Peter Liefer II — January 24, 2017 Follow @peter_lieferHave you noticed that more and more companies are making use of videos to boost their business? In the online world of social media, people have proven they are a lot more responsive to moving images than still ones. Why else would we have the proliferation of funny gifs and viral videos?
People are generally attracted to watching moving images, hence movies and television. However, the attention span on the Internet doesn’t take nearly as long for people than when they are watching TV or movies. It’s essential to capitalize on the audience’s attention on a video while you have it.
Many companies have started to take advantage of the public’s attraction to videos on their social media sites and on video hosting sites such as youtube and vimeo, and even streaming sites like Twitch and ustream.
Here’s how you can use videos to grow your business.
The Exhibition Video
There’s a reason people sit glued to infomercials even if the acting in them is questionable. This is the same reason that people sit hypnotized on “How It’s Made” videos. They just love seeing how things work. If you’re selling a service or a product, one of the first and most obvious options that you can use when you’re making videos for marketing is to go the straightforward route: show them how your product works.
When creating a video designed to showcase your product, it’s best to avoid the standard “commercial” route. If people wanted to see that, they would turn on their televisions and watch one of the many commercials being aired. There’s a reason they skip them too—it’s because they’re route, and uninteresting.
Try taking a page out of the Kickstarter book. Kickstarters and gofundmes often have product videos that explain how the product came to be made and how it works, as well as how it can improve the life or pique the interest of the viewer. They are absolutely not your traditional commercials in the sense that they are well-shot, with a proper story to how they came to be, and how the product tends to work.
These types of videos will vastly help a business looking to present to potential customers how their product or service will aid customers in day-to-day living.
The Testimonial Video
There is nothing more powerful than word-of-mouth. This is how viral sensations are made.
Completely organic passing of information from one person to another is often held in far higher regard than any generated reviews or any number of sponsored advertising. Whether the review or favorable or unfavorable, companies have seen the rise and fall of their products through word of mouth reviews from customers who have already used it and have decided to tell their friends and circles what they thought about it.
People tend to believe the review of another actual person who has used the product says about it a lot more than paid actors on commercials on screen. This is one of the reasons why youtube has a proliferation of YouTubers who provide reviews on products that they have been trying out and telling other people what they think of it. Numerous people would come to these testimonials in order to determine whether or not the product is a fit for them.
There are two ways that a company can approach this angle. One is to actually pick up an influencer to review their product. An influencer is someone with a large social media following or has a large subscriber base that they could reach. Have the influencer review the product, and tell their base what they think of it as a form of testimonial video. Many companies do this nowadays in order to more organically get the word out to the customer base they are targeting.
Another is to create a testimonial video wherein you get actual consumers and film them using the product and explaining why they like this product so much. It would also help to add testimonies from trusted names within the field giving their approval of the product, so people can see that even experts support it.
The Tutorial Video
Another key way that you can use videos to market your product is the tutorial video. This is especially useful if your product may involve certain steps in order to bring out best results, or if you have a product that can be used in a multitude of different ways.
Once again, there’s a reason that online users are attracted to videos where you learn how an item works. Capitalize on this interest by providing excellent step-by-step guidance on how to use your product in the best manner. Make sure there is great narration in the background that gives concise, clear instructions so that anyone can see the video and immediately understand how easy it can be to use for their own needs.
For products that can be used in a variety of ways, try to depict as many different uses for it as possible. Find out what your customer base would be most likely to use this product for and show in your video how your product can be used for all those ways. In these days, having a multi-purpose tool is especially critical to many people.
Contest Video
There’s nothing like a gift or a prize as an incentive to get people interacting with your product. A contest video could be a great way to stir up some interest in your customer base. Create a colorful, engaging video that will give them a real motivation to take part in a quick and easy contest.
Simpler is always better: with fewer steps and less complicated mechanics, more people will be more motivated to take part in your contest. Make sure that they would need to spread it around in their own circles. In doing so, they will be spreading the word of your brand or product through their own social media sites, and therefore further spread your brand towards more and more customers.
These are just some of the ways through which you can boost your business through videos. With these tips, you’re on your way to enhancing your bottom line simply by joining an industry trend.
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