Recorded videos numbered among the top four favorite types of content for B2B content teams during 2020, according to a Content Marketing Institute study. If you include other types of video content, such as live streaming videos, video podcasts, webinars, and online courses, video content would likely be the top choice of content teams.
Image via the Content Marketing Institute
That’s no wonder, given that YouTube reaches more adults than cable TV during primetime hours. Facebook, though, has even more monthly users – although, as Hootsuite’s Christina Newberry points out, users must be logged in to view videos there, as opposed to YouTube’s open-door policy.
Even Rumble, the new kid on the video block, has grown its monthly users by nearly 10% every month, expanding from 800,000 in August 2020 to 30 million in August 2021. With videos’ rise in popularity across various platforms, it’s no wonder that 87% of all marketers report a positive ROI from video, an increase of 260% over video’s 2015 numbers.
So, it’s not a matter of whether to use video – that’s a no-brainer. The critical decision for B2B enterprise marketing teams is which kinds of videos to produce. Here are some highly effective types of video for B2B teams to maximize the return on their investment in video marketing.
Image via Wyzowl
Types of Video for B2B Marketing
1. Explainer Videos
Early on in their buyer’s journey, some B2B prospects haven’t even identified the problem their company has. They know something’s wrong, but they haven’t quite put their finger on it yet.
An explainer video can help them uncover what’s going wrong and give them a way forward toward solving their problem. For example, if a manufacturing company can’t figure out why its processes can’t keep up with customer demand, it might struggle to learn why.
But if your company could create a video that identifies points along the manufacturing process where automation could streamline specific steps, your prospect could see that there is indeed a solution. And, because you’re the company that identified the problem and showed them a possible solution, they’ll likely trust your company to provide that solution.
2. Demo and Comparison Videos
A demo video takes your prospect along to the next step forward after you’ve helped them identify the problem – the solution. When you engage in content collaboration with your sales team, you can anticipate your prospects’ questions about the effectiveness of your solution. After all, they hear those questions all day long.
Then, you can take your sales team’s sales spiel to the next level by showing your prospects exactly how your product or service works in a demo video. A video that addresses all their questions and objectives paints a vivid picture of how they can realize that solution.
Comparison videos are also an excellent choice for prospects in the middle of their customer journey. Showing how your product or service performs versus your competitors’ offerings is a powerful way to help your prospects keep you in the hunt for their business.
3. Case Studies
Showcasing your customers’ success stories in a case study video allows your prospects to visualize their own success by seeing how other companies like theirs achieved success by putting your solution to work.
Make sure to incorporate actual customer testimonials in your case study videos. Nothing convinces prospects than a successful story, told in the customer’s own words. That’s especially true if your prospects are familiar with the company featured in the video.
While customer opinions posted online – and a case study would certainly qualify – earn the trust of about 66% of their audience, testimonials from someone your audience knows personally earn about 83% of their trust, according to a Nielsen study.
Image via Nielsen.com
Don’t be afraid to inject some emotion into your video production. It’s a myth that reason alone drives B2B decisions.
Research shows that B2B brands that have an emotional connection to a vendor are more likely to buy from them. Even more importantly, they are eight times more apt to pay more for the same product if an emotional connection is present.
4. Thought Leadership Videos
As your prospects move closer to a purchase, they also want to reassure themselves that your brand has the expertise to carry out your promises. To position your brand as an authority in your field, you need in-depth content that demonstrates your company’s position in its industry.
Hard-hitting videos can showcase your brand as a leader in your field. Showing that your company is on the leading edge in both strategy and technology with thought-provoking media, builds confidence in your brand.
Also, consider featuring your subject matter experts in question-and-answer sessions with executives in various verticals that you serve. Additionally, repurpose a white paper as a video for an in-depth look at how to solve the kinds of problems that keep your prospects’ leadership up at night.
When your prospects see that your company has the technical firepower to solve the toughest challenges they face, they’ll be more likely to do business with you.
5. How-To and Troubleshooting Videos for Customer Support
Take your content strategy beyond the sale to teach your customers how to get the maximum value from their purchase. With how-to videos, you can teach your customers new or more efficient ways to use your product. Brainstorm with your engineering and development teams to come up with ideas.
Don’t stop there with your cross-department collaboration. Ask your customer support teams about what kinds of questions they get from customers. Then, create FAQ videos that answer those questions.
During your collaboration sessions, you’ll probably uncover some common issues customers have with your product. Videos that empower your customers to tackle those problems on their own will go far to assure them that you have their back well after the sale goes through.
Providing after-sale support with easy-to-follow videos is essential to earn positive reviews and even referrals from your happy customers. And – more importantly – expanding your content marketing reach into customer service territory reduces customer churn, a major cause of revenue loss.
From the first sign of interest until your customers turn into brand advocates, it’s essential to create videos that keep your audience engaged all along their buyer’s journey. But adding video into your content mix can be a headache when it comes to content management.
With a content marketing platform that supports cross-team collaboration and third-party integrations with other platforms – like those on which you want to post your videos – your work gets easier.
DivvyHQ does all that and more – and you can try it free for 14 days. Start your free trial today!