B2B Video Marketing: 7 Trends to Try Now!
As B2B video marketing has emerged as the leader of the content marketing pack, it can be cumbersome to keep up with current trends, not to mention expensive and time-consuming to deliver loads of video. The good news? You can keep it simple and still succeed. Take our advice, and you’ll be ditching antiquated talking head videos for fresh new video in no time.
1. Establish a consistent message to create a common thread.
This tip is an old standby of storytelling, and it doesn’t mean that all of your videos need to be on the same topic or even speak to the same audience. What it does mean is that you should get really good at pinpointing your audience. Who are you making your B2B marketing video for? Once you know the answer to that question, come up with a list of traits common across your audience’s personas, and be sure that your videos are speaking to those traits. For example, if you primarily market to farmers, and those farmers are down-to-earth, budget-conscious, and honest, your video content should be also.
2. Experiment with micro video—and macro video.
For videos destined for mobile or social platforms, keeping it snappy and shareable works in your favor. These micro videos can stand alone as a tweet or Facebook post, and they can double as ads. Longform video is also appealing to some B2B customers- especially those who might be interested in a product demo, an unboxing, or a features and benefits explainer. Mix and match, and be sure to embed analytics so you know what works.
3. Serialize your content.
From Netflix to Hulu and everywhere in between, we’re in an unprecedented era of binge-watching. Embrace it, and if you have a compelling story to tell, try parsing it out in an episodic manner. You’ll gain awareness, audience, and potential new customers by merging marketing with entertainment. Here’s a perfect example from Wistia – an original series on the topic of money and creativity.
4. Leverage video testimonials.
We’ve all been there- seeking heartfelt customer testimonials or references, in order to encourage other potential customers, build trust in a brand, highlight great experiences, or call out unique challenges addressed. Video is the best possible way to make your testimonials pack a punch. By pairing a voice and a face with an experience, you’ll have a powerful piece that literally speaks for itself. And it doesn’t necessarily take a snazzy studio or expensive crew- you can also record an audio testimonial, and add whiteboard animation or motion graphics to it to achieve a similar effect.
5. Convert content to video.
Blog posts. Podcasts. Whitepapers. Case studies. You’ve put in the time and the effort to research and write great content- now take that content to the next level by turning it into your next B2B marketing video. Whether it’s live action or animation, you can start with your written words to create a script, and go from there. Here’s a creative take on a case study from Slack.
6. Don’t be afraid to go live.
Whether it’s a behind the scenes tour of your office on a busy workday, or a birds’ eye view of a key event, live video has become a cornerstone of every social media platform. Bust out your iPhone-or better yet, have multiple people filming and posting to multiple platforms to give multiple perspectives. Live video is the ultimate way to embed people from around the world in your business, even if they can’t physically be there. 82% of brand audiences prefer live video over social posts. Best of all, it’s easy and cost-effective.
7. Go behind the brand.
From revealing the brains behind the business to unveiling new products or innovations via video, humanize your brand by letting your audience in for sneak peeks at the real people and real work that goes into your business. Interviews, previews, and retrospectives are excellent personal stories to tell that will intrigue and engage your audience. And keep it interesting- elevate “stale” topics by adding humor or emotion.