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The 8 videos you meet in B2B marketing
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much more is a motion picture worth? That seems to be the thinking behind the rapid rise of video in B2B marketing.
In fact, four out of five B2B marketers report success in using
video as a marketing tool, and two-thirds of them say they plan to increase
budgets for video, encouraged by strong support from the C-suite.
But not all videos are created equal, or even developed for
the same purpose and audience. To help ensure success in your next video
project, we’ve outlined 8 types of BtoB videos you should be using – plus a few
tips to ensure your project goes smoothly.
The average person
watches five and a half hours of video content every day
– and about one-fifth of that viewing is done on a mobile device. Your prospects are consuming video, so meet them where their eyeballs are.
Even if you have already incorporated video into your marketing plans, there are plenty of ways to build out even more content. Here are eight types of compelling B2B videos to consider. With each, we've included an example of our own video productions.
CASE STUDY – B2B marketers cite case studies as the second most
effective tactic for influencing prospects in the sales process. Just like its print equivalent, a video case study shares an up-close and personal story of
how your solution/product solved a real-life customer’s problem.
However, video has the advantage over print in
allowing you to showcase immediate utility and tell your story with a winning
combination of audio and visuals. The most common format for a case study is:
problem, solution, results – and it’s important to provide as much as possible
in the “results” section, as this is where the viewer will understand the
benefits your solution can offer them.
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USE CASE – Say you have a fairly technical solution, or your product
addresses a complex problem… a video, or perhaps a video series, is the ideal
way to explain how it works, and show situations where you solve a problem
prospects and customers are facing. Where a written description might be
overwhelming, video offers bite-sized information that can help shed light on
how to use your product or new ways it’s being utilized.
We like to think of a use-case video as a case study
without a specific customer – which has the advantage that you don’t need to
worry about getting a sign-off from a customer either!
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DEMO OR HOW-TO – In later stages of the buyer’s journey – once your
company is on the short list – product demos are an important way to to
differentiate your offering from the competition. But beware – demos can tend
to be dry and slow, especially if they’re just screen captures with a
voiceover.
So how can you make it more engaging? Put
yourself in your prospect’s shoes and avoid the technical walk-through. Instead,
use examples with a real or pretend customer and to showcase how your solutions
solves a problem. Remember, your goal is to keep prospects engaged!
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RESEARCH – If, like many marketers, you conduct regular surveys of your customers or on market trends, and produce a written research report as part of their content
strategy. Repurpose the same research findings into a short video where a
company executive discusses the impact of your findings, or calls out a few of
the highlights and explains their significance.
We find it best not to simply repeat the what’s in the
report; instead, use the video to provide analysis and commentary, positioning
your spokesperson as a thought leader, and stimulating a broader discussion. If
your team is feeling extra confident, you can even make some predictions about
what you’ll find next time you repeat the survey.
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Arketi InsightsCase Studies Make a Comeback
How to create case studies that convince and compel in today’s short-attention world
Blogs, infographics and tweets may generate more buzz these days, but a well-written case study remains a powerful tool in persuading a prospect. In fact, many B2B marketers rank case studies their second strongest tactic, right behind in-person events.
But today’s prospect wants doesn’t want the standard, dry case study. Let’s look at some ways to keep things fresh and effective.
VIDEO CAMPAIGN – With online video, the key is to keep things short
and snappy. Resist the urge to cram too much into one video – break it up into
shorter and more digestible clips that focus on one topic at a time. Viewers
always prefer to select the topics they are most interested in without sitting through
lengthy videos.
This approach makes it easier to tackle
complex topics in easily digestible chunks, and can help you build an audience
of subscribers. Generate the same type of interest and expectation by releasing
your video series in a consistent format on a regular schedule, so viewers
know when the next video will be available.
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TOPICAL – What if you don’t have enough content to make a full
video series, or you don’t have any new product information to provide? One-off
videos on a current industry issue or trend can have a powerful impact and
position you as a participant in the industry conversation.
Simply record a video statement from a
company spokesperson that conveys your organization’s stance on a topic. Be
careful not to attack competitors, but focus on your company’s vision, values
and the role your product plays.
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INFLUENCER – While it may be easier to talk about yourself, industry
influencers – especially those with a large social following – can help promote
your content and bring new website visitors you might otherwise not reach. One
approach is to conduct an interview with someone well-known in the market.
Keep the interview educational and
informational, rather than overtly promotional, as this will encourage viewers
to share it on social media. Those shares not only spread your content to a
wider audience, but the links back to your site will bost your search engine
visibility and your site’s authority.
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PRESENTATIONS – If your presentation is engaging to a live
audience, it’s likely good enough for video! Keynote presentations, panel
sessions and fireside chats can all be a great basis for video. Record the
presentation as it is being given, and release that as a single replay. Then try slicing the video into shorter clips on individual topics – these can
be shared separately across social channels, and used to complement other
marketing pieces.
Didn’t quite get the video quality you
wanted? Don’t despair. Provided the sound quality was acceptable, you can lay
the audio track over the slides, just as you would for a webinar. Even if the video
is good quality, cutting away to full-screens of the slides ensures they are
readable and provides a variety of visual pace.
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The Future of Search and PR
As the media landscape continues to evolve, PR and marketing professionals must adapt how they communicate with journalists. Our team sat down with Serena Ehrlich, director of social at Business Wire, to discuss the future of Search and PR.
Shoot for success
Today’s tools make shooting, editing and promoting video simple and inexpensive, but as with most marketing tactics, planning and preparation make the difference between good and great. Here are a few tips from the Arketi video crew on making your next video a box office success!
- Write a script – No one – and we mean no one – can wing it. If
broadcasters don’t make up their script on the fly, neither should you!
- Check your audio – Sound quality is more important than video
quality. There’s no b-roll for audio, and if your recording sounds bad, chances
are editing will not be able to fix it.
- Allow enough time – When shooting, schedule plenty of time for
multiple takes. One rule of thumb is to allot one hour to shoot 90 seconds of
content.
- Shoot in the highest resolution – Always capture the highest
quality video you can. You can compress down later, but there’s no way to up the
resolution after the fact. And while it may be convenient in most cases, your
mobile phone is a poor choice for shooting marketing videos!
- Think beyond the talking head – Can’t find the right on-screen talent?
Consider simple animations (you can build them in Powerpoint or Keynote). For a more serious feel, use images or slides with
voice-overs.
- Use a streaming service – Videos are large files and hosting on your own website will almost certainly lead to erratic playback performance, and possibly big bills for bandwidth. Use a dedicated service, such as Vimeo Pro, Wistia or YouTube, to stream your video.
Rising like a Phoenix – for a decade
Since taking home its first PRSA Phoenix Award in 2005, Arketi Group has won an award every consecutive year. This year was no different – except that the awards themselves have had a facelift!
The Phoenix Awards recognize projects and programs that demonstrate excellence in the public relations profession in Georgia. This year, Arketi was honored with a total of four awards for our work on behalf of clients Aptean, Cox Business, Recall and NCR Silver. Congratulations to everyone who helped these campaigns rise to the top!
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