Video is part of an effective inbound marketing strategy, but it takes more than just placing one video on one landing page to create a strategy. You should use varied types of videos – strategically placed – to attract prospects and help them move through the buyer’s journey of awareness, consideration and decision.
Awareness phase
In this phase, the prospect may have heard your brand name from a piece of content you’ve published or (best case scenario) a referral. You want to give them more information about your brand and make good an impression. For this, you can use both introductory and educational videos.
Introductory videos
Introductory videos share a basic outline of your brand. These videos will tell people if your brand is fun or serious, high-end or affordable, new or established, etc. Plus, intro videos tell people about your values. Where to use them: Website homepage, YouTube channel homepage , Facebook page (pinned at the top of the page) and key social media accounts.
Educational videos
Educational videos are designed to bring value to prospects and forge a relationship of trust. Display your market expertise so people know they can count on your brand to help solve their problems. It’s best if these videos are more general and not focused on specific products or services. For example, a landscaping company might make a video telling viewers about how to spot a diseased tree so they can have it cut down before it does any damage to their home. Where to use them: Blog, newsletter, YouTube channel , social media, and email marketing campaigns.
Consideration phase
Once prospects are aware of your brand and know about it, they’ll want to compare it to other options in market to find the best deal. In this phase, you want to get more specific about how your brand and the products or services you sell can help solve problems and make lives easier and better. Product videos, How-To videos and explainer videos will help prospects better get to know your brand and its offerings.
Product videos
As the name implies, product videos showcase your products and services. Highlight features that make your products and services worth the purchase. Live action videos of usage scenarios are ideal. Where to use them: Product pages, landing pages, and product-specific promotional material.
How-To videos
Technically, How-To videos could be considered educational. But, rather than just sharing information, they specifically tell people how to do something. This could relate specifically to a product or service you offer or be more general. For example, if you sell AI software that assists with research, you could create a screencast showing viewers how to use the software to make a professional-looking report. Or you could create a video sharing how to impress your boss with statistical research that doesn’t specifically pertain to the product, yet use it in the video. Where to use them: Blog, newsletter, landing pages , social media, and email marketing.
Explainer videos
More in-depth explainer videos go beyond introductions and actually tell viewers in detail (but not too much detail) about what you do and how they can benefit. Explainers are especially helpful if your company does something that’s a bit complicated. You may need a series of explainer videos if you have multiple facets to your business that need an explanation. Animated explainer videos are quite popular now, as they are engaging and will usually keep people’s attention, as long as they are only a minute or two long. Where to use them: Landing pages , YouTube channel, social media , and email marketing.
Decision phase
Now the prospect has checked you out, gotten to know you, and will decide between you and competitors. This is where the “vote” happens. You either get the prospect’s vote (i.e. money) or they give it to someone else. You can still influence their decision with About us and Testimonial videos.
About us videos
All brands have a story and people behind them. About us videos showcase this and give prospects a glimpse behind the logo revealing the history of the brand and personal stories about the people who created it. These videos are meant to drive deeper connections with prospects and make your brand relatable. Where to use them: About us page, social media and YouTube channel .
Testimonial videos
Testimonial videos allow prospects to make connections with satisfied customers. These videos share exactly how you’ve helped customers solve their problems. Hearing first-hand accounts is a great motivator to turn prospects into buyers. Where to use them: Testimonials page and social media.
With the right combination of videos and a video distribution strategy, you can build an inbound marketing strategy that ushers prospects through the three stages of the buyer’s journey, allowing them to become acquainted with your brand, learn to trust your brand and ultimately form a relationship with your brand.
Jack Anzarouth is the founder and president of Digital Ink Marketing in New York City. Digital Ink is a full-service branding and marketing agency serving the New York area. Connect with @digital_ink_ny on Twitter.
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