It sounds too good to be true, right? How could adding a few videos to your website possibly increase sales by 100%?
First, let’s talk a little bit about video marketing in general. In a previous blog, we highlighted the reasons behind the ever-growing popularity of video content: users can view and share videos across multiple platforms, can easily find video content (thanks in large part to YouTube), and watch their videos on just about any device, from a smartphone to a “smart” home theater. In response to this popularity, businesses and content creators now generate videos in higher quantity and quality than ever — in fact, most of what makes up “the internet” consists of video content. The sheer volume of videos available means that users now expect to find videos about whatever they’re interested in.
But what does that have to do with online sales?
Well, here’s some facts to consider. First, check out the results of two surveys performed by HubSpot about the type(s) of content customers want and remember from their favorite brands:
The data makes it clear that most customers want to see videos from your business. It makes sense — a video demonstration of a product, for example, is not only much easier to “digest” than a long, wordy product sheet, but also does a better job of demonstrating and explaining how the product works. Of course, maybe your business doesn’t sell products, but services or experiences. Even simple videos of, say, the amenities and landscape at your resort or hotel helps your potential guests and clients to imagine how much they’d enjoy a weekend getaway.
Further statistics show that customers aren’t just saying they enjoy videos, they’re proving it with their purchases. An online shopper who views a product video is almost twice as likely to make a purchase. So not only are hundreds of millions of users watching hundreds of millions of videos every day, but they’re making purchasing decisions based on the videos they watch. That’s a huge potential audience your business could be capitalizing on!
Now, even if you understand the importance of video and the potential benefits, it can seem like generating video content takes too much time, effort, and initial investment. Here’s a few thoughts to consider to help overcome your reservations:
- Most smartphones these days come equipped with cameras that are more than capable of recording quality video footage. In fact, they’ve become such a common tool for video recording that a variety of accessories design just for that purpose are available, such as smartphone-specific tripods.
- Incorporating videos into your digital marketing doesn’t necessarily mean you need to record video. There are several online tools, apps, and software programs that allow you to easily create professional quality videos using only images, text, and animations.
- Facebook’s “Live Video” feature allows you to “broadcast” video to your social media followers; the live recording is then saved to your page so anyone can view it again in the future. “Live” videos are intended to be spontaneous and unscripted — people enjoy seeing a candid peek into the day-to-day operations of your business.
Long story short, marketing experts all agree that video is the most important type of content for your digital marketing into the foreseeable future. It has the power to provide a huge boost to your sales, increase your social media following, bolster the reputation of your brand, and improve your SEO — all at once!
We’d love to sit down with you and put together a game plan for how your business can incorporate video into your digital marketing strategies. Get in touch with us today!
