by Victor Blasco
Video has become an essential part of the modern marketing landscape. It has proven to be a valuable tool for attracting new customers, retaining existing ones, and increasing brand awareness. What is not so well understood is just how helpful videos are for increasing conversions.
Conversion simply refers to the action you want shoppers to take when interacting with your content online, like signing up for your shiny mailing list or outright purchasing. If you are wondering what makes video content so effective in generating conversions, why some strategies benefit more from quirky video explainers while others need content like testimonials and ads, or what types of video content can help translate passing interest into conversions for your business, you have come to the right place.
Video Content as Conversion Engines
Like it or not, video has become a major part of our daily lives. Now, more than ever, consumers are watching videos on their phones, tablets, and computers all throughout the day. For businesses looking to increase conversions, this means that there is no better tool available to grab someone’s attention long enough to take action.
In a more practical sense, here is how marketing videos continue to prove to be eminently effective conversion-generators:
- Stand Out & Improve Your Reach
- Videos Help to Build Trust
- Videos are More Personal
- Videos are More Engaging
Increasing Conversions with the Right Types of Videos
1. Videos Help You Stand Out & Improve Your Reach
Video content is innately compelling due to the very nature of multimedia presentations and audience preferences. This means high-quality marketing videos are more likely to attract viewers who are looking for something unique and distinctive, which also gets consumers talking and sharing. More exposure equals more opportunity for conversions.
2. Videos Help to Build Trust
In spite of good advice, shoppers are known to judge books by their covers — which in digital marketing terms relates to the quality of the content you put out there. When potential customers see how professional and trustworthy your business and messages are portrayed in a video, they are more likely to trust that information and want to be associated with you, especially when compared with other types of media.
3. Videos are More Personal
Videos make consumers feel like they are talking directly to the person who made them, which makes the experience more immersive. When your audience is truly listening to what you have to say, they are more likely to remember you as a brand and what you bring to the table.
4. Videos are More Engaging
Consumers love watching videos because of how engaging they can be. Videos provide an outstanding balance between information delivery, entertainment, and practicality. Add to the list that they are easy to digest and remember, and you have a recipe for success.
As great as the medium is, it can be tricky to get started — especially if you lack experience in the field. The most important thing to remember here is that video content is not a one-size-fits-all solution. No matter what kind of business you run, there are different types of videos that you will need to implement across different stages of your conversion strategy.
Increasing Conversions with the Right Types of Videos
Now that you see how videos can be a great addition to your conversion campaign, it is time to understand that different types of videos will each individually fulfill different types of marketing goals and move shoppers into action.
Let us take a closer look at several types of video content that can help you turn more of those cold leads into warm ones:
Explainer Videos
These are short videos that make use of storytelling to convey a particular message to your audience. They are perfect for giving users an overview of your campaign’s message, or they can also be used to introduce new products and services.
Over the years, explainer video studios have optimized the format to traditionally end with a call to action, which allows you to tailor it to suit a specific action/conversion you want your audience to take, synergizing with your strategy’s core takeaway.
Commercials
When looking for a short, engaging video that gets your name out there in the most efficient manner, a commercial video is the way to go. Online commercials are typically under 60 seconds long and are specific to one message, product, or service.
Commercials tend to work as an introduction or first point of contact to your funnel. If your audience likes what they see, they are likely to want to know more about your offerings and probe further, which means entering your content funnel and becoming potential conversions down the road.
Product Demo Video
This is a product video where you show customers how an item works. The format allows you to cover benefits, features, and any key information that makes your product stand out. Product demos are all about enticing your audience with what you have to offer and can give you an ideal avenue to get subscriptions to mailing lists with more information or even prompt downloads of apps/trial software installs, and product purchases.
How-To Video
A how-to video is a short and flexible format that walks viewers through a process or sets of steps that can be tied to anything from how to make a cake to how to make your business more profitable. With this kind of video, you want to tackle a problem that your audience might face or a topic they would be interested in. Then, provide a step-by-step guide that delivers practical value to them. How-tos are great for establishing your brand as an industry expert and can work both as an ideal point of entry to your funnel and to move prospects into finding out what else you have got to offer.
Customer Testimonial Video
Customer testimonials revolve around having consumers sharing real opinions and experiences they have had with your brand, product, or service. As part of your funnel, they excel at generating conversion at the latter stages, when potential converts might meet last-minute resistance. After all, once they see how you have helped others with something, they will be more likely to follow through with what you are offering them and take action.
Video content is one of the top ways businesses are increasing their conversion rates, and it is easy to see why: they give visitors the information they need and different formats engage viewers in different ways, which can be tailored to suit your funnel’s specific requirements. It is time to start overhauling your outdated and unresponsive funnels with high-quality videos that grab eyeballs, and you can soon see your conversation rates skyrocketing.
Victor Blasco is an audiovisual designer, video marketing expert, and founder/CEO of the explainer video production company Yum Yum Videos. Besides running the business, he’s a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek for all things sci-fi.