Video is a marketing tool that works for businesses of all sizes, and it just keeps getting better. Technological innovation has made high-quality production tools available to even the average consumer (read also: business owner or marketing manager) and allowed professionals to deliver high-quality products at every level of budget.
Video content used to be so expensive that only the biggest companies could afford it, but today even small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can dip their toes into the waters of video production for their marketing mix, reaching out to an ocean of current and prospective consumers in a highly-engaging way.
When I say ocean, I mean it, too. Allow me to offer some mind-blowing statistics, courtesy of this article on Oberlo.com:
• YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine, receiving over 1.5 BILLION users per month who watch over 1 BILLION hours of video per day
• 85% of all US internet users watch video content regularly
• Consumers say that video is their favorite type of social media content
• 54% of consumers want their favorite organizations to provide more video content
• The average user spends 88% more time on a website with video
• 72% of people would rather learn about a product or service through video than text
• Viewers are 95% more likely to remember a call to action after seeing it in video form than they would text
• 93% of companies that use video marketing can directly link video to a gain in new customers
• 88% of video marketers are satisfied with the ROI of their video content
[NOTE: This post was originally written in 2019, and these numbers have only improved since.]
Okay, you can pick your jaw up off the floor. These statistics are staggering, so what’s holding you back? Why isn’t video at the center of your marketing efforts yet?
There is a perception that video comes with a high price tag, and that perception is partially true. For organizations that want a video with a true professional polish, hiring a production company like mine or forming an in-house production team is really the only answer. The technical knowledge, quality equipment, and creative vision that these folks bring means that the work ain’t cheap (though it may be more affordable than you imagine).
But here’s the key takeaway: That smartphone thingamajig in your pocket? Yeah, the one you’re probably reading this on now. That can take video of a quality that would have stunned your average camera slinger 15–20 years ago, and you can absolutely start there and see results.
Smartphone video is a great way for SMEs to experiment with the medium without investing money, plus it carries with it an authentic vibe that your fans may respond positively to. This isn’t the kind of video you’d want to send to air on cable, but it will do just fine on your organization’s social media accounts. From there, you can gauge the reactions from your customers and see if video is something you want to invest in further. Let this be a little proof of concept before you take the plunge and write a check.
If you want to go even simpler, consider using the “record” function that Zoom’s web conferencing software offers. One of the most interesting aspects of 2020 is the way it got everyone and their grandmother used to Zoom calls. If you’re in business, you’ve probably been on so many Zoom calls over the last 18 months that you see them in your sleep. Webcam video is part of the zeitgeist now, and it allows businesses a free way to produce unpretentious, no-frills content that gets the point across. I have already urged one of my social media clients, a nonprofit with a very minimal budget, to record client testimonials this way. Again, this isn’t video that you’d want to air in television ads, but it is real and personal and it is so much better than doing nothing.
Talk to your team (or, even better, your fans); I’m sure they’ll have ideas for content that can get you started. Get out there and start creating!
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