5 Ways Video Marketing Can Boost Your Business

There are so many different marketing strategies out there, it can be difficult for small businesses to determine which ones make the most sense for them and which are going to provide the best ROI. It’s important to pay close attention to developing trends so that you’re educated on the most current methods and strategies.

A somewhat new, but fast-growing tactic, video marketing provides an avenue for small businesses looking to increase sales, online presence and customer engagement. Video marketing is expected to make up about 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic by 2022.

For many small- and medium-size businesses, that means 2021 will have to be the year of video marketing. About 78 percent of people watch videos every week, and 55 percent watch them every single day. If you don't have quality video content, you're missing out on a massive opportunity for your business and should look into iStock. At this point, video should be central to marketing campaigns, but not just because people watch videos. 

1.) Educate customers on both your product and service offerings and tell your story.
Visual content, like video, provides a much more compelling experience than written content. Instead of writing about your products and services, show customers how they work in action through product demos. If you’re introducing a new product, use video to show customers how it works and what benefits it will provide. According to an infographic published by MultiVisionDigital, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video.

Video can also help you ‘humanize’ your business if you provide consumers with a relatable story. Creating a video that tells how your business came to be and shares the details of what you do is a great way to introduce people to your company and provides them with a more intimate experience. This is a great opportunity to build your brand by showing your company’s culture and what sets you apart from other businesses like yours.

2.) Engage with the mobile audience.
Creating video that’s mobile-optimized is crucial in a time where over 90% of consumers watch videos on their mobile. In doing this, you’ll not only be showcasing to potential customers certain aspects of your business, but you’re also showing them that you pay attention to trends and care about their experience when they visit your site. According to Google, 53% of smartphone users feel more favorable towards companies whose mobile sites or apps provide instructional video content. Having mobile-optimized videos can ultimately lead to an increase in consumer’s trust of your business and, subsequently, sales.

3.) Increase your Google search ranking.
One of the best parts about adding video to your marketing plan is the benefits it can provide in other areas of your web presence. Video increases the time spent by users on your website. This increase alerts Google that your site has quality content, which can lead to higher ranking in searches. Given that Google owns YouTube, You’re 53 times more likely to show up on page 1 of Google if you have a video embedded on your website. However, it’s not enough to simply have video. Make sure that your titles, descriptions and tags are creative and highlight the content within the video. It also helps to add backlinks so that interested customers can easily find their way to your website.

4.) Improve your click-through rate in emails.
Featuring videos in your emails can improve them in numerous ways. By embedding a video in your email, it increases the open rates by 5.6% and click-through rates by 96%. Video tracking can also help determine what kinds of content should be present in your emails, as it allows you to see how users interacted with the video (opens, replays, etc.). These videos need not be long or super informative, they can feature a simple message highlighting an upcoming sale or promotion, or even thanking your customers for their business.

5.) Reach a wide variety of customers.
Most everyone enjoys videos, in fact, one-third of online activity is spent watching them. Unlike social channels which are generally used most often by a certain age group, video allows you to reach all of your target audience regardless of demographics. Videos provide small businesses with a means to deliver information in a quick, personalized manner. And the more creative you get with your messaging, the more likely it is that your videos will be shared by users from all different demographics.

For small businesses looking to change up their marketing plan, utilize creativity and improve their online visibility, video marketing is a great route to pursue.