Video can be deployed at multiple points in your buyer’s journey – from lead to prospect to new customer to current customer.
For example, at the top of your funnel, video supports brand awareness and image building, as well as lead generation. Videos that fit this bill can be uploaded to your website and blog, shared on social media or promoted through paid social media marketing. Video content could focus on what sets your company apart as it serves customer needs. Or it could be about a specific product, service or offer.
For videos at the top of the funnel, you’d want to keep them short (60 seconds or under). Also, make them freely available (meaning, there’s no need for a squeeze page to get an email or other contact info). And include a call to action.
In the middle of the funnel, video can nurture leads or educate buyers. Content would be the follow-up information you’d want to tell them in person – just put in video form and send via email or upload to your offer’s landing page. You’d highlight benefits, reinforce value, outline an offer’s promises, demonstrate products or provide other information to an audience that has expressed interest and taken a step toward learning more.
It’s also best to keep videos in the middle of the funnel short, but you could require an email address before viewing in order to get contact information. Be sure to include a call to action too that moves them toward a purchase.
At the bottom of the funnel, you could educate customers about the importance of routine maintenance through an embedded video in an email message sent after a purchase. Or you could create a series of videos for Frequently Asked Questions or Troubleshooting on a Customer Care page. Even if you’re not including a call to action for a specific offer, you can always incorporate a general CTA for your topic along the lines of “Be sure to contact us if you’d like to learn more.”
The videos you create should tell a good story, and that story begins with a stimulating title that encourages potential viewers to click to watch. In addition, using relevant keywords in the title will help you show up in search engines and get seen by those viewers.
Your introduction should also be strong. Once you’ve persuaded someone to give your video a chance, you’ve still got to capture them in the first ten seconds or you risk losing them before you conclude.
After your introduction makes an impact, tell the rest of your story – avoiding being too salesy but drawing on video’s power to create a connection. Video is a good media for generating emotion as you appeal to buyers’ needs and desires.
Whether you want to make the content relatable to prospects who don’t know who to trust to install new heating and cooling systems or you’re reassuring new customers that they made the right decision as they face a moment of buyer’s remorse – you can better focus on an appropriate story for your video when you know which step they’re on in their buyer’s journey.