How to Create a Winning Video Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses in 12 Steps

In today’s fast-paced world, grabbing your audience’s attention is both challenging and rewarding. Digital marketing trends are continually evolving to meet consumer needs, with people increasingly on the go with their mobile devices and shorter attention spans. This shift has resulted in a push towards video content, making it an essential tool in your marketing strategy.

The pressure to keep up with digital changes can feel overwhelming for small businesses, but implementing a video marketing strategy doesn’t have to be daunting. This article aims to demystify small business video marketing by providing actionable tips on creating your own strategy. By the end of this post, you will have the knowledge needed to leverage video marketing effectively for your business!

Types of Video Marketing Content

Each type of video serves a different purpose and can help you achieve specific goals. For example, testimonials build trust, product demos showcase your product’s features, and educational videos provide valuable information to your audience.

There are various types of videos to consider when planning your video marketing strategy:

1. Testimonials: Customer testimonials serve as social proof for your business. They build trust among potential customers by showing that others have had a positive experience with your product or service.
2. Social Media Videos: These are short and engaging videos created explicitly for social media platforms. They can include promotional content, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or educational material.
3. Employee Q&As: These videos feature employees answering common questions about your business, products, or industry. They humanize your brand and position your employees as experts.
4. Behind-the-scenes videos: These videos show the inner workings of your business, showcasing the people and processes behind your products or services.
5. Product Demos: These videos showcase your product’s features and benefits. They can be a simple demonstration of how the product works or a more detailed explanation of its various features.
6. Live Social Media Videos: Live streaming on social media platforms can help you engage with your audience in real-time. It’s a great way to answer questions, showcase new products, or give a behind-the-scenes look at your business.
7. Educational Videos: These videos provide valuable information to your audience related to your industry or products. They can be tutorials, how-to guides, or explainer videos.
8. Vlogs: Video blogs, or vlogs, are a more informal way to connect with your audience. They can be about anything related to your business or industry and are usually more personal and conversational.
9. Conversational or Podcast-style Videos: These are informal, conversational videos that can be recorded as a podcast and then repurposed into a video. They usually involve a discussion between two or more people about topics related to your business or industry.
10. Animated Videos: Animated videos can be used to explain complex concepts or processes in a more engaging and easy-to-understand way.
11. Documentary-style Videos: These videos tell a story related to your business or industry. They can be about the history of your company, a day in the life of an employee, or a deep dive into a specific aspect of your business.
12. A-day-in-the-life Videos: These videos showcase a typical day in the life of someone related to your business, such as an employee, a customer, or yourself as the business owner.
13. Webinars: Webinars are online seminars that provide valuable information to your audience. They can be live or pre-recorded and usually involve a presentation followed by a Q&A session.
14. Comedic Sketches: These are light-hearted, humorous videos that can entertain your audience while still promoting your business or products.

12 Steps to Creating a Successful Video Marketing Strategy

Video marketing is crucial for small businesses, and the numbers prove it. According to Optinmonster, businesses using video marketing get 66% more qualified leads per year, and a HubSpot report states that 72% of consumers prefer watching videos to learn about new products or services over other marketing materials. Moreover, businesses using video grow revenue nearly 50% faster than non-video users, with 87% of businesses reporting increased ROI, and 86% of businesses using video marketing in 2022.

So, if you want to expand your small business at a faster pace and enjoy the tremendous benefits video marketing offers, it’s time to jump on board!

1. Identify Your Target Audience

Before creating your video marketing strategy, you must identify your target audience. Understanding your audience will inform your overall strategy and the types of videos you create. For instance, teens or young adults may prefer goofy music videos, while retirees might be more interested in Q&A-style interview videos. Consider conducting market research or using your existing customer data to define your target audience.

2. Start with Overall Video Marketing Goals

Identify the purpose behind your need for a video marketing strategy. Do you want to promote a specific product line, give your clients a more personal look at your business, or increase engagement? Establish SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based) goals to keep your video marketing efforts consistent and focused.

3. Map Out Video Topics to Start With

Pre-plan your video topics to stick to your budget and timeline. Ensure each video is purposeful and contributes to your overall video strategy goals. If you’re unsure what topics to start with, consider each video answering a question related to your goals. For example, if your goal is to increase product awareness, create a series of videos showcasing the features and benefits of your products.

4. Set a Video Budget and Timeline

Create a realistic budget and timeline once you’ve outlined your video topics. Determine the video production cadence, who can help with videos, and allocate resources accordingly. Include your video budget in your overall marketing plan and strategize using your video across multiple channels to maximize ROI.

5. Create Videos That Can Fit All Platforms

Edit your videos to fit all platforms you plan to use. Different platforms have varying video size and length requirements, so rework the same video multiple times to fit across platforms and your website. For example, a video for Instagram may need to be under 60 seconds and formatted for a mobile screen, while a YouTube video can be longer and formatted for a larger screen.

6. Create a YouTube Channel

Having a YouTube channel is essential for your video marketing strategy as it is a highly trafficked video platform and can help your videos rank on Google. According to Google, 90% of people discover new brands or products on YouTube, so incorporate it into your marketing strategy.

7. Post Videos on Social Media

According to Buffer, social media posts with video have 48% more views than non-video social posts, and a WordStream report states that 92% of users watching videos on mobile will share them with others. Increase your visibility and boost awareness by uploading videos to your social accounts and fitting them into your regular posting schedule.

8. Have a Video Library on Your Website

Having a collection of videos on your site may boost your SEO efforts and increase session time, indicating higher quality traffic. Paste your video embed script onto your website’s code to showcase your videos. Also, include relevant keywords in your video titles and descriptions to help your videos rank higher in search results.

9. Encourage Customers to Make Video Submissions

Crowdsourcing video submissions from current or prospective customers engages them and saves you time and resources. It also provides a more personalized experience for your audience by showcasing real customers. For example, run a contest where customers can submit videos using your product, and the winners get featured on your social media channels.

10. Have Your Employees Star in Your Videos

Leverage your employees to discuss their expertise or interview them for an employee profile mini-series. It’s a more authentic and affordable alternative to hiring actors, and your employees can share the video on their LinkedIn for professional development.

11. Turn Blogs into Video Content

Repurpose your top-performing content by turning evergreen blog posts into videos. According to Social Media Today, repurposing content can save up to 60% of the time it would take to create new content from scratch. The video script is already done for you, and you can follow the same sequence but with a conversation or skits instead of written content.

12. A/B Test Different Video Types

Try different video types that you think could resonate with your audience and A/B test to see what works best. Run them at the same time and see which one gets more engagement. For example, test a testimonial video against a product demo video to see which one drives more conversions.

You can find more helpful video marketing tips here.

Conclusion

Get Started with Your Small Business Video Marketing Strategy today!

Video content is a hot ticket for consumers right now, and its popularity will only continue to grow. According to a Cisco report, online videos make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic. Video ads can help your small business stand out by capturing your audience’s attention through engaging and creative content. With these 12 actionable tips, you can create a successful video marketing strategy without breaking the bank.

Remember, the key is to start now and refine your strategy as you go. Monitor your video performance, gather feedback, and continuously optimize your strategy for better results. Good luck!

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Looking for a video production company that specializes in creating a video marketing strategy? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create videos that will generate leads and sales.

AzonVidz Media is a video production company that specializes in product videos. We have a team of experienced video producers who can help you create videos that are informative, engaging, and visually appealing. Please see our portfolio references for inspiration. Looking forward to help you and your brand scale and prosper.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create product videos that generate leads and sales.