Video Marketing Guide: How to Leverage Videos for Better Engagement

According to the Online Publishers Association, 46% of users take some sort of action after viewing an ad. While advertisements aren’t the sole approach to leveraging videos, this shows us that video marketing has a significant influence over consumers. 

In this article, we’ll look at how you can leverage videos to attract new customers and connect better with your existing ones. 

Lights, camera, action!

Why Should You Focus On Video Marketing?

Video marketing can be traced back to 2005 with the launch of YouTube. By 2009, seven different ad formats were available on the platform. Today, YouTube sees more than 1 billion unique users per month. 

The growing accessibility of technology for creating high-quality videos has contributed to the increasing popularity of video in digital marketing, but the dominance of video communication today isn’t solely attributed to new technology.

At first, smartphones gave consumers a more accessible and convenient way to consume video content. Subsequently, the 2019 pandemic propelled a 215% surge in online media consumption in the U.S. By 2022, consumers dedicated 19 hours per week to watching videos online. 

Ignoring video is no longer an option if brands want to keep up with the competition.

Types of Marketing Videos

Video doesn’t just mean social media reels. You can use different types of videos to enhance your video marketing strategies. 

Here are some examples: 

• Explainers: Explainer videos typically incorporate animation, voiceovers, or live-action recordings, along with time lapses in illustrations and other informative visuals. Studies indicate that 65% of internet audiences prefer visual learning, so placing explainer videos on your homepage or primary landing pages consistently provides your audience with a quicker understanding of your value propositions.
• Product Demos: Frequently presented with enthusiastic narration by a captivating host and occasionally featuring animation, demo videos highlight the features and advantages of products or services — these videos do not delve into the specifics of product functionality and are usually around 30 seconds long.
• Brand Promotion: Brand-centric videos captivate and engage audiences by promoting the company’s vision, mission, products, and services. 
• Events: Event videos cover conferences, fundraisers, roundtable discussions, and similar occasions. These videos capture the entirety of the event or concentrate on specific aspects, utilizing highlight reels, interviews, and presentations.
• Interviews: Engaging in conversations with company experts or influential thought leaders creates trust among the audience. 
• Customer testimonials and case studies: 90% of consumers say online reviews influence their buying decisions. Video testimonials showcasing customers’ positive experiences with product features act as compelling endorsements for potential buyers. 
• Live streams: Live videos give viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse into your company, leading to extended streams and heightened engagement. 

While an astounding 92.3% of people are satisfied with watching any type of video, successful video content marketing strategies take a combination of videos to build customer loyalty and maintain satisfaction. 

Tips For Creating Engaging Videos

Videos in digital marketing efforts is super important, huh? How about some pointers? 

Here are some video marketing tips that can help elevate your content and reach your ideal customers.

Narrow Down Your Target Audience 

The rise in popularity of video content emphasizes the importance of tailoring each video to a specific audience. If you haven’t established your customers’ buyer personas yet, it’s time to start. 

If you already have existing buyer personas, ensure they reflect the latest insights from recent video research by updating them accordingly.

Keep Your Videos Short 

With short-form content taking over the internet, you must give your customers only the most important information to maintain engagement. 

Research suggests that 20% of viewers tend to click away from a video in the first 10 seconds. That’s why video professionals advise creating concise and focused content, addressing the story’s core. Successful videos promptly communicate to viewers the reasons they should continue watching.

Of course, this doesn’t always apply; live streams, interviews, and event coverage will be longer, but make sure you have a good ratio of short to long-form content. 

Optimize Your Videos For Mobile 

According to a 2020 Statista study, 77% of users used a mobile device or tablet to view online videos. Additionally, Facebook reports that individuals are 1.5 times more inclined to watch videos daily on a smartphone than on a computer.

When brainstorming your strategies, keep mobile users at the top of your mind.

If Your Brand Allows, Make Your Audience Laugh

This doesn’t mean you need to change your brand voice completely, but brands often miss the mark on one key messaging component: humor.

91% of global consumers prefer brands to be funny.

Utilizing humor can help convey a message quickly and stick in a customer’s mind for quite some time. Who doesn’t love a good laugh? The enlightenment it brings and the occasional escape from reality can win consumers over, and when used correctly, humor has the potential to enhance your brand’s video content significantly.

Where Should You Post Your Videos?

You’ve created a masterpiece and are ready to show your customers what you’re all about. Now comes the question: where do I post this to get the attention? 

Effective video marketing strategies consider where consumers are watching video content, along with other factors like what kind of content they’re watching. 

Here is a breakdown of some of the best places to post your content: 

• YouTube: Best for your explainers, product demos, and interviews. You can organize your videos into playlists, making it an excellent platform for video series.
• Vimeo: This platform is tailored toward more professional content and gives more options for businesses. This platform is best for event recaps and interviews. 
• Vidyard: This is a viable option if you’re creating content that allows sales and service teams to connect with customers. 
• TikTok: With over 1 billion active users as of 2022, TikTok is the place to connect with Gen Z audiences. From products to services and informational content, as long as it’s engaging and relevant, you’ll do well here.
• Instagram: Short-form content thrives on Instagram, and if you need to reach audiences that spend more time in public, its auto-playing, silent, and subtitle default for videos makes it the ideal platform for product demos and promotions.
• Facebook: This social media platform has been great for interviews, podcast clips, and skits. If you create videos like these, upload them directly to Facebook. 
• X (formerly Twitter): According to the platform, 6 to 15-second videos perform the best. Personalized response videos, product demos, and quick customer testimonials can help your brand thrive on X, with daily video views increasing 95% between 2020 and 2022.
• LinkedIn: Brand promotion, events, interviews, and testimonials can help you stand out on LinkedIn, a leading platform for industry professionals. This is your platform if you create videos for marketing agencies, such as industry tips and news.
• Your Website: Yes, use videos on your website! You can showcase products, tell your story, provide answers to questions, and do a whole lot more than what’s offered on social media platforms. Test videos on different landing pages and see what kind of video resonates best with your target audience.

Creating Video Content Should Be Fun!

There are many ways to approach a video marketing strategy, from the type of content you create to where you post. While the main focus should be making videos that resonate with your audience, the process is half the fun. So don’t forget to enjoy the content you’re creating!

If you need guidance on leveraging videos for your brand, our creative team can help.