Video is among the most engaging and effective brand marketing tools. And when you consider that the average retention rate for videos is 54% and that videos are twice as likely to be shared than any other type of content (Wyzowl) it’s hard to deny the value of incorporating video in your B2B marketing program.
How to use video marketing
There are a variety of ways to approach video marketing. You can display videos on your website and landing pages, embed them in blog posts and emails, or use them on your social media channels.
But how do you make sure you’re making the most of your opportunity with video? This MarketingProfs article (below) is a great resource. It’s an excellent read, providing tips with examples that demonstrate how to get B2B video marketing right. Here’s the article repost:
Lately, more and more B2B companies are using video as a means to promote their products and services.
That’s understandable, because videos let you address complex subjects in an engaging and dynamic way, as well as create interesting pieces that enhance the customer experience.
The most effective product videos are those that quickly convey the benefits of a product without boring their viewers.
Yet, a lot of B2B businesses seem to overlook that critical fact!
Operating in a complex, professional setting doesn’t mean you have to make your videos bland and tedious. Even if your target is other businesses and brands, you still need to get the decision-makers behind those brands on board.
So, to help you make engaging B2B product videos that stand out and keep the viewer’s attention, we put together a list of seven high-quality product videos. Take a closer look at the lessons you can learn from each one.
1. Differentiate yourself with a creative approach
In the current environment, customers are used to being constantly bombarded with promotional videos, so creating content that stands out is crucial.
Microsoft 365 markets its product in an unusual but compelling way. The 3D graphics in a cheerful and bright color palette combined with the rhythmic pacing and fluid transitions create an eye-catching video that attracts viewers and keeps their attention as the video unfolds.
Even without a narrator in the video, all of those elements help build a story. The office tools’ turning into app logos symbolizes the digitalization of workspaces—the core message Microsoft wants other businesses to walk away with.
B2B Video Best-Practice: Whoever is making the decision to purchase your product has most likely seen thousands of videos before yours. To leave a lasting impression on those buyers, you need to differentiate yourself. Creative and eye-catching design elements can play a big role in that.
2. Appeal to the viewer by using humor
Whether you want to make someone feel joy, curiosity, or desire, video is a great format to generate emotional reactions because it appeals directly to viewers by presenting scenarios they can see themselves in. Which is exactly what this Adobe video does.
Moving to a work-from-home setup has been a tough transition for many, and Adobe Document Cloud uses humor to address that fact while conveying how its brand can help.
By showing a domestic scene of a father tending to his child while trying to work, the brand creates an easily relatable situation that showcases the struggles of remote work.
Appealing to the audience’s common experiences is a key aspect of humor in marketing. And in the B2B environment, showing awareness of your customers’ needs can make them feel understood, which makes your video and products more memorable.
B2B Video Best-Practice: Although your company may be targeting other companies to do business with, the ones who will ultimately make the call are humans, too. Using emotions can work to generate empathy in your viewers, thus making them more interested in the product you have to offer.
3. Show, don’t tell
Showing your viewers how to use a product in a way that is clear but engaging at the same time can be challenging, but this Workday video makes it seem like the easiest thing in the world.
The video uses a technique known as screencasting, which entails recording your screen as you navigate a product’s functionalities. The technique works particularly well for software companies because it allows them to guide viewers step-by-step through the ins and outs of the platform, making viewers actually experience how a program works.
By taking advantage of that technique, Workday is letting its product speak for itself. You can see how easy to use its software is.
B2B Video Best-Practice: Great product videos are all about demonstrating the benefits and features of a product in relatable scenarios, and that’s as true for B2B as it is for B2C content. To avoid creating confusing pieces, you sometimes need to get straight to the point and literally show viewers just how good your product is at doing what it does.
4. Be mindful of time
When you’re working on a product video, one of the most important considerations is runtime. B2B clients are, by definition, busy people, so creating brief and concise content can be vital for improving the effectiveness of your video.
Grammarly provides a great example.
The video begins with a phrase that states the most important feature the company wants to highlight right away instead of waiting until the end, as most businesses do. Afterward, the narrator continues by giving relatable examples of real-use scenarios.
Also note that instead of just telling you what happens when you use its product Grammarly shows you what happens when you don’t use its product, which empowers the message by focusing on results, not promises.
B2B Video Best-Practice: Just like this example’s title says, in the B2B industry you need to communicate effectively. The best video production agencies understand that the first few seconds of your video are crucial. We advise starting your content on a strong and relevant note.
Stating the most important feature of what you’re offering right at the beginning and then quickly explaining why is an effective approach.
5. Invite an influential figure
Cisco is not afraid of investing in a famous celebrity as its spokesperson. Having an influential figure explain the benefits of your products can help garner attention and add awareness to your brand.
What makes the collaboration work is that the mood depicted in the video matches the serious persona associated with Peter Dinklage.
But remember that the high-profile talent is representing you and your brand. Star power is great, but you have to make sure that whatever the star is conveying is not only accurate in its representation of your product but also in tune with your overall branding strategy.
B2B Video Best-Practice: An established industry personality can be a powerful asset in garnering credibility for your company’s product. It’s okay if you don’t have the budget for a celebrity; you can still look to partner with relevant industry leaders or influencers who’ll lend credibility and prestige to your brand. Just make sure you are compatible.
6. Develop a concept and build around it
So far, we’ve listed high-quality B2B videos with a whole cast of actors and narrators or compelling 3D animations. But even if you’re operating with a limited budget, you can still produce effective pieces.
Employing the right music, using slick and fluid animations, and including kinetic moving text can do wonders for conveying your message and doing so in an appealing and engaging way. You just need to find the right aesthetic and tone to help viewers understand what your product can do for their business while creating a visual language that feels uniquely yours.
Creating a concept can be hard, but once you know what your videos need to be about, you’ll be able to create powerful pieces that convey just what’s necessary without breaking the bank.
B2B Video Best-Practice: It’s not always necessary to have a large budget for your video marketing. Even with limited resources, you can make fantastic, impactful pieces by using a straightforward but effective concept, proving that sometimes less really is more.
7. Use insider insights
What makes this B2B product video stand out is that it doesn’t shy away from making niche content.
Although avoiding overly technical vocabulary is often a concern in B2B content for fear of overwhelming the audience, your potential clients are professionals who know about their business and needs, just like you do. Using insider terminology and industry insight can help your audience connect with your videos in a deeper way.
Volvo does that by building its video around a shared philosophy its viewers would find relevant: safe trucks that are also comfortable because they’re spaces where their drivers not only work but also live.
B2B Video Best-Practice: We frequently forget that businesses have missions, visions, and shared objectives defined by the industries they operate in. By pouring your unique insight as a B2B business into your content, you can easily connect with companies that share the same views and values as you, and build longer-lasting relationships through your product videos.
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People used to believe that B2B companies lagged behind B2C in producing high-quality product videos. Nowadays, that’s no longer the case.
As you can see, there are many great B2B product videos out there. The competition may be rough, but it’s important to keep your eyes open, learn from it, and use it to improve your own marketing content.
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