in a video that will actually help you market your products and brand, let's break down the best tools in your video-content box from the perspective of the buyer's journey!
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Start of the Journey - The Awareness Stage
On the first steps down the sales funnel, the customer doesn't know they are seeking your product yet. They might not even be entirely aware of having a problem to solve!
Your marketing goal at this stage should be to catch the audience’s eye.
To do so and start getting the audience interested, the best platforms for your videos are probably social media sites and YouTube.
The How-To
Also known as tutorial video, this type of content is an ideal first approach to your audience.
Short and not openly promotional, tutorials are easy to digest and to post organically on social media. At this early stage, it is best not to focus on the product or the sale but on building trust among your audience.
You should start by researching your target's most common questions or concerns so that you can build a wide range of how-to videos that appeal to them.
The secret to engaging How-tos lies in depicting a series of steps that makes it simple for the audience to stick around until the end of the video, keeping them engaged. Then, you can further leverage their attention by having a compelling CTA at the end that nudges the audience forward on their journey.
The Spot
The good ol’ commercial you know and love… Or at least it used to be!
For a spot to be successful today, the best approach tends to be to shift the focus from the product. But isn't that the whole point of a commercial? You may ask. Well, kind of, butstorytelling it’s how you get there.
By all means, show the product, but to captivate your audience, you'll need an emotional connection. Laugh, cry, whatever, but make the audience feel something, and you’ll get them talking about you.
Storytelling paired with good humor, seasonal topics, and relatability or recognition (a recognizable voice, in this case) is a winning combo that makes for a shareable commercial on social media. That means more eyes, more attention, and a bigger reach during the early stages of a buyer's journey!
Interest Stage
Curiosity is officially piqued. The audience has seen your content, and they are craving for more. They want to learn about you. It’s showtime!
At this point, you might want to direct them to your webpage with CTAs. But don’t just leave it at that!
You can get the attention of more pairs of eyes at this point of the funnel too, and without having to come at it too strongly with a hard sell. If you work on your SEO, you’ll likely increase the chances of your video content showing up at the top in any related research. That, in turn, will help interested customers find you on their own, enhancing your video strategy even more!
The Explainer
King among the marketing videos, the explainer breaks down the usefulness of your product through storytelling. It’s engaging, informative and makes your product’s complexities easy to understand.
Confused about how to make a good explainer? Start by focusing on a typical user having that pesky problem you can help with. Maybe you show some failed solutions. But then, there comes your product to save the day! Wrap it up by highlighting the practical and innovative aspects for the greatest impact. It is a tried-and-true recipe you can use to great success!
As you can see, animation tends to be the preferred style for explainers. And there are many kinds to choose from: 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, whiteboard videos... the list goes on. You’re bound to find the one that works for you.
The best place to post your explainer video is, of course, on your webpage, but social media and YouTube are good options too.
The Company Culture Piece
Times have changed, and having a quality product might not be enough anymore. More and more, online customers seek an emotional connection with the brands they buy from. To nudge them your way, you have a perfect tool at your disposal: the company culture video.
A company culture video is designed to let the audience know your business for what it is and not what it sells. It’s about the vision and the people that bring it to life, the core values that make your brand unique.
People passionately talking about what they do is very appealing to the public. That’s why a video like this shouldn’t be overlooked in your marketing plan. Even if a product is not exactly what they’re looking for, they’ll likely think better of it if it’s made with fervor.
Having your company culture video on your homepage could provide visitors with a good first impression. It works wonderfully for potential business partners and future employees as well. So, all in all, a great addition to the middle of your sales funnel!
Consideration Stage
By now, you have lured the customers towards you with the proverbial marketing 'honey'. It is now time to focus on the sale, showing your brand and products front and center.
Overcome doubts and competitors alike with some good-aimed video content!
The Demo
If an audience is watching your demo video, you’re probably halfway in with the sale. This type of marketing video displays your product in all its glory, hard at work, and is primarily meant for people in the latter stages of their buyer’s journey.
But be careful not to fall for the obvious approach - the secret to demo video is to tailor it. Working with buyer personas can help you deliver a persuasive demo to those still on the fence.
And even though your product shines by itself, you can’t go wrong with a little extra glitz thrown in the mix.
Unless your product is hands-off, you’re likely to want someone demonstrating the product being used in your demo video. If so, you could go the extra mile and benefit from an already captive audience, like your online followers.
Partnering up with notorious online figures connected to your brand’s field could provide you exposure to your target audience. All you need to do is supply the product, and they bring their followers. A simple and yet successful formula that’s all the rage today.
For instance, social media influencers can give you an edge with Gen Z, while more traditional public figures would work better for Millenials. It’s all about finding the right fit for you.
The Behind-the-Scenes
On the other side of the coin, we find the backstage or behind-the-scenes. Essentially, a sneak peek of what goes on beyond the product itself. This type of video is very engaging because it satisfies a certain curiosity we all have.
The behind-the-scenes video shows the audience how the product comes to be: the idea, the design, the manufacture, you name it. It could even be some out-takes from another one of your videos or even a look at how a day in the office goes!
At any rate, the essence here should be authenticity. This type of video is meant to bring a little soul to your product, a bit of context. Such a thing can help the customer feel connected to it and see themselves already as part of your brand.
Decision Stage
Two things could be holding back your sale at this point: customers’ doubts or insufficient calls to action.
If it’s the latter, then you need to reinforce it at the previous stages. But if it’s the former, then any doubts the customer might be having should be swiftly addressed.
The Customer Review
What in past times was word of mouth can now be aided by this marketing video style. The customer review or testimonial depicts the most entitled to sing your praises: your satisfied customers.
In the audience's eyes, the voice of previous customers tends to be much more compelling than the brand’s. They speak from their perspective, after all.
In a win-win situation, you could use user-generated content to build up your credibility and reputation as a brand, but a well-produced testimonial can be equally compelling. In short, making the most out of society’s tendency to back up each other’s reasons - called social proof.
Parting Words
Now you're all set to start your own video marketing strategy and get the best results.
Remember, it's all about finding the right kind of video for each metaphorical stone in the buyer’s journey.
Catch the attention of the audience, build a reputation, show yourself and the product in the best light possible, and crush all and any indecision. At the end of said journey, you should have done it all, and with the aid of video marketing.
Start reaping the results!
Bio Victor Blasco:
Victor Blasco isan audiovisual designer, video marketing expert, and founder/CEO of the explainer video production company Yum Yum Videos. Besides running the business, he’s a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek for all things sci-fi.