How + Why Video is More Necessary than Ever for Successful Business Marketing

How many Google (or other search engine) searches have you done today? I’ve done several! Sometimes, I search for really important things like: “What was the worst flavor of Oreo that Nabisco introduced?” (I didn’t actually have to search this one: it’s the birthday cake flavor.) Or, “Who won American Idol Season 9?” Why, Lee DeWyze, of course.

VIDEO TAKES OVER

If you do a Google search for a how-to, you’ll notice something interesting: most of the top hits are videos. For example, I searched “How to connect Pandora to a Chevy Equinox” and the first few entries are videos. A couple of those were posted by Chevrolet dealerships. Pretty smart, right?

These dealerships, in essence, are putting out content that points to being helpful and going the extra mile. They’re getting their name out there, and you never know when one of those videos might connect with a potential car buyer. If you buy from one of these dealerships, you know that they are committed to helping you get the most out of your new vehicle.

HERE COME THE STATS

Video isn’t just limited to how-to’s, of course. Video has become the preferred method for receiving all kinds of information - from makeup tutorials to the latest news and everything in between. According to Forbes, 55 percent of people watch videos online every day. HubSpot says that 90 percent of users indicate that product videos are helpful to them in the decision process. And here’s one final stat from HubSpot: video in an email leads to a 200-300 percent increase in click-through rates. If you’ve got a product to sell or a service to offer, these are stats you can’t ignore. Using video in marketing is almost a no-brainer.

LET'S TALK ABOUT CONVERSIONS

Marketers don’t just want to know if a video gets watched, of course. There is already ample evidence that video performs well across the board. The real question is: does video equal conversions? The answer is yes.

According to Curata, the top three most effective types of video content are:

• Customer Testimonials
• Tutorial Videos
• Demonstration Videos

For most business owners, that list should really get your gears turning. What are your customers looking for? Can you use video to show them that you provide exactly that? And how do you ensure conversions via your video efforts?

The effectiveness of video marketing for business is enhanced by:

• Making your videos brief but entertaining. If fun/funny/whimsical works for your brand, go for it. Videos with the most views are typically one minute or less. Don’t forget about the potential for sharing here - you want viewers to be unable to resist the urge to share your video.
• Using video on your website’s landing page. Landing page videos have been proven to increase conversion rates by 80 percent!
• Using video on product pages. Sites like Zappos show real people talking about shoes - and it’s effective!
• Using a friendly video thumbnail. Sometimes you may need to do some testing to find the approach that’s most effective.
• Embedding the video - don’t just link to it. That extra click is sometimes one click too many.
• Presenting the most important information early in the video, just in case some viewers don’t stay until the end.

It’s hard to deny the prevalence of video these days, and it’s even harder to deny that it works. Check out my recap of what I learned at Inbound last year. Video is highly effective, and the statistics support that assertion. Now, get out there and start winning those conversions!