If you’re still hesitant to use videos in your marketing campaign, you’re putting your business on thin ice. Content marketing has become the talk of the town, and marketers are trying to pull out their best strategies to stay on top of the trend.
Video is dominating the market to the point that it has its own field called video content marketing— a subcategory of content marketing.
It’s never too late to take the first step now if you’re new to video marketing. This post will walk you through the basic knowledge of understanding different video types in content marketing, helping you pick the right strategy that fits your business objectives.
But first, let’s talk about why video holds immense power in the community and why people talk about it a lot. Is it overrated, or is it worth the hype? Read on to discover.
Why Video Matters for Your Content Marketing
Let’s say you’re trying to look for quick lunch ideas on Instagram, and two results show up. The first one is an image carousel with written recipes. The other one is a short-form video showing the ingredients and demonstrating how to cook it.
While individual preferences vary, the video option tends to be more appealing than the carousel. Watching videos evokes emotions, as it’s adjacent to what we experience in real life. People can relate to a video easily, feeling touched.
However, video's power in content marketing is more profound than just a fleeting sentiment. Here’s why.
A Great Way of Visual Storytelling
Videos are versatile multimedia, combining elements into an interactive and engaging visual experience. You can add anything you like into a single video, from images and motion graphics to text overlays and audio.
While one image can’t fully convey your message, relying solely on lengthy texts can be spammy and annoying. That’s why you need a video. It helps you deliver stories in a comprehensive and visually appealing way. Video grabs people's attention like a storyteller.
Videos Dominate Mobile Traffic
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Almost everyone has smartphones nowadays and seamlessly gets connected on social media. Out of other things people share online, videos stand out the most. You might wonder why.
A recent study shows that more and more people enjoy watching videos through their mobile phones, and the number goes up by 100% every year. Videos are easy to consume, especially the short ones. They fit perfectly into our fast-paced lifestyle.
People Love Sharing Videos
Positive virality is another reason why marketers love using videos in their campaigns. A report about marketing shows that video content on social media gets shared about 12 times more than pictures and words combined.
This report proves that not only do people love seeing video content, but they also love sharing it. When videos get shared, it helps your business reach more people. It opens up a golden opportunity for marketers to get more leads.
Impactful
You might still doubt the power of videos. So, what’s with the social shares? What’s the point of going viral if I can’t make some money out of it? I want sales for my business, not just views!
The goal of marketing is to influence action, getting more people to buy your products. According to HubSpot, short-form videos are not merely a trend among marketers but have also proven highly effective in driving conversions.
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Out of other marketing trends, short-form videos offer the highest return on investment (ROI), with influencer marketing coming second. For that reason, 90% of video marketers plan to spend more on it next year. It confirms that the impact of video marketing is worth the hype.
Different Types of Video Content for Your Business
While many marketers have incorporated video into their marketing strategy, only a few understand the differences between each type of video content and their purpose in marketing.
Here’s a list of commonly used videos in every business to help you select the best one.
Explainer Videos
Explainer videos are concise, engaging, and fun videos that help simplify your complex message. These videos combine high-quality visuals and animations with voiceover audio and text. It aims to break down intricate topics into more digestible information.
Explainer videos fit any use case for any industry, but businesses mostly use them to showcase their products to a broader audience. As explainer videos can take various forms and styles, the choice depends on your brand’s persona.
You're in full control when using explainer videos for your business, whether whiteboard animations or live-action videos with motion graphics.
Customer Testimonials
Customer testimonials are a cool way of saying, “See, real people love our business!”
These videos showcase meaningful stories of your customers’ experiences. It highlights empathy by showing how people feel about your products. Happy and satisfied customers are likelier to take the initiative and give positive feedback.
Customer testimonials create trust and help build authentic relationships. Businesses often use testimonial videos on their website, advertisements, or social media to show that they care about their customers.
Webinars and Live Streams
Both webinars and live streams are online video events where people can watch and interact in real time. It’s a virtual gathering to exchange insights and discuss a certain thing.
The topics for webinars and live streams go beyond the limit, from product demonstrations and educational workshops to entertainment.
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Quoting from Milkwhale’s infographic, surprisingly, “82% of consumers love live video over other types of social posts”.
Webinars
A webinar stands for a web-based seminar. It’s a live online event where participants and presenters engage with one another.
Many businesses use it for marketing, even though it’s commonly used for educational purposes. Companies might host webinars to introduce their product line or provide training to customers. Webinars potentially drive more leads and conversions when done strategically.
Live Streams
Unlike webinars, live streams are usually more casual and informal. It’s a real-time video broadcast over the internet, so people worldwide can join in.
Live streams are versatile; people use them for various purposes. Businesses can do live stream videos to launch their products, for Q&A sessions, or even direct-selling to their online audience. With platforms like YouTube or TikTok, live streaming has become more accessible today.
Wrapping Up: Ready to Boost Your Video Campaign?
There, you finally know the differences between some popular types of video in content marketing and how they aid your business.
From offering great visual storytelling to effectively driving conversions, videos strive to be impactful for content marketing.
Ready to start your video campaign? Remember to align your content to your business values and watch them elevate your marketing performance.
