A picture may be worth a thousand words but according to Forrester research, one-minute of video is worth 1.8 million words. Couple that statistic with the announcement that mobile devices have now surpassed computers as the main entry point to the Internet, and that users prefer visuals, and it’s easy to see why video has become a staple of content marketing.
The power of video in marketing:
- Video is easier than text to consume on mobile
- Email click-through rates increase by 200 – 300% when a video is present
- Including video on landing pages cause conversion rates go up by 80%
- Consumers are 64% more likely to buy after watching a video
- Executives who view products or service videos are more likely to ask for additional information
Why video marketing works so well
Humans are inherently driven by our senses and each have been honed over time to assist us but none are better than sight when it comes to perception and interpretation of incoming information. In addition, there are four ways that learning occurs: visual (reading), visual (images), auditory and kinesthetic. Visual images and auditory make up roughly 75% of the population’s preferred learning style. In other words whether marketing or leisure, video plays well with almost everyone.
Where to begin with video for marketing
Many Xerox channel partners are utilizing video to at least some degree, even if only explainer videos on product pages. However for original video content creation, there are plenty of barriers to getting started. I covered 10 Strategies for success with YouTube Videos which helps channel partners create and execute a plan based on Xerox partner, Professional Document Solutions’ success with video marketing.
Video – to go live or not
Live streaming video such as Facebook live and Periscope are relatively new, and work well for capturing and answering real-time questions or live streaming event coverage. However, for most B2B brands especially SMBs, live video hasn’t filtered into their marketing mix yet. Much of this has to do with needing to develop the B2B audience’s appetite for interactive video content before launch. Live video might be a good way to go if your audience is well developed, otherwise focus on traditional on-demand videos while building the audience needed to support live video.
Videos for demand generation:
Demand generation is the process of driving awareness for a company, brand, product, service or industry. These types of videos work well for B2B demand generation:
- Expert interviews
- Client success stories
- Product demonstrations
- Online classes and tutorials
- Print and copy tips and tricks
What about video and SEO?
Once negated because of the difficulty for search bots to index them, videos are now a valid tactic for increasing SEO. Here’s what you need to know:
- Search engine bots use video as a signal of quality content so including it on your website helps with rankings.
- Use keywords in titles, file names, descriptions, and tags to help search bots understand what topic the video pertains to.
- Adding transcripts on the page, below the video, improves the search bot’s ability to decipher and rank the relevancy of the content.
- YouTube is the second largest search engine by number of queries so hosting videos there and using the embed feature to add them to your website will make it easier to be found in search.
- Use social media accounts to drive awareness for the video, extend its reach, and signal relevancy all of which factor into search results.
Today, 75% of executives watch work-related videos at least once a week. It’s a good indicator that video marketing will be on the rise for B2B. When planning for 2017 and beyond, think about adding video into your mix and use these tips to help with the planning process.
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