10 Ways Brands Can Incorporate Video into Their Digital Marketing Strategies
When you’re scrolling through your social media feed, do you notice how much video catches your attention more than a static image or text? Or when you’re looking for information on a company’s website, if they have an “About Us” or product video, you watch it to quickly learn a lot about the brand.
You’re not alone; according to Invideo, in 2020, 96% of consumers increased their online video consumption, and 9 out of 10 viewers said that they wanted to see more videos from brands and businesses. By 2022, online videos make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic–15 times higher than it was in 2017 (Cisco).
So how can your company incorporate video into your digital marketing? Below are 10 ideas that we’ve seen work and can help you create:
Product Videos
If you have a new product or product line, don’t just talk about it in a press release or article, showcase it with a video! The possibilities are endless; show it being used, tell the story behind why it was created, or talk about how it improves lives or makes things easier for users.
If it’s a technical product or something that’s harder to understand, an animated explainer video or how-to demo can help. Don’t merely mention the features of the products, but be sure to show the benefits and why people need it in their lives!
Brand Videos
Whether your company has been around for decades or is just starting out, it’s a great time to create a brand video for your website and social media channels. A brand video gives you the chance to quickly show people who your company is, what it stands for, and what sets you apart. Tell the story of how and why you were founded and what problems you solve for your customers. Authentically show the personality of your brand and your team.
Social Media Campaigns
Instead of a broadcast TV or radio ad campaign, create a series of short video ads for social media. These campaigns are often a lot cheaper, you can highly target your audience, you have easy access to analytics to assess performance, you can test which versions of the videos resonate with your audience, and provide an easy call to action to drive results.
You can use video ads and/or posts to introduce a new product or product line, introduce new staff members (especially if you’ve had a leadership change), raise money (if you’re a nonprofit or a startup), or simply bring awareness to your brand. Don’t be afraid to infuse humor to catch people’s attention as they scroll.
Recruitment or Employment
After the Great Resignation in 2022, many companies are struggling to hire and retain talented people. Do you have open positions you need help filling? Make a video showing why people would want to join your team. Show the benefits you offer (not just insurance and 401(k), but include what makes your office fun or desirable), talk about your ideal candidate or team member, and entice people to apply.
Your HR team can also create an onboarding video to welcome new employees, disseminate key information in a fun or interesting way, and quickly make new hires feel like part of the team, whether they work in the office or remotely.
Office/Facility Tours
Give people an inside look at your business and the amazing people who run it. Or if you have a business that you want people to visit, such as a healthcare clinic, store, or educational institution, a tour video is a great way to show it off and entice people to come. If your organization reaches people across the country (or world), create a compelling virtual tour video so they get a sense of who you are without leaving their couch!
Events or Conferences
There’s a lot you can do to promote an event or conference before, during, and after. Show some behind-the-scenes tidbits as you prep for the event, like preparing welcome baskets or centerpieces, arranging name tags, creating signage, tasting the food, etc. You can thank and showcase sponsors, help sell tickets, and build excitement for the upcoming event through these videos.
During the event or conference, you can film pieces of it or the event in its entirety and then create a short, exciting highlight reel and longer videos of keynote speeches/breakout sessions/panels/award presentations. These videos are a great way to thank attendees and sponsors, raise additional funds, and promote the next event or conference.
Customer Testimonials
Ask your customers or clients what they like about your business or how your product or service improved their lives. You can take a day to film these professionally in one location or ask customers to film something on their phones and submit them to you. There are many possibilities on how to use this footage; share the testimonials separately on social media and/or your website, include them periodically in your email communications, or edit many together to show a breadth of who uses your product or service. They can also be part of a brand video or ad campaign in the future.
Helpful Tips
Are you in a service industry and can share your expertise with your audience? Or maybe your product is not super intuitive or you’ve found some different ways to use it. Share these tips in a quick video on your website or social media channels. Make the content relatable and engaging so people want to share it with others.
Nonprofit Videos
If you’re a nonprofit organization, you likely have access to a wealth of stories of people you’ve helped. Talk to your program managers to learn more about the ways your organization has improved lives and solved problems for your clients. Interview one or several clients about their experiences, showing what their lives looked like before coming to your organization and how their lives were improved after seeking help.
These emotional client stories are great ways to raise awareness and funds and can be used at fundraising events, in social media campaigns, and in donor stewardship communications.
Check out a sampling of some of our nonprofit videos
Advocacy Videos
If your company or organization champions a cause and wants to raise awareness, garner votes, or get constituents to take action, do it through video! Instead of telling someone about the problem, inspire them to get involved and show them why this is the cause to care about. Hopefully they’ll be motivated to not only join you, but share it with their friends and help you spread the word quickly.
Inspired for your next video project?