The use of video-based marketing has been on the rise for the past few years, and it is expected to dominate in 2021.
Why are we saying this is so? Here are two reasons:
A survey conducted by ReelSEO reports that more than two-thirds of the respondents feel video-based marketing can positively affect their ROI.
A report in Hubspot says that 93% of marketers feel videos are integral to a successful marketing strategy, and that 86% of businesses deploy videos for marketing purposes.
What does this suggest? Despite the world crisis, video-based marketing is a thriving online tool that can help businesses reach out and generate leads.
But this isn’t as simple as it seems.
Like other marketing techniques, effective video-based marketing demands a solid strategy and intelligent implementation to reach the desired outcome (lead generation).
Planning a video-based marketing initiative
If lead generation is your goal, two things you should consider doing are:
- Offering gated information in your video
- Starting your own video channel
With these two strategies in place, you earn two advantages. First, you demonstrate that you know what to do and how to accomplish your goals. Second, as viewers find your videos more and more useful, you end up creating videos for not only the top, but also for the middle of the lead generation funnel.
What type of videos increase lead generation?
You cannot create an effective video until you know where to start based on what is working in your current scenario.
Therefore, be sure your video does the following:
- Has the right keywords
- Showcases the utility of your product or service
- Takes into consideration “brand affinity” as well as “brand awareness” for driving leads
Now think of a good title and get started. Show your versatility; include a combination of one or more types of the following video content.
- Customer-generated videos
- Influencer videos
- Demos and product walkthroughs
In addition to the above strategies, you can also create explanatory videos, introductory videos, and more.
Now here are some other specific things to do to ensure your B2B video-based marketing boosts your lead generation results.
Important B2B Video-based Marketing Strategies
#1. Have a CTA at the End
Imagine what happens when an eCommerce company adds a product to the website, but unintentionally leaves the “buy” button unclickable. Unfortunately, interested prospective buyers be able to buy the product, and the website will lose its newest potential customers who aren’t willing to go the extra mile to secure a path to purchasing.
Now imagine a similar scenario in B2B video-based marketing: You spend days strategizing and creating your video. But toward the end, you don’t tell your viewers what you intend to have them to do or where to find you. This is disastrous. Not adding a call to action invites your viewers to wonder “now what?”
Video content is all about the details. And perhaps the most critical element comes at the end. A call to action (or CTA) is the ideal way to bring in more leads and boost your business. It can be in the form of an offer as well. Big industry names such as Hubspot and Salesforce are using them quite successfully.
#2. Embed videos in emails
Email marketing initiatives are typically not as successful as other marketing strategies are, and the reasons are understandable. However, the results can be quite different when you embed a video in your outreach.
Videos boost the open and the click-through rates of an email — so be sure your subject line notes that one is included. Therefore, one of the biggest advantages of sending video emails lies in the higher levels of reader attention and engagement with the content.
In this process, you may have to bypass some potential stumbling blocks. For instance, some email programs are incompatible with videos, so you will need to look for loopholes. Make the video visible; place it above the fold. Finally, don’t forget to optimize it, take them where you intend them to go and make sure that the transition through this process is smooth.
#3. Stay genuine and be less “salesy”
Videos can easily be the most creative marketing tool available for B2B marketing in 2021. Adding a hint of authenticity goes a long way in building a robust marketing campaign for your business, as it ensures your audience will be interested in watching your next installment.
The pandemic in 2020 is partly responsible for this. We can all take a cue from Lenovo’s ‘Chad’ and ‘Jane’ B2B videos made for larger companies and SMEs. These videos, as we know, are about extraordinary office characters, Chad and Jane.
These videos are not only humorous, but are highly relatable for IT professionals. They showcase office life in an exciting manner for their target audience, and it works. The content is neither salesy nor product focused. What can be better than this?
Humor aside, the best way you can accomplish this goal is by creating your video around your brand values. Be you; don’t copy a competitor or wear a facade. You can even share your brand story as a starting point, if you have nothing else to run with — yet.
#4. Add post-click landing pages
This is the most underrated and underutilized lead generation marketing strategy. We are aware that post-click landing pages are created for conversion purposes, and their limited distractions make them a perfect tool for B2B lead generation. When applying this strategy, use the extra space and add a built-in form to turn the viewers into leads.
However, note that only a few video types can help you reap the benefits of this strategy. Introductory videos, video testimonials, explainer videos, and video case studies are the types that work extremely well. And don’t forget to add a CTA or auto-direct to them.
You can use video to boost your written content. Build interactive, demo videos or educational, high-quality content. Easy-to-follow tutorial videos offer another option.
#5. Keep it concise
This makes sense. People have a short attention span today, and content such as Instagram ‘Reels’ have only made things more challenging for marketers. To hold the attention of a viewer, it is important to make short-and-sweet videos. So, do not add anything extra — stick to the necessary information.
We should not forget that there are instances where longer videos work well, such as case studies and how-to videos. But, shorter videos are more effective, and numerous surveys have proved it.
One last though…
Note that the popularity of videos is showing no slowdown. So don’t look for perfection in video-based marketing. You will only lose time and money by doing so. But as you embrace this strategy more, you open up several marketing channels for your brand, eventually resulting in brand awareness and generating leads.
