Business to consumer brands have wasted no time in leveraging video to reach their consumers. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and online news channels are full of video content. We see ads and promotional videos on these platforms every time we log in.
Do business to business brands leverage video in the same way? Usually not. Most B2B brands do not have a presence on B2C social media channels. Many services businesses completely neglect to shoot video at all, because they do not have a tangible product that can feature in a promotional or demonstration video. Even businesses that have recorded some video often fail to leverage them for marketing purposes: they remain a dead asset.
So why should B2B brands use video marketing? Here are 9 excellent reasons:
1. Google loves video
Every brand wants to be found by its customers and prospective customers online. Your own company probably has a blog so your website can rank better for the right keywords. You may pay a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) firm to ensure Google places your site on page one. SEO is reason enough to use video for B2B marketing. Make sure your site is optimised for mobile, and the video is uploaded with the right tags. Provided your website is already optimised for SEO, the right video will help you be found on Google.
2. Buyers are lazy
Most buyers prefer to watch a sixty-second video than read a product description. We can call this laziness or simply lack of time. No matter what words we use, video helps our buyers save time and decide faster.
3. Video helps with social
Does your organisation have a presence on LinkedIn? Every major B2B social media network now has video capability, including LinkedIn. However, the majority of LinkedIn content is still text and image-based. Given video tends to outperform over time, the ratio will shift: video will become more and more commonplace on LinkedIn, even an expectation. Video is more compelling and much easier to consume on mobile than a long blog. Make it easy for your audience to hear from you on social media by leveraging video.
4. Video leads to advocacy
Let’s continue from point three: once your video is on Social Media, it allows people to easily share it. Your fans – existing customers who like your product and service – will most often be the ones to share your videos. When an existing customer shares your content, it is a micro endorsement of your brand. You pay nothing for this advocacy. Video is also the perfect way to capture a testimonial from a happy customer. Spoken statements sound far more sincere than a written testimonial – and are far more trustworthy.
5. SaaS marketing needs video
When I am buying software, I will always give preference to the vendor with well-produced video demonstrations. I don’t have time to try out every feature of the software! If you have a SaaS product, you need video marketing. Without a good video, chances are your other sales and marketing activities will warm up a lead for your competition to close.
6. Video transforms email campaigns
Merely mentioning the word ‘video’ in an email subject line causes the click-through rate to increase. Video opens up all sorts of possibilities because you know who the reader will be. You can personalise a video toward a persona, or account. Your team can use video to thank customers, make announcements, and achieve various soft-touch marketing goals.
Video in email can also be used for top of funnel, driving leads. Customised video for high-value prospects helps you cut through more than a letter or series of cold calls.
7. Video leads to better SQLs
Poor inbound leads can waste valuable company time. Salespeople get caught up servicing bad leads. Business owners and CXOs in smaller businesses get involved in a sales cycle only to find there was no opportunity. Ensure your prospective customers have a better idea of you and your unique value, by exposing them to a video introducing your company. As I said to begin, services businesses frequently neglect to use explainer videos as they don’t have a tangible product. That is no excuse: sometimes the best way of ensuring your market understands an intangible product is to build storytelling, in video, about it.
8. Video leads to virality
Most brands only dream of creating that ‘one’ piece of content which gains a life of its own. When have you heard the phrase ‘gone viral’? Chances are, it was in a situation where a video was being discussed. Now, we don’t guarantee that video will cause your brand to go viral: however, we can guarantee your chances are very slim without it. Use video with original concepts, creative delivery, and a whole ton of ‘oomph’ – get it onto social media – and give yourself a shot at some free exposure.
9. If a picture speaks 1,000 words…
Does a video speak a million words? We don’t know the answer, but one thing is for sure: video allows maximum impact in the shortest time. The modern buyer is looking for information constantly. They don’t always have time to meet you, or sit through a demonstration or presentation. People crave digestible and concise information. Give your buyers the content they need, with video.
Tell me more!
If you would like to hear more: we have a full-service video marketing offering at Resonate. We script, shoot, edit and produce video: we then ensure it is loaded and distributed on the correct channels for maximum benefit. To find out more, please reach out to our Head of Sales, Joe Barnes, at joe@resonate.com.au.
If you have another reason why video is essential for B2B marketing, or would like to add to / disagree with any of the nine listed above, please contact me on LinkedIn.
