Video marketing isn’t just for businesses with a big marketing budget to spend. It’s actually a cost-effective option for SMBs to draw customers and drive sales. The concept itself is simple −using video to promote one’s brand, product or service. In this day and age where consumers are becoming more visual-oriented, quality video content makes an impact.

According to Zenith Media’s Online Video Forecasts 2019 report, the average person will watch 100 minutes of online video each day in 2021. The WyzOwl State of Marketing Survey 2020 also indicated that 92% of marketers perceive video as an important marketing strategy that provides a positive ROI.

How can you take advantage of video marketing for your business and hit the ground running?

Three benefits of video marketing 

1. Video marketing can increase brand awareness for your business. Videos help potential customers discover your company’s products, services and core values. They can also build customer trust, especially when customers can see the actual product in action. These demonstrations make the product more appealing.
2. Additionally, videos improve your online presence by making content more engaging. As opposed to long chunks of text that may be hard to read, simple and memorable videos allow you to better connect with your audience.
3. With video being the most shared content type on social media platforms, video marketing can do wonders for your social engagement as well. As your social media reach and engagement increases, this drives site traffic and conversion, ultimately increasing sales for your business.

Types of video marketing

Creating an effective video marketing strategy requires understanding the various types of videos, which include:

• Demos and explainers: These showcase how your product or service works, or educate people about your product or service. 
• Livestream: Available on platforms like Facebook (Facebook Live) and Instagram (IG Live and IGTV), livestream videos let you interact with your customers in real time, grab their attention and spur them to take action. They usually have higher engagement rates and the format can be anything from interviews to events and online contests/giveaways.
• Expert interviews: These sessions with experts or thought leaders in your industry establish trust and authority with your target audience.
• Customer testimonials: Case study videos that feature your satisfied customers add authenticity to the products or services you offer.

How to get started

New to video marketing and don’t have the resources to hire a costly production team? Don’t worry, there are plenty of options for those starting the video journey. These are the main areas to focus on.

• Equipment
  With smartphones or basic camera equipment, video production is becoming cost-effective. With their high-quality cameras, today’s smartphones are great tools for on-the-go shooting. A tripod is also useful for stationary filming.
• Purpose and script
  Before you start, outline the purpose of your video and what action you’d like your audience to take after watching. For example, signing up for your services, buying your products or simply being aware of your brand values. Be sure to write a good video script that address your customer’s pain points. These are gleaned from research into your target audience and their preferences.
• Recording Space
  If you have extra office space, think about setting up a studio for video shoots. All you need is a nice background and a quiet room you won’t be interrupted in. 
• Lighting
  Lighting is a pivotal aspect of your shoot too. Ensure that your lighting isn’t too bright or dark. For the best results, record with as much natural light as you can, and try shooting with your light source positioned at the back of the camera.  If lighting is too weak, utilise a desk light or another artificial light source.
• Sound
  When recording sound, test the audio beforehand and ensure that there is no distracting background noise. If your phone’s internal microphone isn’t powerful enough for capturing audio, consider affordable external microphones options that easily attach to your device. 
• Editing
  Of course, use reliable video editing software to create a video with strong production values. You can start out with free programs like iMovie or Shotcut, or purchase ones with more professional features like Adobe Premiere Pro. 

Reaching your audience

Last but not least, choose the right platforms to reach your target audience. As a general guide, YouTube or Facebook works well for targeting a broad demographic. To reach younger Gen-Z consumers, you may fare better with Instagram and TikTok.

If your products are featured on e-commerce platforms like Lazada or eBay, integrate videos into product pages to help your listings stand out and give customers better visualisation of your product’s features. It’s not difficult to embed videos in eBay auction listings or Lazada product descriptions.

By integrating your videos into e-commerce platforms, you're connecting with your customers at a point where they are probably closer to making a purchase decision. It's likely their intent has moved from product research to buying. A simple video, showcasing the benefits and features of your offering, could be what tips the purchasing decision in your favour.