B2B Online Marketing: The Effectiveness of Videos In The B2B Industry

Online marketing never fails in being effective for B2B businesses, despite many in the industry mixing it up with traditional marketing or other offline efforts. Despite online banner ads and focusing on SEO for search engine marketing, B2B businesses now turn to social media more often to connect with buyers on a more personal level. Part of this comes through the increasing use of video for use in virtually every online location.

Recent proof comes in reports, indicating that 87 percent of all B2B businesses now use video for online marketing, with an increase compared to last year. It's clear that those in the B2B industry finally realize the visual potential of showcasing information about the products they sell to buyers.

At first sight, video might seem like it has limitations when you know your buyers want thorough stats about your products to make an educated buying decision. Nobody says video needs limitations on the kind of information you provide there. Consider some of these video ideas for your B2B online marketing efforts and see if you can't consolidate much of what you'd use in other media formats.

PROVIDING A VIDEO SERIES ON YOUR PRODUCT DETAILS

If you worry you'd go on too long in a video giving details about a product, break the videos down into a series. This is the norm, especially with how-to videos. Not that your video is necessarily a how-to. Instead, think of it as a different form of a whitepaper or infographic.

Be creative when it comes to video possibilities. If you don't have room on your site for an infographic, or if you think that a whitepaper is too overwhelming, then a series of short, three-minute videos listing product information can work. Video also saves more time for your prospective B2B buyers who don't always have time to absorb a lengthy whitepaper or e-book.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF YOUR B2B BUSINESS

As much as your B2B buyers want to know about your products, they also want to know how you make your products. With so much sensitivity to best practices in product manufacturing, a professional host presenting how your products are made is one of the best uses of video.

You can qualify this as a form of branding as well if you use environmentally-friendly procedures. Not all B2B businesses are green, so many buyers will appreciate your transparency.

Make sure your video shows as much detail as possible and present the material so that it's easy to follow about how the production process works. If you can shoot in 4K quality, all the better. You want as much clarity in the details as possible. Don't hesitate to introduce your staff, so the viewer can place a face to those who do each task.

PRODUCT DEMONSTRATIONS

Another great way to showcase the usefulness of your products is by demonstrating them on video. You don't want this to look like an infomercial. Just show your products being used in real-world situations so your buyers see how the products actually work, rather than just showing what the products look like.

You can't ask for better proof in how your product solves problems than in demonstrations shot professionally and with an able demonstrator. Be sure that you hire someone who knows how to use your products easily without causing viewer confusion. Demonstrate the strongest features first, then promise more, creating a kind of video call-to-action.