Photo by Blue Bird from Pexels
Video content advertising is gaining serious momentum in digital marketing and B2B (business-to-business) marketing is one sector that can thrive from it. A recent survey revealed that people spend at least 17 hours watching video content every week. This further establishes the fact that many individuals find videos more engaging than text.
As a B2B marketer, incorporating video content in your marketing strategy could be the icing on the cake, the extra piece that will elevate the growth of your business. With the right tools, video content is likely the easiest and most enjoyable advertising tactic any business can employ. In this blog, we will explain why video content has become such an effective method for advertising products or services to potential B2B customers.
Understanding Your B2B Audience for Video Marketing
It all begins with knowing who you are speaking to. Different business roles will find varying aspects of your product or service appealing. Start by defining which sectors, businesses, and job functions will benefit most from what you have to offer. For instance, if your product enhances operational efficiency, your primary audience might be operations managers in manufacturing industries.
Once you know your audience, you can then tailor your video content to address their specific challenges and needs. Let’s say you are trying to advertise a finance management tool; you can create a video that will demonstrate how your product simplifies budget tracking and reduces financial errors, directly addressing the challenges of financial directors. In addition, use case studies to speak directly to your viewers, showcasing real-world applications and benefits.
It is beneficial to pay attention to how your audience interacts with your videos. Look out for which videos have the highest engagement rates and what actions they take after watching. This data will help you refine your video creation strategy, allowing you to adjust the content, length, and even call to action (C-T-A) to better meet the needs of your B2B audience.
You may improve your understanding and productivity even more by using A/B testing with various video formats.
Read More: How to Repurpose Old Video Content Successfully
Crafting Your B2B Video Marketing Strategy
Photo by Los Muertos Crew from Pexels
As a B2B marketer, setting clear objectives and KPIs (key performance indicators) must be the first thing on your mind. You must define what you want to achieve, whether it is to increase brand awareness, boost lead generation, drive sales, or enhance customer education, your strategy must align with measurable targets to effectively gauge its success.
Some content creators often get it wrong when considering the type of video content that will align with the needs of the B2B audience because they focus only on advertisements. Think beyond advertisements; content like explainer videos, customer testimonials, and detailed product demos often hold more value as they directly address the specific needs and challenges faced by professionals in various industries.
Essential Types of B2B Video Content
As earlier mentioned, among the most effective types of video content for B2B business are:
- Explainer Videos: This type of video content helps to clarify the value of your products or services, breaking down complex solutions so it is easier to understand.
- Testimonials and Case Studies: This video content lends a voice to your satisfied customers by showcasing their success stories and how doing business with you played an important role in that achievement.
- Product Demos: This provides potential customers with an in-depth look at what your business is all about.
Furthermore, incorporating storytelling in video content can be very useful in B2B marketing. A compelling narrative not only captivates viewers but also connects them emotionally to your brand.
Choosing the Right Platforms for Your Videos
Figuring out the right platforms to distribute your videos is as important as the video itself. After all, what use is the video if it isn’t popping up on the screens of the right audience? A platform like LinkedIn, which is a professional network, is ideal for B2B audiences, it allows you to target viewers based on their type of business or their job position.
Another relevant platform you can use is YouTube, its extensive reach and powerful search capabilities make it another channel suitable for sharing video content, especially the type that requires explanation and demonstration.
Furthermore, it is almost important for you to be into B2B marketing without having a website. Because the big question would be, how do potential clients find you online? Yes, your answer is as good as mine. Thus, your business website should not be underestimated as a distribution channel for your videos. Hosting/uploading your content videos on your site can improve SEO (search engine optimization), increase dwell time, and provide visitors with informative content.
Best Practices for Sharing Video Content
Now that you know the type of video content you want to create, who you are creating it for, and the best platforms to share it. It is equally important to know a few best practices to follow when posting on either platform because it varies.
If you are looking to post on LinkedIn, keep your videos professional and concise, focusing on business insights and achievements. On YouTube, you can afford to be more detailed and on your website, be more engaging, informative, and technical. Regardless of the platform, you must ensure your videos are optimized for both web and mobile viewing. Accessibility is a key factor that can affect viewer engagement and content reach.
Read More: What’s The Perfect Length For Your Video Content?
Optimizing Your Videos for B2B Engagement
To maximize the impact of your video content, you need to optimize your videos for search engines to enhance visibility and drive engagement. This includes using relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags, and ensuring that your content is accessible through closed captions and transcripts. Additionally, hosting your video on your domain before uploading it to any social platform can help direct traffic to your website, boosting your site’s SEO value.
Also, encourage viewer interaction within your videos, and incorporate clear calls-to-action (CTA) at strategic points to guide viewers on what to do next, like signing up for a webinar or downloading a whitepaper.
Not forgetting to mention the need to measure the performance of your video content. Doing this will help you refine and enhance your creation strategy. Analyzing key metrics like view count, engagement rate, play rate, and conversion rate will expose areas of your video content that need improvement. The ideal tools you can use are Google Analytics and video analytics provided by most hosting platforms.
Advanced B2B Video Marketing Tactics
Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
There are some advanced video marketing tips that B2B marketers can take advantage of like, live video, embedded interactive elements into videos, and using video in email marketing.
Live video is suitable for real-time engagement. Live streaming events and behind-the-scene tours can foster a stronger connection with your audience. Real-time interaction encourages live feedback and participation, which shows your viewers that you value their opinions.
Embedding interactive elements into your videos can transform passive viewers into active participants. Features such as clickable links, survey questions, and branch scenarios where viewers can choose their content path enhance user engagement and provide valuable insights into viewer preferences and behaviors. These elements make the video experience more engaging and can significantly increase the time spent with your content.
Using video in email marketing is another advanced tactic that can boost engagement rates. Including video content in your emails isn’t just about capturing attention; it’s about capitalizing on the medium’s ability to convey complex messages. Videos in emails can lead to higher click-through rates and increased conversion, especially when the videos are personalized and directly relevant to the recipient.
Conclusion
The use of video content in B2B marketing offers a compelling avenue to deepen engagement and accelerate business growth. From understanding your audience’s specific needs and crafting targeted videos that resonate, such as explainer videos, product and brand reviews, and product demos, to choosing the right platforms for distribution and optimizing content for search and engagement, these steps form the backbone of a robust B2B video marketing strategy.
Additionally, embracing advanced tactics like live video, interactive elements, and video in email marketing can further enhance engagement and provide valuable insights into your audience’s preferences and behaviors.
For B2B marketers new to video content, the key is to start small and scale your efforts as you gain more insights and confidence. Begin with simple projects that align closely with your key business objectives and target audience needs. As you measure and understand what works, gradually expand your video marketing efforts to include more complex and interactive content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is video content important for B2B marketing?
Video content is crucial in B2B marketing because it can effectively communicate complex ideas, showcase product functionality, and convey brand stories in an engaging manner. Videos help increase engagement, improve conversion rates, and build stronger relationships with business clients.
What types of video content are most effective for B2B marketing?
For B2B marketing, the most effective types of video content include explainer videos, product demos, customer testimonials, thought leadership interviews, and case studies. These formats help demonstrate value, educate potential clients, and provide credible evidence of success.
How do I start creating video content for my B2B marketing strategy?
To start creating video content for B2B marketing, begin with identifying your target audience and key messages. Develop a content plan that aligns with your marketing goals, decide on the video format and style, and choose the right tools and resources for production.
