5 Reasons to Create Video Marketing Assets!

Wondering why videos are so important for small businesses? Short-form video content has ruled social media for years now, with YouTube, Instagram and even LinkedIn trying to compete with TikTok. If you’ve jumped on the video creation bandwagon already, we’ve got good news! Video content is going to continue to dominate for the foreseeable. If you’re yet to grab your camera, we’re here to explain why you might be about to rethink.

Video content is nothing new, but the accessibility of the medium for local businesses has never been higher. Gone are the days of corporate multi-million-dollar videos. Now people are looking for candid content, short bursts of knowledge and that personal touch.

1. It Humanizes Your Brand

We’ve all seen the swing in preference in recent years from faceless big businesses to small brands filled with personality. Putting yourself out there in video form helps people to see the real you and decide for themselves if they want to do business with you. It might feel like this is only applicable to those in the B2C sector, but the evidence is that it is just as effective in B2B marketing. We can’t trust what we don’t know; getting your face out there helps people to feel that “know, like, and trust” that you hear about so often.

2. You Can Explain Yourself Clearly

If you sell physical products, nothing is as clear as a quick tutorial video. If you sell services, you can explain how your offering helps a buyer. Focus on the benefits to the consumer, not a list of what they get (they can see that on your website!), and remember to keep it short. A series of short videos will engage people much more effectively than one long video… and you get more content to post too!

3. People Love Video Content!

The rise of YouTube, followed by TikTok, Instagram Reels etc. shows that the world loves video content. Even on LinkedIn, video content performs well. More people stop scrolling, and more people engage with it. If you can deliver likeable video content, it will definitely draw a crowd. Psst… there’s also an added bonus! If you are creating video content on TikTok, YouTube or Instagram Reels, you may be able to add an income stream through their Creator Funds or advertising.

4. Video Communicates Clearly

There’s a reason copywriters can demand such a high fee – few people have the skills (or the confidence in their skills) to write precisely enough that no one will misunderstand. How often have you written a text or an email only to discover that the person on the other end didn’t quite take it as you intended? Yet, when you’re in front of someone, the chances of that happening plummet. It’s true that video is more difficult for us to understand perfectly than seeing someone in person, but if you aren’t a comfortable, competent wordsmith, you’re better off on film.

5. Video Works for Mobile Users

One of the trends that has pushed video-based social media into the limelight is that mobile devices have become the platform of choice for many internet users. 53% of Canadian internet users aged 18-34 accessed the web most often with their mobile devices in 2022. Even those of us with computers aren’t able to stay offline when we’re out of the house. Remember the last time you tried to read a lot of content on your phone. It’s just not that comfortable to do. I regularly bookmark things to read later once I’m at a laptop. Video is easy to absorb on smaller screens than text. It’s easier on the eyes, it’s less easy to be distracted by day-to-day sounds around you, and the data suggests that mobile device usage will continue to rise in the coming years.

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The differences between social media video content and website video content

Before you get concerned about the expense and time of professional video content for your small business, you can breathe a sigh of relief. There is a time and a place for professional video content, but it isn’t always necessary.

Website video content

Website video content should be professional, well-lit, and edited. A brand video tells your audience everything they need to know about your business, so you don’t want it to look cheap.

Social media video content

On social media, people are more forgiving. Social media video content can be filmed on your phone, definitely doesn’t need to be perfect, and can start at as little as 10 seconds long! Share something fun, tease a new product or share a quick tip with your audience.

Webinar video content

You might have experimented with webinars to promote your business. They are a great tool to generate leads and show your knowledge, and they can feel like you get a bit more bang for your buck than a social media clip. Just like the difference between website content and socials, the format of your webinar is what counts. If you are pre-recording (the introvert’s best friend!), people will expect it to be edited and error-free. If you are going live, the audience will forgive misspeaks, camera issues and anything else that might crop up.

Excited but don’t know where to start?

Knowing that you should create video content is one thing but knowing what to create is another. If you’d like to talk about your strategy, professional content for your website, or anything else in this article, book a call or email us.

Cyber PR Army Solutions Inc. Digital Marketing Made Easy.