Part 2: Be Recession-Proof – Marketing Tips to Protect Your Business During Unprecedented Times

Part 2 – Video Marketing

Welcome to the second installment in our four-part blog series where we help B2B owners strengthen their marketing and lead generation tactics, even in tough financial times. With the unparalleled economic troubles we face today, businesses must make tough decisions regarding their marketing budget and activities. In part 1 out of 4 of this series, we focused on lead generation, and part of a great lead generation strategy is harnessing the power of video marketing. This post is focused on why video marketing must be part of your strategy moving forward, and critical tips to help you maximize ROI and minimize total costs.

Why Should Video Marketing Be Part of Your Strategy?

If you mentally note all the video content you have consumed in the last month, it will most likely prove that video marketing is everywhere.  Let’s explore why video marketing absolutely must be part of your strategy, even when times are financially challenging. 

Simply put, video content remains the most popular type on the Internet. It’s grown consistently since YouTube’s official launch back in 2005 and has grown immensely since then. In 2018, the average person spent roughly 10.5 hours every week watching online videos. In 2022, that number jumps to 19 hours. Whether these videos are watched for entertainment, educational, or motivational purposes, if they come from your brand, they automatically become a marketing tactic. 

As a busy business owner, it can be daunting to think of transferring your brand image into video marketing. Although, the umbrella is big for video marketing, and it most definitely doesn’t always need to be a Youtube series or an online course. Having a video in the mix augments your other content marketing efforts. For instance, video-related tweets get 10X more engagement on Twitter. It’s also incredibly appealing to mobile users. To be clear, mobile Internet use has far outpaced desktop and laptop use in the last several years and that trend shows no signs of slowing.

How to Be Effective in Video Marketing

Now that we’ve established why video marketing still needs to occupy a central place in your overall marketing strategy, let’s broaden the discussion. How do you make informed decisions that drive clicks and engagement without blowing through your budget? 

Your Strategy

While most things in your business need to be backed by a strategy, video marketing is no different. Your video marketing strategy should be focused on a particular target audience and tailored to the platform(s) where they spend the most time. Don’t assume that you need to use every platform out there. For instance, many B2B companies have success using LinkedIn video marketing since the platform is catered to networking, especially B2B.  While other B2C companies tend to use Instagram and Facebook, it all depends on reaching the platform that your target audience spends the most time on. 

To optimize your strategy, make sure you have full buy-in from your stakeholders and that the plan aligns with both business values and goals. Your efforts also need to be financially and time-bound, meaning that you need a schedule and timeline, as well as a reasonable budget. 

Although, without good branding, your video may get lost among the millions out there. So how do you perfect your branding and messaging? With another strategy of course.  When constructing your video marketing strategy, your messaging and video type need to be correct for your target audience. Follow that up by deciding what metrics you’re going to track, and suddenly, you’re on your way to lights, camera, action! 

Where Does Your Video Fit?

It’s tempting to create a video and assume that it’s a closed ecosystem. That is, it’s an end unto itself. You expect customers to watch it and then act. Although, what action do you want them to take? Videos, like any other form of content, can and should serve a wide range of purposes, including helping your business do the following:

• Attract – These videos are designed for consumers who are just starting their journey with your brand and can help educate them about the situation, highlight your brand’s personality, and help the consumer identify what problem they need to solve, and how your brand can do it for them. 

• Convert – The next stage uses video to convert interested consumers into leads. Generally, these videos should excite and educate consumers and make an impression in their minds that will stick with them when they consider alternatives or competitors.

• Close – Closing refers to converting leads into actual customers. Videos can do this through product demos, testimonials, and more. It’s like the cherry on top of the pile of trust you have just built with them.

• Delight – Once you’ve converted a customer, you should continue to delight them with new, interesting, engaging content. And guess what? This can also sometimes double as content to attract consumers and start the cycle all over again. 

In Conclusion

Video marketing for B2B businesses can sometimes feel scary and stiff – what do we talk about? How do we show our face? Why would someone care? But without it, your brand is the one looking like they don’t care. In the B2B world, video marketing is a great tool to get information out there and build an incredible amount of trust, in an engaging and professional way. 

Ultimately, video marketing is just one leg of your overall marketing strategy, but it’s a critically important one. If you remove it, the entire strategy will topple and fail. Interested in learning more about video marketing? Contact us today to learn more about how we can ensure your video content attracts, converts, closes, and delights.