It’s no secret that videos have become a dominant part of online marketing and promotional strategies. In 2017, 50% of all mobile web traffic is now dedicated to watching videos. In other words, if online video is not part of your marketing strategy, your message will be missed by a huge portion of potential customers.
10 years ago, you would have needed a 6 figure budget and a tv commercial to reach an audience, but this is no longer the case. Online videos don’t have the same time constraints, and budgets can be significantly more flexible. Whatever your needs are, you can bet that there is an online promotional video style that is right for your organization.
Here are 7 of the most popular types of promotional videos we’re seeing on the web.
1) Animated Explainers
The goal of these videos is to explain your product or solution in the simplest, most straightforward way possible. You can highlight the benefits of your offering in a way that everyone can understand.
The challenge is to keep things simple, your goal is create a 3-minute video that explains what might normally require a 30 minute presentation. The advantage, of course, is that you don’t have to pay for actors, create sets, or find props. You will need a good artist and editor, a voiceover, and of course, a clear concise script. Here is an example from Tait Communications:
2) Case Study/Testimonial
In the information age, customers increasingly want to know what others think about your product. While reading reviews is great, seeing someone on screen actually tell their story adds a depth and realness to their testimonial.
The most common challenge is finding customers who love your product so much that they are willing to give up their time to appear on camera. But if you know of any advocates, then results are worth it!
3) Behind the Scenes
One of my favorite things to watch growing up were the Behind the Scenes videos of Disney World. Who knew they had tunnels beneath the entire park?!
You may not be Disney World, but that doesn’t mean your company isn’t interesting. What do you do that is unique? Do you work with any interesting people? Essentially, you’re inviting potential customers into your “living room.” While you may worry about giving secrets away, going behind the scenes is a great way to build customer trust by showing off your people. We recently created a unique Behind the Scenes video for Hawaiian Airlines in which staff, all around the business, were introduced to Marmite.
4) Training Videos
Training videos are an incredible way to build your organic search traffic. Most people today don’t want to read a manual, they want to watch a video! If you teach people how to use your product, you’ll help existing customers enjoy your offering more, and you’ll entice potential customers when you show them how your solution can help solve their problem.
It’s important that training videos don’t become commercials, teaching is your priority. A great strategy is to teach people about a popular topic that is relevant to your business. For instance, if you sell car parts, teach people how to change tires. If you provide power as a Utility, teach people how to conserve power. This is exactly what Mitre 10 does with their Guides and Advice page.
5) Product Launch
Got a new product? Great! Now it’s time to tell everyone what actually makes it great. The typical strategy is to interview the people who are behind the product. Designers, product managers, engineers, visionaries, builders, and anyone else who can provide input. Cover the interviews with as many shots of your product as possible, and show people the benefits.
The video should explain why you developed the product, what problem(s) it solves, and how it will benefit the customer. Nobody does these better than Apple.
6) Vision Video
If you’re targeting C-level customers, then you should know they’re more interested in the future of your business than the specifications of your product. A vision video explains where your company is going in an engaging and exciting way. You invite people into a better future, and give them confidence that their future will be bright, if they choose to work with you.
Rocket Lab is a New Zealand space company, and in the video we created for them below, you can get a real sense of the vision from their CEO.
7) Sponsored Creative
Want to go viral? One of the best ways is a sponsored creative video. With these, you partner with an established youtube entertainer. After providing a brief, they will make a funny video that loosely relates to your product or solution, then, at the end of the video, they’ll mention you as a sponsor.
While it may not give people the same amount of information as a product launch, it has the chance to be seen by significantly more people. One great example is “A Conference Call in Real Life.” The video was sponsored by an event called Leadercast and received over 14 million views! While your sponsored creative video may not reach 14 million, it can still reach a huge number of people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYu_bGbZiiQ
What are you waiting for?
Quality video gives your organization, product, or solution a real professional edge over the competition. It also introduces you to a much larger audience. The reality is, you can’t afford not to be creating promotional videos for the web.
While you may not have the resources or knowledge to create video content in-house, that’s ok. There are agencies around the world who can partner with you to create content for your organization that fits your style. If you’re in the Auckland, NZ area, then contact us at Dreams in Shadow to discuss your video needs. We have extensive experience in the film industry, and are passionate about creatively bringing your story to life. We’d love to hear from you!