Say – your website comprises every piece of information but lacks direction!

What do we mean by direction? Is it the process or informative indications?

In plain sailing, viewers need animated visuals. These can either be elementary videos or dialog storyboarding. In reality, there are endless possibilities for what a business can achieve.

Image source: Unsplash

But let’s not get carried away. Things get real when one commercial body scales its services through another.

As a business, how would you interact with potential viewers and buyers, considering how cut-throat the competition is nowadays? This is where videos play an eminent role. As valuable as they are as a B2B tool, videos can influence communication and help determine a business from its competitors.

Let’s assume you’re new to this space and are unaware of the gravity B2B videos can land on the marketing front; here are a few questions to begin with.

• If your website requires interactive videos, what type are you looking forward to?
• Why do you need a video in the first place?
• Are digital video ads and marketing videos similar in nature?

And… the list goes on!

On the bright side, businesses are constantly intensifying their video ads budgets. Speaking of which, ad spending might touch the staggering figure of $680 billion by the end of this calendar year.

However, the question still calls out for attention – why deviate from a conventional content strategy to introduce B2B videos and eventually soar in budget capacities? That’s because they can encapsulate products/services intriguingly, build relationships, and improve sales figures at the end of the day.

The modern-day approach doesn’t rely on written content.

The point we’re trying to make is – a usual marketing approach for a B2B establishment heavily depends on written content.

• Product pages, landing pages, software features, etc.
• Blogs and articles with ideal SEO strategies.
• Organic submissions on social media platforms.
• White papers, downloadable eBooks, PDFs, and infographics used to educate the viewers.

Image source: Unsplash

HOLD ON A BIT!

Interactive GIFs or static images chaperone these written content sections. Even though that’s fine, everyone works on the same module. So, what good does it bring to the table?

What do studies say?

• Since social videos tend to generate 1200% more engagement than conventional text, you ought to utilize them to their maximum capacity. Let’s solidify this with a few conclusive facts.
• Based on a few studies by WordStream, online viewers acknowledge and retain over 90% of a business’ word/message while streaming a video, compared to only a some when going through the text.
• Approximately 60% of consumers decided to purchase after watching branded videos on social media platforms or websites.
• Talking about the pandemic period, nearly 80-85% of marketers began integrating videos and non-pain ad strategies to convert leads and drive more traffic. And indeed, that has aided them well.
• Almost 96% of marketers state that B2B videos have assisted their clients in understanding their solutions and products better, leading to ultimate sales.

Why is that the case?

It might be because executives say they would watch an explanatory video rather than go through the words. And yet, many businesses have not incorporated the idea of creating videos since they’re a bit too complex.

By all means, producing and directing suitable B2B videos requires brainstorming and working hours. You might even have to levy budgets for editing tools. But the ROI is guaranteed.

Where do you start?

Incorporating videos into your marketing funnel may be overwhelming and result in a few jitters at first. But what isn’t complicated in today’s date?

Since time is of the essence, we recommend you begin with one B2B video for every stage of a buyer’s journey:

• Awareness
• Considerations
• Decisions

Remember, the objective is to offer the right word about the product to the right individual at the right stage.

Awareness – Educate

When it comes to this stage, it’s essential to understand a persona’s behavior. Since this stage leads to educating individuals, make your potential viewers aware of the nature of your business.

If they did stumble upon your website, it was due to an action – purpose, perhaps! Grab this opportunity to build a foundation upon their understanding of the product. Include accessible videos focusing on education and empowerment. Besides, encourage a dialog. While you’re at it, it’s better not to push or nudge your services at this moment.

Why are such videos effective for B2B marketing strategies?

• Brand awareness
• More traffic to the parent website
• Conversion rates
• Search engines favor videos

Wondering what can be classified among educational videos? It’s as easy as it can get – thought leadership and inspirational clips.

Scratching your head of how to go about? Let us get you started!

1. Pay heed to the customer persona

Producing clips based on a viewer’s persona will only guide you in making customer-driven videos.

PS: If you’re talking to everyone at the same time, you’re speaking to no one!

2. Content’ quality is king

While creating B2B videos, don’t forget to add a hint of authenticity and quality. Trust us – it goes a long way. Any statistic listed in the video should be precise. In addition, the elements must look spot-on.

Since trust and quality share a remarkable bond, compelling videos can drive a user’s interest, decision-making power, and loyalty.

3. Too-much promotions backfire

The first stage is all about educating and building credibility. Suppose a potential customer hovers over your promotional video. In that case, it would be only rational to empathize with their pressure points and offer thoughtful insights to alleviate their challenges.

Let’s take an example:

Being charismatic about your product is one thing – building a practical picture of what you wish to offer is another. Hootsuite has delivered the inevitable. Since going live on Facebook does not require much, businesses tend to shape their space to produce a cinematic experience for a viewer.

And, when that’s your concern, look how seamlessly the video compresses every query and service into mere statements and real-time clips.

We hope you’re with us!

Considerations – Customer Testimonial Videos

While awareness is done and dusted, it all comes down to this stage. Yes – it’s time for the viewer or potential customer to consider the option. Wondering how to take the following step?

Here, the objective must be to produce DEMAND for every service or product. But, hold on! This is where most of us deviate. We tend to speed it all up. Nurturing a lead is one of the principal responsibilities until it’s sales-ready.

The combination of instincts and perception can allow you to determine if the persona is facing specific challenges. If yes, offer a solution, demonstrating some services can cater to their wants.

In this case, testimonial videos can be your fortunate way out, influencing a potential user’s purchasing behavior.

What if you already have a proven case study lingering on the website’s home page? It would be time to convert it into a motion video and stack it up for the potential client to acknowledge. If done the right way, they can connect the following dots:

• User interest
• Product understanding
• Existing evidence
• Visual trust

Credibility is what counts in such scenarios. If you’ve successfully dealt with this scenario, your B2B video marketing strategies might travel places.

Moving on, testimonial videos must stand out through the following additions and insertions:

• Precise and concise in nature – 2-3 minutes, ideally.
• Get the client lead to answer 4-5 vital queries.
• The opening seconds are crucial – add playful sound bites.
• Add value, allowing a client to understand why they chose you in the first place.

Decision – Focused How-To-Videos

If you thought consideration was the last stage, you’ve taken the wrong route. Post consideration comes decision-making. During this stage of a buyer’s pilgrimage, the persona has shortlisted strategies, solutions, and approaches.

With endless providers on the internet, buyers might have already prepared a list of product vendors offering a solution to their roadblocks.

So, how do you convince them?

Would text help? Will a detailed page of graphics do the business? Irrespective of your efforts to convert the lead, you still lack landing a knockout punch. This is when video content proves to be quintessential. A few graphs demonstrate that over 70% more visitors who watch videos end up purchasing.

Since online users are relatively more concerned about service quality with so much unawareness and uncertainty, including a brief product video can eradicate every possible doubt and build the utmost amount of trust.

Because QUALITY = CREDIBILITY.

The more trust you achieve, the more figures you end up adding to the sales column.

7 Types of B2B Marketing Videos

It’s time to test the waters!

Even though there are 7 video types to administer, you should carefully analyze your product before giving a heads-up to the video producer. See which one is the most straightforward for your team to produce. Live test the video before going all-out on the website.

A simple internal exercise!

Once the video is out, assemble your staff in the conference room. Play the video on the projector and observe the emotions and intent on everyone’s face. Although this is a bit time-consuming, there’s a lot to take home.

Once the message is delivered, test, optimize, and improvise.

So, let’s begin!

1. B2B Product Demo Videos

Once you’ve administered a user’s interest in your product/service, it’s time to reveal the catalog. Got products, software services, and tech tools listed on the website? Consider B2B product demo videos.

Suppose you’re a B2B SaaS operative; a demo video may walk your target audience through the elements of your management software. If that’s the case, it can show them how automated workflows can save crucial man-hours and boost their productivity levels. As a result, emphasize attention on how products themselves assist consumers in satiating a want, overcoming challenges, and remedying a pressure point. In simple terms, how does it make everything seamless post-acquiring?

Remember, one must draw a line between offering a demo or being salesy.

Since such videos have an extended duration, they are more suited to your YouTube channel or a product page.

Want to be ambitious? Create different videos for every feature listed in the product category and upload them to corresponding pages.

Example of one such product video:

Notion

If there was a more straightforward phrase to illustrate Notion’s brilliance, it’s ‘Minecraft of Productivity Tools.’

One of the catches of the video is its logical consistency. The ease with which this short video annotated every feature of Notion is simply remarkable. From exploring the setup process to designating each task for daily use, this YouTube video projects the best minds behind its production.

2. Educational B2B Videos

So, what rings a bell when you come across educational B2B videos? Is it an individual talking about their products and services or enlightening the general audience on what can be achieved through them?

Even though your answers are somewhat accurate and precise, there’s more to this. In amateur terms, educational visual representation aims to verse and upskill the target audience while offering value to the community. However, when it coincides with the B2B setting, you might have to experiment and unlearn a few basics.

Why’s that so?

Because INDUSTRY CHALLENGE plays an imperious role in shaping a video.

Education is subjective! That’s the reason various providers segregate such videos into different categories, such as blog to video services and product introduction videos.

While the introductory videos engage the audience through intricate script writing and pan cinematics, blog to video services tend to drive interest through scripting from the ground up, human voiceovers, background score, and exposure.

Still, wondering what it delivers at the end of the day?

Suppose you’re running a Life Coach brand and wish to inculcate a thing or two about body language and a few other perspectives. In this case, do you have the right audience to cater to, or will you just churn videos at the end of the day anyway? Well, it doesn’t work like this.

Even a Life Coach must sell his expertise to attract clients and prospects. Remember, a life coach must convince a soul first!

Video By Jordan Peterson Fan Page

Scratching your head and still thinking if being a Life Coach can make you sell your services and gain sight simultaneously? Let’s take an example!

An educational video can transform into a testimonial presentation within no time. However, that’s not the case here.

Even though it’s a fan page, the video clearly shows what guidance, situational anxiety, and corrective measures can do to your personality. While addressing a group of students, Dr. Jordan Peterson talks about social anxiety, pondering situation after situation where one might feel awkward.

Ultimately, it benefits and makes you realize all the empty spaces that were earlier unaddressed. And in this regard, he ends up promoting himself even more.

3. Live Videos on Social Media

So, you’ve reached a certain point and realized the potential of live streaming. But how do you need to get started? What’s the script about?

This is not exhaustive. Plus, it’s essential to understand that not every idea will be ideal for your B2B content strategy. However, first, you must absorb the basics of your product. From there, get creative and eliminate overthinking. After all, a live video with the right B2B intent can live up to everyone’s expectations and land several accolades in the form of crawling traffic.

Don’t forget – the actual strength of this B2B video type is the client interaction. Whichever format you shortlist for the live feed, consider creating opportunities for your users to engage. Introduce queries and prompt them to react, receive, and answer.

Image source: Istock

Coming Soon

Everyone loves to be a part of something – even more if they live as an insider for a day or two! When it comes to product launches or brand updates, it’s vital to let people know what’s coming their way.

Capitalize on the excitement with a live video on B2B products and features before releasing any news. Bring a teaser into the picture. Let them know about the advantages. Conversely, create a visual campaign surrounding significant events, content pieces, and launches. It could even be as mundane as offering prior notice of a tweak in one of the service levels.

Videos are not just a versatile element to transfer information but a mode to lure interest.

Q&A Panel Discussion

Ever thought about getting the senior management to answer customer queries? Getting solutions from managerial staff and support is one thing; having the CEO onboard is a whole new game.

Perhaps such professionals have in-depth knowledge of the product along with authoritative contacts up their sleeves. If you partner with various other indirect competitor brands, you can achieve twice the attention and concepts from borrowed viewers.

Just THINK about it!

4. Customer & Case Study Videos

Ever came across the case study section on a website and questioned a few specifics? But what do we mean by this statement?

When a case study comprises customer interaction and testimonials, along with product efficiency, a dialog can go the distance. That’s why experts say – don’t just talk the talk. Instead, walk the walk. Case studies and customer videos walk shoulder to shoulder.

By offering center stage to clients and customers to demonstrate their emotions from an authentic point of view, you’re humanizing the connection between the potential audience and your brand.

Suppose you have footwear brand. In this case, how would you produce a case study that caters to client satisfaction?

Videos might visually represent general ideas and concepts but can travel extended miles with appropriate direction. Here, you can collaborate with the client and shoot a case study video, emphasizing their experience with the footwear – of course, making them wear your brand!

This does bring trust to the table. Viewers or potential customers who’d be interested in purchasing your product would want to witness what others have to say.

Wondering what customer success stories add to the brand acknowledgment? See it for yourself through one of the videos by Salesforce!

Their Success Story video exhibits the VP, Mike Clayville, facing the camera. The representation, coupled with the script, is well-directed by Salesforce.

Did you see what they did there?

Amalgamating cinematic angles with user observation did a world of good to the video. As a viewer, it allowed you to be a part of the solution/service while connecting several questions and complexities one might face.

5. Teaser Videos

In the end – create buzz, get traffic, and spread the hype.

B2B strategies are pretty straightforward. That’s because they can easily be incorporated into a specific marketing funnel. Similar to how upcoming TV shows and movies release teasers and create hype, before releasing any new feature or teaser or even rebranding through a promotional representation, videos are the final nail in the coffin.

Creating hype around the project or B2B solutions is an ideal way to keep the audience hooked for long, either by spreading it throughout the comment sections or reposting and sharing.

Looking forward to implement it already? Get your brand’s social media, and YouTube accounts up. You’re gonna need them for the content framework.

One can easily upload a teaser on YouTube along with other social channels, encouraging engagement tenfold. In this case, let’s discuss Sony’s teaser video.

PS5: The Future Of Gaming Teaser

Heard about one of the gaming consoles by Sony – PlayStation 5?

The point is Sony doesn’t need all this promotion. But have teaser videos ever caused harm? In terms of sales – a big, fat NO!

Even though this teaser lasts for less than 15 seconds, a gamer knows what’s going to hit the Sony Outlet shelves. As minimalistic as it can be, Sony clearly made the most of their product element designs, complemented by lighting and pan actions.

Such is the BUZZ around it!

6. Interview Videos

Have you ever been a fan of Hot Ones? Is it due to the chicken wings or because of the guests present on the show? Let us assume – guests probably, right?

Well, interview videos pique user interest. Whether interviewing celebs, industry experts, or influencers, they can introduce lead generation and brand awareness. By producing interview-like videos, you’re giving way to additional insights and voices, eventually attracting your target audience or ICP.

What such videos bring is they add value to a brand’s authority and educate the viewers. In a mock interview by Exponent in the rundown, you’ll comprehend the primary objective of such videos – Sales Impact!

Exponent: Mock Interview to increase Airbnb bookings

Play by the books! A B2B marketing interview video doesn’t have to incorporate irrational and not-so-profound methods. It can be as simple as day.

This mock interview clearly investigates the questions, metrics, vision, potential features, go-to-market strategies, and missions of Airbnb.

A user wants to understand the project before selecting its services on a personal level. And this is how it can be achieved – no modern-day haywire but just a swing and jab through primary pressure points.

7. Brand Story/Culture Videos

A brand does not make it BIG overnight! There are endless hours of culture orientation, product drive meetings, market mockups, and whatnot – the struggle is real.

However, if you’re representing your business and inviting any X, Y, Z investor, influencer, or potential audience to be a part of it, an intimate story must go out. In other words, to win the affection of the potential audience, one must share an authentic background story of the brand’s mission and vision.

Preferably, 2 things – Who you are and what you do!

A successful B2B establishment can’t thrive without a robust brand strategy and transparent communication through content, let alone videos. That said, videos can substantially elevate a viewer’s interest and convey the brand message.

It doesn’t end here! Company culture videos play a lethal role in talent acquisition. While the market is quite competitive, retaining top talent in B2B sales and the IT industry becomes even more challenging. Speaking of which, the demand for sales performers and senior developers will always be skyrocketing. And this is precisely why B2B businesses must invest in producing such videos.

What we mean is this – BOLT’s Company Culture Video.

It’s not just a promotional video. Even if you treat it as one, anyone would want to work for Bolt after watching the video.

See how effectively the design head, lifecycle marketing manager, talent head, and many more esteemed members of the brand state facts, figures, and what it means to be a part of the NAME alone.

BOLT is growing fast, & so should you! – What a way to keep themselves ahead of the game and invite the best of talents, all at the same time.

Before Bidding Farewell – B2B Videos Narrate a Compelling Story

It’s pretty human to be overwhelmed if video marketing is not your thing initially. However, the good news is straightforward – if you’re great at storytelling, B2B videos are your marketing spade.

And when you’ve already skimmed through the blog, we assure you’re not producing the video from scratch. With several live examples and industry tips, there’s always something or the other to take back home.

In this case, preparing script and moving your camera will only take you halfway to your destination. Subsequently, you would want to understand the type of video that needs to be created to soup up an ongoing content strategy, isn’t it? And by all means – with the assistance of an experienced service provider.

Ultimately, you must incorporate different video types into your content strategy to significantly boost lead generation and brand awareness.