Video Strategy For All Business Types
Businesses today need a video strategy to build trust and establish a loyal customer base. If you’re running a business and using your website to turn visitors into customers, how can you convince people that your product or service is the best choice? What can you do to instill credibility and make a positive first impression?
When you’re running a business, you see video strategies all over the place that are out of your range. You might not be able (yet!) to drop a client list with names everybody knows. But lucky for us, the rise of online video in recent years has made establishing trust much easier for businesses of all sizes. And of course, the demand for video isn’t going anywhere. According to research from the folks at HubSpot, 54% of consumers want to see more video from marketers in the future. So if you haven’t started investing in a video strategy, now’s the time!
How can a small business with a small budget get started with a video strategy? Start with the videos that will have the biggest impact on your business. Here are a few video-types that might be the right fit for your video strategy right now:
1. The Product Explainer Video Strategy
Depending on what resources are currently available to you and how much time you want to put into the final product, you have a few options.
Animated video
These are arguably one of the most popular types of explainer videos a business can make, animated videos can combine the right text and images to tell the simplest story of who you are. Video Production can turn your scripted story into an imaginative video.
Live-action video
If you plan on shooting the video yourself, here are some tips for making your video as effective as it can be:
- Start with a great script. It might seem contradictory since the focus is often on images, but the written word is the foundation for any great explainer video.
- Keep it short and sweet—60 seconds or less is perfect.
Use simple, conversational language. No business jargon allowed! - Incorporate some shots of what you’re actually selling in your video—show and tell.
2. The Interview and Testimonial Video Strategy
Some businesses shy away from collecting interviews. The task can feel scary and intimidating, and ROI is difficult to predict at the outset. But one or two solid voices backing up your story can make a huge difference in how potential clients see you.
Start by interviewing some of your long-term customers that have seen tangible results courtesy of your product and share those videos on a prominent page on your site. These videos establish the kind of trust that can take years to build in other ways.
When it comes time to brainstorm who you might reach out to for these interviews, think about who your ideal customer is. Make sure the customers you feature in your testimonials are aligned with your target audience. Ideally, your prospects will be able to see themselves and their businesses in the testimonial videos you create.
Ultimately, video testimonials help visitors feel more confident in your business and the services you provide. You can also add employee interviews into the mix. Evident, a software company who deals in sensitive data, interviewed their own CEO:
After watching this video, the viewer has a better understanding of Evident, what they like most about them, and how using this tool can impact their business.
Bonus Tips for video testimonials:
Before the interview, give your customer an idea of what topics you’ll cover, but don’t share all of your questions just yet! You want their responses to sound as natural and unrehearsed as possible.
Shoot the video at the customer’s own workplace if possible, as it helps drive home the authenticity factor.
Capture additional B-roll footage throughout the shoot, whether you think you’ll need the shots or not. These small moments can round out your video and make it more cohesive.
Let the camera run and edit the takes later. Ask your interviewee to repeat what they’ve said if they fumble over their words, but for the most part, try to keep your footage natural.
Keep it conversational so your subject feels comfortable. This can often lead to more emotional, authentic responses.
3. The Company Story Video Strategy
If your small business has a particularly interesting background, story videos are the way to go. How did your business get started? What was your motivation for starting the company? Let people know who you are and what you care about. People are buying more products and services based on emotion rather than logic, which is one reason why appealing to a potential client’s heart is important.
A company story video lets you show off what makes your business special and unique. When people are able to associate familiar faces and names with a business, they’re more likely to feel a strong connection to it—and ultimately have a positive experience with your brand.
In this video we made for Paper City Coffee, people can see that they serve up delicious coffee and baked goods while providing a space where the futures of students are written with hope. The great work of Paper City Coffee reflects a rebirth of local entrepreneurs embracing their city.
Types of company stories
What if your story isn’t as precious or as powerful as Paper City’s? Your company’s culture and how team members feel about working there today are just as important as the story of how you got your start. Here are a few ways to underline that:
Crowdsource a simple video featuring current employees. Empower your peers to tell their own stories by submitting video clips that can be compiled into one video.
Interview some of your own employees. Think “customer testimonials” but from your employees. Ask them some questions about their day-to-day life at your company and record their responses.
Use B-roll footage from a company event or party and record a voiceover after the fact. This is a super low-budget way to make a video that emphasizes what your company culture is all about, with virtually no pre-production effort involved.
Video success for small businesses
Marketers know that testing new channels and tactics before going all-in on one is the best way to make informed decisions. And when you work at a small business where resources can run thin, you want to make sure you’re spending your time wisely. That’s why, as a video production company built by marketers and storytellers, we recommend getting started with some mix of these three types of videos.
Build trust, establish credibility, and show the people who work at your company, and you’ll be on your way to building an even more reputable and buzzworthy business.