Use Video in Every Step of Your Marketing Funnel This holiday season, delight your customers with a personalized message.
By Dmitry Dragilev Edited by Jessica Thomas
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Video is huge. I know this isn't news, but I think we find it hard to grapple with how big it is becoming -- and, hence, how important.
To get a feeling for it, consider this: as of October 2018, Netflix is devouring 15 percent of all internet bandwidth. That is mostly driven by consumers, but if there's one thing we've learned from the history of the internet, it's that trends that start as consumer plays quickly make their way into B2B environments.
The most successful brands will be those that take advantage of video in every stage of the marketing funnel before it gets so widespread that no one notices it anymore.
Related: 5 Incredibly Simple Strategies to Help You Win With Video Marketing
Here's how you can use video to attract and convert more customers.
Using video to raise awareness.
Connecting with new customers is probably the most natural way to use video in your marketing funnel. From ads to how-to's to expert interview and conference recordings, video can be a great medium to connect with the people who stand to get the most out of using your solution.
However, with the proliferation of video, it is becoming increasingly more challenging to get eyeballs on your content. Recording, editing and publishing video is still a challenge, but now there's another hurdle -- getting people to your content.
Video SEO is increasingly emerging as a discipline that skillful marketers understand and apply.
Acquiring leads with video.
Once the audience knows about your brand, it's your goal to show them how your product can solve their pains. A video is one of the best tools to do that because it leaves a lasting impression on those who watch it.
A good product explainer video is one of the most valuable marketing assets you can have. Unlike the demo, the explainer is a low-cost way to demonstrate the power of your product as it can be placed readily available on your homepage for your audience to watch on their own terms.
Producing a good explainer can be challenging -- you have to make sure you put enough efforts in creating a very strong script that presents your work in the best possible way. That's a harder job than you think.
As a founder, you know your product inside out, so presenting the best of it in a very limited time, and in a way that would be understood by anyone, is challenging to say the least. Groove's account of how they created their product explainer video is a good walkthrough of everything that goes into the process.
Closing leads into customers with video.
Video can be a really strong tool to provide the final push to those who're considering purchasing your product.
Turning a stranger into a customer is all about connecting with them and earning their trust -- and video is the perfect medium to achieve that. However, it might be hard to think of the exact format to use when it comes to this.
Case studies and customer testimonials are among the strongest assets brands use to close customers. Turning them into video makes them even more persuasive and allows your audience to get to know -- and relate to -- other people who have succeeded by using the product you're offering.
Creating meaningful case studies is no easy task, but this article is a good starting point on how to do it.
Delighting customers with video.
Many marketers seem to think that video's applicability suddenly falls off a cliff the moment someone converts to being a customer of the brand. Nothing could be further away from the truth.
Supporting customers is the most obvious place for using video. Supplementing self-service options such as your knowledge base with animations and walkthroughs will allow customers to quickly resolve common issues, especially if you're selling a complex product.
However, video has its place in your marketing plan even beyond that. It is perfect for demonstrating personality and desire to connect with your customers. The key here is to come up with initiatives which your customers aren't expecting and that are most likely to leave a memorable impression on them.
Vidyard used this tactic to send personalized Christmas videos to their customers:
During the holiday season, your customers will be getting a lot of messages from various brands. Video, especially one with their name on it, is a great way to differentiate and make sure your greeting will be seen.
Related: A 7-Year-Old Boy Is Making $22 Million a Year on YouTube Reviewing Toys
Now is the time to embed video in your marketing strategy.
Before you know it, all your competitors will be using video to attract, close and delight customers. By then, video will be a necessity rather than a novel way to carve out a place in the minds of your audience.
Finding creative ways to implement video now, at every stage of the buyer's journey, will help you cut the distance between your brand and your customers and shorten the time it takes to earn their trust.
