If you have a small business, you know that marketing is a huge part of what you do. In fact, it may be the most important part of your business – if you don’t have customers, none of the rest of it matters.
That doesn’t mean that creating a marketing strategy is easy. The best marketing approaches combine traditional marketing, digital marketing and SEO, and social media outreach. When you find the right balance that works for your customer base, you will have success for years to come.
Where does video fit into the mix? It’s an absolutely essential part of your digital and social media marketing – and here’s why.
Users Spend More Time on Sites With Video
One of the reasons video is vital is that it is so engaging. In fact, the average user spends 88% more time on a website that has video.
This extra time pays big dividends for you. It gives you a chance to communicate your message in additional ways. You can build relationships, especially because video helps you convey non-verbal communication.
Along with the benefits you gain from that extra time on your site, Google rewards it as well. Time-on-site is one of the metrics search engines use to rank your site more highly. The more you can encourage viewers to stay, the more you earn and the higher you rank.
Viewers Retain More of Your Message From Video
Do you know that a huge percentage of your communication is non-verbal? Body language and tone of voice are even more important than what you’re actually saying.
Of course, when visitors to your website are reading, there’s no way for them to capture that portion of your message. But on video there is. That’s why viewers retain 95% of a message from a video, compared to only 10% from reading text.
If you want to communicate the value of your company, brand, culture, products, and services, the way to do it is through video. It’s a great way to make sure your message sticks.
Video is a Huge Influencer of Buying Decisions
People love video because they feel like they are getting to know you personally. It builds the know, like, and trust factors faster than any other medium. This means that video directly impacts your bottom line by influencing buying decisions.
In fact, 90% of consumers say that product videos directly inform purchase decisions. Video offers an excellent return on investment, with over half of marketers ranking it as the best medium in terms of ROI.
If you want people to buy your products and services, use video to promote it. Not only will you get better engagement, but you’ll also be directly driving a buying decision.
Video Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
Some small businesses shy away from video marketing because they feel that they have to invest heavily in professional cameras, editing, and videography. While you certainly can do that, you don’t have to by any means.
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram encourage you to post candid live video that you shoot from your cell phone. This doesn’t have to cost a dollar, and it can help your brand in big ways. Just be yourself and share behind-the-scenes information, introduce your employees, and demonstrate your new products and services.
If you want a more professional look, you can invest in a reasonably-priced video camera and get editing software without breaking the bank. There’s no need to overspend to get what you need. Sharing authentically and promoting your videos is more important.
Video Can Be Shared on Multiple Channels
If you write a blog post, it stays on your blog. If you have a sales landing page, it only exists on one website. With video, however, you can share the same marketing collateral across a wide variety of channels.
All social media platforms allow you to share video, although some make more sense than others. Consider focusing on Facebook and Instagram to start with. You can also have your video on your website and upload it to YouTube. If you want, you can Youtube to MP3
The same piece of marketing can be fully shared – not just a link, but the real thing – across a wide variety of digital outlets. You make the video one time and you can share it forever. It’s an incredible asset.
If you’re not sure where to start with your video marketing, you might consider working with a professional provider of digital marketing services. They can help you optimize your video so that it not only engages viewers but performs well in search results and promotes your company across the internet.
Take Advantage of Video For Marketing Success
You can’t afford to ignore video. Even if you don’t personally enjoy watching videos, most of your customers do. If you want to build authentic connections and drive sales and revenue, video is essential.