Video Marketing Strategy: The Complete Guide to Leveraging Video to Grow Your Business

Video marketing strategy isn't always the easiest thing to master.

If you're struggling to connect with customers, you're not alone.

Your prospective customers are so overwhelmed with content, it can be tough for businesses to cut through.

To compete, your business needs to adapt your marketing strategy to ensure you're producing engaging content. 

And that means video.

Your customers are craving video content.

Branded video views saw a year-over-year increase of 258% on Facebook and 99% on YouTube.

But how can your B2B business fit video content into your overall marketing strategy?

In this article, we'll cover everything you'll need to know to plan and execute an impactful video marketing strategy.

This is a comprehensive resource. To navigate to the topics which interest you most, click the links below:

What is Video Marketing?

Video marketing is the integration of video and visual content into your marketing plan to engage, educate, and convert prospects into customers.

Video content began flourishing with the introduction of video publishing capability on various social media networks. Especially, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Marketers are turning to video content to engage customers. There has been a 14% increase of marketers using video in their marketing strategy over the last five years.

Video marketing strategy graph
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To accommodate the growing interest, marketers are increasing video content production and introducing new distribution channels.

Content distribution channel graph
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YouTube and Facebook are two of the top distribution channels marketers have been capitalizing on in recent years. 

But how does video perform compared to other content? 

Content Comparison: How Does Video Perform?

Video is king in your social media marketing strategy.

On Facebook, video had the highest engagement rates compared to images, links, and status posts.

Video posts' engagement rate was 6.09%, which is 1.67% more than image posts. 

Facebook engagement-rate graph
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But it doesn't stop there; video performs well on all other social media sites, too! 

On Twitter, posts with video content will see up to 10X more engagement than posts without.

On Instagram, video content performs the best, typically resulting in a 47% increase in comments.

Video content also outperforms other forms of content marketing assets like infographics, articles, and "how-to" lists with the most shares on social media. 

Social media content share graph
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Marketers agree on video marketing's effectiveness, too. Research shows that 93% of marketers said they've acquired a new customer from a video posted online.

Now that you know why video performs better than other content, let's uncover the benefits of integrating it in your marketing strategy.

The Benefits of Video Marketing

Video marketing can help you grow your business in a variety of ways. Some of the most common benefits of an effective video marketing strategy include:

  • Increased Web Traffic. If you aren't adding video content regularly, you're not reaching a chunk of web traffic. In fact, 82% of all consumer internet traffic will come from video by 2020.
  • More Qualified Leads. Struggling to get your prospects to convert? Research shows that B2B video marketing results in 66% more qualified leads.
  • Improved Search Ranking. As a potential customer browses your site, he or she will stay longer if a video is on the page. In fact, users spend 88% more time on websites with videos. This impacts the users' "dwell time," which is a factor for search engine ranking.
  • Increased Revenue. Companies using video increase sales faster than those that don't. Video users had a 13.3% increase in year-over-year revenue compared to an 8.9% increase by the non-video users.
Video marketing revenue growth graph
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Convinced, yet? All these benefits are waiting if you execute an effective video marketing strategy.

Developing Your Video Marketing Strategy

The planning phase of your video marketing strategy consists of two parts: setting goals and selecting your format.

Setting Your Video Marketing Goals

When integrating video into your marketing strategy, think about the end result you're trying to accomplish.

Outlining the goals you're seeking will help measure the success of your campaign once it's complete. Common goals include:

  • Attracting New Customers. Videos serve as a great connecting point between a company's brand, mission, and customers.
  • Converting Prospects. Perhaps you've already built an audience, but want to convert them into buyers. Educational "how-to" videos can help qualify prospects.
  • Closing Prospects. If you need to nudge prospects, produce videos that give them confidence in your business like testimonials or demos.
  • Delighting Customers. If you want to engage prospects, consider an entertaining or inspirational mission-focused video. 

Multiple videos can be threaded together in your video marketing strategy to nurture a prospect until he or she is ready to buy. 

Understanding how a video marketing funnel works can help you strategically develop the right marketing videos for your intended outcomes.

Video marketing funnel
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The top of the video marketing funnel focuses on new audiences that might not be familiar with your brand. Videos towards the bottom focus on generating sales and retaining customers. 

Individual marketing videos that accomplish those goals collectively can form a comprehensive video marketing strategy that drives sales for your company.

To accomplish this, you'll need a mix of different video formats to engage prospects or customers at every stage of the funnel. 

Selecting Your Video Format

Before you begin, take a look at some of the most common video formats businesses use to drive revenue.

Brand Story Videos

Brand story videos generate brand awareness for people who might not be familiar with your company.

These videos are aspirational to lure the viewer and pique their interest. Over 30% of mobile shoppers choose video as their preferred medium for product discovery.

One example of a brand story video is from Airbnb. The video is shot from the point of view of a train that takes the viewer into different types of settings.

The video is whimsical and on-brand. It effectively showcases what Airbnb is and gives the viewer an idea of Airbnb's mission.

Testimonial Videos

Testimonial videos help users gain confidence in a company's product or service. In them, customers share their unfiltered experience with the company in an authentic way.

These videos don't have to be flashy. In fact, they can be simple. All you need to do is reach out to a customer and see if they'll participate.

The end result can drive more leads for your business and grow consumer confidence.

Not only do they help generate sales, but testimonials drive 62% more revenue from each potential customer.

A great example is the below testimonial video from Explainify (a video animation agency) that they recorded with their client, Plated.

In this video, Josh Lite, Director of Performance Marketing at Plated, talks about the detailed focus and personalized service he received when working with Explainify.

This video helps prospective customers consider how they can integrate Explainify into their tech stack. 

In addition, it adds faces to the company, providing an emotional tie and human feel to the business relationship.

Commercials

Sometimes, businesses need a promo video to showcase their products.

These don't always focus on products. In fact, the main goal is often to entertain and educate the consumer about the company.

Microsoft Teams produced a commercial that showcased how their product helps people "be there when they are not."

The commercial featured intimate group meetings in different settings and highlighted how those who weren't in the meetings wouldn't be "in the know."

This relayed the problem that Microsoft Teams is solving.

Case Studies

Case studies showcase products in an authentic setting. They help prospects understand the potential of what your company can do for them.

Greencopper, a mobile app software company for live events, has a whole page of video case studies that showcase the apps they've created for clients.

The case study showcases the finished product and a use case. In this example, you'll see the app Greencopper created for Life is Beautiful music festival.

Case studies often include a quote from the client who purchased the product. It isn't essential, but it's a nice way to improve the authenticity of the use case.

Product Demos

Product demos showcase the breadth of features built into your product.

Monday.com, a team management tool, included product demo videos on their landing pages that outlined specific use cases.

This video on their "Remote Work" landing page highlights how the customer can use Monday.com as a remote work solution.

Product demos don't have to go in-depth. A two-minute video that shows a specific use case and the software's functionality can go far.

These are just some of the different formats of videos to include in your video strategy.

Once you've selected one, it's time to execute!

Executing Your Video Marketing Strategy

There are four steps for creating your first video: story planning, shooting, editing, and distributing.

Planning your Video's Story

Now that you know your goal and format, it's time to plan your story.

No matter what type of personalized video you're creating — testimonials, commercials, instructional — it's good to keep the format of a story arc in mind.

Your video should use a story arc to achieve the desired outcome. With a story arc, you need to plan your video with four elements:

  • Characters. Who is your target audience?
  • Conflict. What problems are your prospects facing? 
  • Resolution. How does your product or service solve the problem? 
  • CTA. What do you want the viewer to do next?

Story arcs can be applied to all types of videos including commercials, testimonials, case studies, and more.

Story arc outline
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Take a look at this case study example from MailChimp. The 17th Street Athletic Club's story follows a story arc.

The client explains that marketing has always been their "Achilles heel" and MailChimp saved the day with their omnichannel marketing solution.

There is no CTA in the video, but there was one right below it on the landing page. After the viewer finishes, they can click on "Start with a Landing Page" to sign up.

Once you're done with story planning, you're ready to start shooting!

Shooting your Video

It's the most important task: getting it all on film. 

Poorly shot videos can be detrimental to your video marketing efforts. If you don't feel confident with video production, you should outsource this part.

If you feel up to video production, take a look at these three important items:

  • Camera. Consider the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K — Digital Trend's highest-rated video camera on the market for a cost-friendly price. 
  • Lighting. Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, you can choose from clamp or studio lighting. Clamp lights are cost-efficient, while studio lights help control brightness, flash, and exposure.

Of course, if you don't want the hassle of shooting the video and hiring a videographer yourself, we're always here to help. 

You'll probably save money with us rather than purchasing all the equipment you'll need to shoot a high-quality brand video.

We know how expensive video equipment can be, and once you get it, the cut might not look how you want it. That's why sometimes it's best to leave it to the pros. 

Testimonial Hero can create high-quality videos for your business with full-scale production, no travel fees, and fast turnaround.

Editing the Video

Footage that isn't edited is just like a steak that's waiting to be put on the grill.

You don't have to be Spielberg to assemble a polished final cut. Online video editing software can help, including:

  • Adobe Premiere Pro - the standard in high-quality video editing software. It allows the user to edit any type of footage, integrates with all Adobe projects, and can work on any device.
Adobe Premiere Pro video editing software homepage
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  • Magisto - this "smart video" maker promises that customers can "make a video in minutes." Upload your footage, choose a style, and use their built-in AI software to analyze and edit the video for you. 
Magisto video editing software homepage
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  • Biteable - for a quick, low-cost option, consider Biteable to "create stunning videos in minutes." Enjoy templates, stock footage, and an easy way to edit and share your videos to bring your digital marketing and video marketing efforts to life.
Biteable video editing software homepage
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These editing tools are easy to learn and put you in control of the success of your spot.

Distributing your Video

Lastly, with a final cut in hand, you need to begin executing your promotional strategy. How will people see your work?

Let's focus on three of the most popular distribution channels: social media, email, and the web.

Social Media

Send it out! Share it with your followers across all your social media platforms. 

Social media is a great way to get additional exposure and attract new customers who might see your video appear in their feed.

However, each social media network has different dimensions for social video posts. It's important to cut your video to ensure optimal sizing and upload directly to each platform.

Social media video file sizes
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Consumers are seeking more video content. More than 67% of consumers prefer video posts as the "most transparent" compared to other types of posts on social media.

Email

Include your new video in your newsletter and other nurture emails.

Umbel, a data management platform, leverages its newsletter subscriber base to promote pre-recorded webinars featuring clients.

SaaS company webinar announcement example
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This gets your video delivered directly to your prospects and customers. By including it in an email campaign, you'll learn more about their video preferences and tastes.

Your Website

Hosting a video on your website can have meaningful effects on your business.

Adding video to a landing page increases conversion rates by 80%.

Many companies including Constant Contact prominently feature a product demo video on their email landing page.

Website product video example
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If your video is a resource, consider locking or “gating” it on your site as a lead magnet.

Services like Vidyard can help you gate your video, so the user must provide their email in order to watch.

Once you have their email, you can reach out to them and nurture them if they are a qualified lead.

Analyzing Your Video Marketing Strategy

So, did your video marketing campaign work?

The answer lies in reviewing your initial goals that you set at the start of the campaign.

However, no matter the purpose of your video, there are three types of metrics to evaluate: awareness, consideration, and action metrics.

Video marketing KPIs
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Awareness Metrics

Awareness metrics focus on how many people watched the videos. These include views, impressions, unique users, awareness lift, and ad recall lift.

These metrics help you get a surface-level understanding of how your video resonated with your audience.

However, it sometimes isn’t enough just to focus on views. You need to go beyond that to understand how long users viewed the video and what they absorbed from it.

Consideration Metrics

Moving beyond standard video engagements, it’s important to evaluate a video’s watch time.

What good is it if someone just engaged with the video, but didn’t fully watch it?

Consideration metrics include view-through rate, watch time, favorability lift, consideration lift, and brand interest lift.

Action Metrics

Action metrics are the KPIs that quantify how many viewers took a deliberate action after watching the movie. These are often the most important metrics to measure.

Action metrics include clicks, calls, signups, sales, and purchase intent lift.

By analyzing who viewed your video and eventually made a purchase, you can discover the return on investment (ROI) for your video marketing efforts.

Final Thoughts

A properly planned and executed video marketing strategy can increase sales and grow your business.

Marketers who aren’t deploying videos as a component of their marketing strategy are leaving money on the table.

A worthwhile video marketing strategy begins with setting your marketing goals and selecting your video format.

There are plenty of video formats to choose including testimonials, case studies, product demos, commercials, and dozens more.

After your planning is complete, you can begin the writing, shooting, editing, and distribution of your content.

This distribution stage is critical to ensure that your work is reaching your target audience and performing in the way that it is intended.

Once those stages are complete, you can evaluate the success of your video marketing strategy by examining awareness, consideration and action KPIs.

Now that you know what it takes for an effective video marketing strategy, reach out so Testimonial Hero can create video marketing content to grow your business!

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