Running a small business is not a small responsibility. There are many challenges to face. And with all those demanding tasks, creating video content can seem pretty daunting. Surely it can be a complicated task, and if you don’t have prior experience, it may be difficult to find a starting point. To add insult to injury, you probably have heard that the costs of creating video content can go beyond imagination.
But is that all there is to video content? Should small businesses give up on content videos? Is this process really that difficult, time-consuming and expensive? Not at all! There are market-proven ways to optimise the video content creation process while keeping your expenses as low as possible.
We’ll walk you through some of the best practices to make impactful videos and kick off your video strategy. Ready? Let’s dive in!
#Tip 1: Set your goal
The first step of any marketing campaign is setting clear goals. Start with a big “WHY?” and ask yourself, why are you doing video content marketing? What do you want to achieve? Is it for brand awareness? Driving more traffic and sales? Informing your audience about the products you offer? Boosting brand credibility and trustworthiness?
Each goal requires a different tactic and content. Educational videos, for instance, serve a different purpose than product-launching videos. Once you know the destination, you’ll have a good guess about which path to take. Setting goals also inspires you to take brilliant ideas and turn them into super-successful projects.
If you don’t know what goal has priority, conduct a website audit or market research, and use analytics to see the weaknesses and gaps in your marketing campaign. Remember that research-based content is far more effective than spontaneous, impulsive marketing. And you can always ask viewers to give you feedback and ideas about launching your next project.
#Tip 2: Save on Equipment
Let’s face it; you are not shooting a Hollywood movie! Modern-day marketing is about creating impactful content, not fancy stuff. Video-creating equipment is perhaps the most frightening variable in the picture.
You rightly assume buying professional cameras, top-notch gear and world-class editing software and hiring the right people for it would cost a fortune. But do you need all that? You can start with your smartphone; it’s accessible, reliable, easy to use and pretty much free. Every video idea you have is possible with a smartphone, from educational videos to commercials and product demos.
If you want to take it to the next level, you can purchase specialised accessories such as microphones, rigs, and lights at a reasonable price. You would be surprised how professional it will look at a fraction of the cost.
#Tip 3: User-Generated Video Content
User-generated content (also known as UGC or consumer-generated content) is any content – text, video, images, reviews, etc. – created by your audience. User-generated content is original and brand-specific content which adds more to its attractiveness. You can publish UGC on social media channels or your website for free or in exchange for a small discount or gift to your users.
User-generated video content is receiving increasing attention from brands. Firstly, because it’s pretty much costless. Secondly, it encourages your audience to participate and increases social media engagement. And finally, it is an incredibly powerful way to boost brand loyalty and stay competitive.
All you need to do is host a giveaway or a contest for video content related to a specific topic, and your audience will take care of the rest.
#Tip 4: Original Content Rules!
No matter what type of content you produce – blog posts, videos, podcasts, or otherwise – originality and authenticity is the key to attracting an audience. Small businesses may not be able to afford expensive overheads, but they surely can create original content that represents their brand image and resonates with the audience.
Authentic content brings you closer to your customers, putting you in a position to build strong, long-lasting relationships. You can create videos about yourself, your team, your business, or your products, taking the audience to the “backstage” of your business. This way, you establish profound trust and reliability that will outperform any marketing trick.
#Tip 5: Repurpose Live Events
Most small businesses participate in different conventions, seminars, or local conferences. You may sponsor those events, provide the physical space to hold them or participate in the administration. But have you thought about turning small events into a budget-friendly marketing strategy to solidify your brand voice?
Repurposing live events into video content is an excellent way to reap the benefits of social interaction. You can start broadcasting right after the event kicks off. This is an incredible way to add value to your events, provide informational or entertainment content and boost customer experience. And the best thing about it? The video content itself doesn’t cost a dime!
#Tip 6: Partner with influencers
Influencer marketing is a relatively new trend that has attracted small and huge businesses. Partnering with influencers gives you incredible social exposure and broadens your audience reach into new markets. All influencers have a supportive community around them. Having influencer recommendations on your side would be perfect social proof of your credibility.
Moreover, there is a chance that, at least, parts of their follower base are not among your audience segments. Working with influencers – even micro-influencers – gives you access to that niche with a well-engaged community. The cherry on top, micro-influencers are usually very affordable. So, don’t worry about the costs. It will be well worth the investment.
#Tip 7: Create FAQ Videos
Small businesses tend to have less exposure. That means many folks that could potentially be your customers are out there, waiting for you to come to them and inform them about your services and products. Frequently asked question (FAQ) videos are a great way to reach them and show you care about their needs.
The good news is that creating FAQ videos doesn’t require much effort. All you need is someone in charge with great communication skills and a silver tongue. Plus, FAQ videos are priceless resources because they can scale down the time required to answer typical repetitive questions.
Benefits of Video Content Marketing
Now that we have solved the money problem, only the question of cost-efficiency. You may be wondering whether video content is worth the trouble. Perhaps you think text-based content would do just fine, right? WRONG! Video content is irreplaceable. Here are three unmatched benefits of video marketing:
Improve Search Engine Optimization
A recent poll revealed that 66% of viewers are willing to visit the business’s website after watching a branded video. No other type of content can increase viewer engagement to this level and spark consumer interest. And you may ask, how does that relate to SEO? Well, traffic and click-throughs are decisive factors in ranking high in search engine result pages. More visitors means a higher rank.
Moreover, Google has integrated a new algorithm into its search patterns, allowing you to catalogue keywords in a video. That’s a huge plus for your SEO efforts. Plus, people can open and watch videos on any device. And we know device responsiveness greatly impacts your website ranking. For better results, you can also adjust videos for platform-specific publication.
Wordstream data recently published a fact sheet about the impacts of videos in marketing. The most shocking finding was the boost in social media shares. According to this study, video content gets 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. On platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn that allow both types of content, video is shared 20 times more than other content formats.
And truth be told, we don’t need any study to tell us that, for most people, videos are more captivating than texts! Video content builds an emotional connection with the audience by utilising voices, pictures, colours, movements, and other design elements. You add a friendly face to your videos and your brand trustworthiness skyrockets.
Gaining Competitive Advantage
Nearly 61% of companies consider video content a crucial part of their promotion campaigns, and 30% of them are planning for a long-term video marketing strategy. As more and more professionals realise the mountain of benefits videos bring, the number of brands joining the video marketing club scales up.
Nevertheless, many companies, especially small businesses, don’t have a fully-fledged video marketing plan. This means you still have time to move in fast and strong before your competitors do. But keep in mind that only high-quality video content boosts visibility. So, plan quickly but don’t come unprepared.
Bottom Line
Video marketing may sound time-consuming, expensive, and intimidating for many small business owners. But it doesn’t have to be. At BroadWeb, we have a broad array of tools and resources to offer small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs and help them create a robust video marketing strategy. We plan your entire campaign from goal setting to production, publication, and evaluation. Contact us today!
