Videos are taking over social media. They’re no longer only on traditional platforms, like YouTube, either, but have even saturated photo-sharing ones like Instagram.
We’ve always known that videos are an important aspect of an effective marketing strategy. And not just because of their increasing prevalence online.
They are more effective at telling a story, keeping audiences interested, and influencing action than photos. And with new video marketing trends popping up, such as live videos, vlogs, and stories, are bigger opportunities for brands to tap into the billions of active social media users.
Why Small Businesses Need Video Marketing
But what if you’re a small business owner who doesn’t have the kind of marketing budget that large brands do? Will video marketing generate traffic and conversion even with a low-cost production?
The answer is a resounding YES.
In fact, with the right amount of creativity, small businesses can achieve great success with a solid video marketing strategy at a fraction of the cost incurred by big companies.
What’s more, you don’t need sophisticated video editing tools or equipment to create persuasive videos. If you have a smartphone, you can even start with that.
Not sure it can work? Allow us to unpack it for you.
Helps People Connect with a Brand
Solid digital marketing services like video marketing boost awareness and visibility by helping audiences connect with a brand.
Videos are more relatable and easier to digest than other forms of content. This makes them highly effective at conveying impactful messages and stories that appeal to a person’s emotions and influence even their purchasing activities.
A single persuasive, attention-grabbing video can influence whether consumers show massive support or steer away from a brand.
Also, studies show that 53% of consumers connect with brands whose values align with their own.
By effectively telling audiences who you are, you are able to capture audiences with whom your values, direction, and mission resonate.
Sets Your Brand Apart from Others
Every marketer’s business is making sure that their brands gain visibility. But to stand out in a heavily saturated online landscape, you have to go beyond letting people know that your brand exists.
You have to show your target market what sets you apart from other brands.
For instance, for your brand to gain better engagement, you have to have an answer to the question, “How are you different?” and effectively communicate that in your campaigns.
An example of this is the almost-absurd video commercial by RC Cola, “Basta RC Cola”. It had a weird plot, opening with a boy asking his mother whether he was adopted. The short video’s story got crazier by the minute, leaving viewers scratching their heads in its wake.
It created a buzz all over the country, with people wondering aloud and sharing the video on social media to ask each other what the commercial meant.
It was an instant success, generating buzz for RC Cola and conveying what the brand is all about: It’s the cola that you enjoy for the sake of enjoying it, just like the commercial’s story was simply created for the fun of it. Just because. Basta. Basta RC.
That right there is what sets them apart from other, far bigger, beverage brands.
Expands Your Organic Reach
By sharing compelling videos on social media, brands are able to tap onto its billions of users. A report by Hootsuite says that 31.8% of all content on social media are videos. And we’re not wondering why.
Trends like stories, Instagram reels, and TikTok videos make for bite-sized content that lure people in and invite them to dwell longer, as compared to images alone.
The massive market that’s already on social media is your best shot at getting your content shared, re-shared, commented on, and liked, consequently causing your traffic to explode–as long as your videos are relevant, compelling, and have market value.
Paid methods like YouTube advertising also put your content right in front of people who are already interested in your niche and ready to engage with your brand.
Tips for Creating Low-Budget Videos
Don’t have a large budget to promote your brand? No problem. These tips will help you create videos that are sure to catch your target audience’s attention:
Hook Your Audience in the First Few Seconds
The first few seconds are the most crucial part of your videos, so don’t waste them! Hook your audiences by starting with a powerful preview or a few words that will pique their curiosity. This is not the time to be shy about what your video has to offer.
Tell a Compelling Story
When creating a video, make sure it tells a story. Ever wonder why vlogs and other videos where people share stories of personal struggle or triumph, tricks and hacks, and even drama gain so much engagement?
One reason: They tell a compelling story. People naturally want to listen to stories. We want juicy details, new information, secret tricks.
So spend a bit more time brainstorming what story your brand should tell and how it can add value to your target audience.
Invite Viewers to Act
Lastly, don’t end a video without inviting people to do something, whether that be following your social media pages, subscribing to your channel, or checking out promo items on your website.
This helps you make sure that your viewers are captured beyond the three-minute or so video.
How to Promote Videos for Maximum Reach
Here are tips on how to promote your videos for a wide reach:
Use Exciting Thumbnails
Your thumbnail is the first thing that people see. Make sure it effectively captures what the video is about. However, refrain from creating clickbait thumbnails that promise something your video can’t deliver.
They may create a spike in views–for now. But you’ll actually be teaching your audience to not believe your thumbnails in the future.
Optimize for SEO
Expand your video’s reach by using target keywords, especially long-tail ones that are less saturated and more topic-specific.
Other ways to optimize your videos are:
- Including subtitles and captions
- Ensuring the video format fits the platform
- Inserting a video transcript
Encourage Audiences to Submit Content
Using user-generated content is an effective way to invite people to engage with you, turn audiences into promoters, and create a buzz about your brand.
You can do this by designing contests and other events around your video content to maximize reach.
Start Your Video Marketing Campaign
Excited to create video marketing campaigns that go viral? You might need some help there!
Don’t sweat the planning. Allow a trusted PR and digital marketing agency do the heavy lifting for you.
NGP-IMC is an expert at telling impactful stories, bridging brands and customers, and crafting campaigns that generate real, measurable results.
Take a look at our success over the years and get in touch with us today so we can create a winning campaign for you!
Jossaine Nunez is a freelance article writer, blogger, and SEO-driven maven. While her true passion lies in writing fiction, her love for storytelling extends to helping brands convey their message in ways that are both engaging and helpful for attaining their business goals.
Jossaine’s interests in writing particularly about people, for people – which translates to brand audience engagement – stems from her experience as the Editor-In-Chief of Siliman University’s The Weekly Silimanian, which published slices of life and educational pieces surrounding university life. Her piece, A Review of Leoncio Deriada’s People on Guerrero Street, published in the Silliman Journal on discussions and investigations in the humanities and sciences, earmarks her foray into the world of writing about, and writing for, humans that make the world go round.
