5 Powerful Types of Video Content for Effective Marketing

According to Forbes, approximately 64% of consumers who watch a video on a product or service are more likely to purchase it.

So it’s not surprising that 87% of online marketers say that they plan to use video content as part of their marketing mix.

If you are just jumping on the video marketing bandwagon and don’t know where to begin, we have put together this list of the top five types of video content you should use to support your marketing.

1. Animated Explainer Videos

Among all the types of videos, animated explainers are the best way to cover educational, technical and informative content since they engage the human brain visually and auditorily at the same time.

They are usually short 30 to 45 to 90 second segments and are focused on delivering information in an easy-to-understand and snappy way.

Keep in mind that we as consumers have increasingly short attention spans and can easily be distracted. It’s typically best practice with this type of video content to let the graphics do some of the explaining, without having to incorporate it all into the written script read by a voiceover artist.

And whilst we are on the subject of scripts, remember that it’s easy to fall into the trap of overwriting your script. As a general rule, for every 1-minute video the script should be approximately 160 words.

You will likely need to cut down and refine your script a few times before you pass it over to your video production company.

Finally, when you do sit down to write your script, it can be useful to think of it in terms of a three-part narrative. The first part should introduce your audiences’ problem, the middle should frame your product or service as the solution and the third should provide a powerful call-to-action.

2. Business Profile ‘Why’ Videos

While most marketing efforts are directed towards informing potential customers of a product or a service’s price, features, and qualities, it is just as important for them to know your brand’s ‘why’ story. That is where the ‘Why’ video comes into play.

In today’s market where you not only have local business competitors, but also international, your company’s trustworthiness and track history are extremely important to your customers’ decision-making process.

Prospective clients also want to see who they will be working with and the people behind the brand.

Business Profile videos are a great avenue for you to communicate your values and your dedication to providing solutions. It’s all about customer service and the user experience!

This example from Kula Yoga, is a great example of showing the people behind the business.

3. Online Advertisements, Television Commercials and Campaign Promotion Videos

The trend in recent years has been toward authenticity and away from the big production values of the traditional television commercial. That said there is still a place for the TVC and if you’re lucky enough to have the budget to support the media buys required to get your video on TV, then this is undoubtedly a direction that you will want to take.

However, even if you do have the budget for a bright, shiny TVC, it’s still important to consider where it will be distributed. More than likely there will be some online component to your distribution strategy, so you will need to give careful thought to how your video will be repurposed for the various mediums where it is likely to appear.

This example from Burger King for their $5 Stunner campaign, is a great example of video content that has been created with the end in mind.

4. Landing Page Videos

According to landing page platform Unbounce, landing pages which feature a video can see as much as an 80% boost in conversion rates compared with pages that do not. This is why when you are creating a custom page for a product, service or promotion, you should leave space for video content.

The good news is that you don’t have to start from scratch. You could take one of the videos from this list that you have already created and adjust some of the messaging and call-to-action at the end to support your specific landing page content. It’s all about re-purposing!

Hot Jar include a composite video on their landing page which includes testimonials and endorsements from high profile users of their web analytics software, repurposed into a captivating sequence.

5. Self-Shot Videos

Today’s modern marketer requires a lot of content and given the power of video to communicate messages effectively, coupled with the significant uplift in engagement rates on platforms such as Facebook, producing your own video content can be a compelling option.

Today’s consumer is generally accepting of self-shot videos, you certainly don’t need to be JJ Abrams, however there are some basic tips that you should follow. It can also pay to use a professional video production company to touch up your finished work. Some simple graphics, background music or a professional voiceover can make a big difference to the end result.

This article from the video production company WeMOV provides some helpful hints for shooting your own video content, or you could just watch the video below. 🙂

Danica Ratte
Marketing Manager (WeMOV)

Author Bio: Danica Ratte is Marketing Manager for video production company WeMOV (or We Make Online Video if you prefer). Danica and the team at WeMOV work closely with small business, creative, commercial and large corporations to produce high-quality, affordable and meaningful video content.