Video Marketing for Small Businesses: The Essentials
by Katie Conroy, FLICKIX Contributor
You know that you have to market your small business online, but you’re not quite sure where to start. There are countless strategies and platforms out there, and it’s hard to determine which ones are the best for your needs.
Below, FLICKIX discusses video marketing and why it’s an essential practice for any small business. We’ll go over the basics of what it is, why and when you should use it, and how to get started. Get ready to learn the ins and outs of video marketing!
What Is Video Marketing?
Video marketing is the process of creating and promoting videos with the goal of achieving specific business objectives. These objectives could be anything from increasing brand awareness to generating leads or sales.
Despite the array of benefits, many businesses neglect to produce videos — and even some that do only put them on their website, which doesn’t do much good. Video production and video marketing go hand in hand, and companies must engage in them consistently if they want a healthy chance of thriving.
Why Use Video Marketing?
There are many reasons to use videos as part of your marketing strategy. For one, videos are highly shareable; people are more likely to share a video than a blog post or other written content. Therefore, your reach can potentially be much larger!
Videos also give you the chance to show rather than tell. They let you show your products or services in action and demonstrate their value in a way that written content simply can’t match. Plus, people love watching videos. They’re an engaging and entertaining way to consume information, making your audience more likely to stick around until the end.
When Should You Use Video Marketing?
You should use video marketing as often as possible. Incorporating video into your marketing strategy comes with endless opportunities, and the key is to get creative and think outside the box. Here are just a few of the many types of videos that can propel businesses in all industries:
Product demonstrations or “how-tos”
Customer testimonials
Interviews with experts or thought leaders
Videos highlighting company culture or featuring behind-the-scenes footage
Animated explainer videos
Live stream announcements or events
As you can see, there are a wealth of ways to use video to promote your small business. And we haven’t even scratched the surface!
How Do You Get Started With Video Marketing?
If you’re sold on the idea of incorporating video into your marketing strategy but feel a little overwhelmed about starting, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Here are five tips to help you dive in:
Keep it short and sweet. People have short attention spans, so keep your videos under two minutes whenever possible. If you need to go longer, make sure you hook viewers early on so they’ll stick around until the end.
Make it mobile-friendly. More and more people are watching videos on their phones, so your videos must look good on the small screen (hint: keep them vertically oriented like Snapchat or Instagram stories).
Invest in quality. Bad audio and shaky camera work will immediately turn viewers off. It’s worth investing in some decent equipment or hiring someone who has it. A bit of money upfront can go a long way here!
Use stock footage. You can easily sign up for a subscription to a stock footage platform for high-quality video content instead of filming all your videos yourself. And it’s not that expensive — if you’re looking to cut costs, video stock footage can help!
Hire pros. Find reputable professionals to produce your marketing videos. FLICKIX is a great place to start — after all, we’re Philadelphia’s #1 production company!
Conclusion
Video marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach customers and achieve specific business objectives, and it’s not nearly as difficult or expensive to get started as you might think. Study the different types of videos that can help your company move forward, and keep the tips above in mind to lay a firm foundation for your first videos. And don’t forget to hire professionals if you find yourself overwhelmed!
Would you like to read more helpful content or learn about our #1 video production services in Philadephia? Visit FLICKIX.com today!