Getting Started With B2B Video
Images can be compelling, breathtaking, and say more to an audience than any amount of copy ever could. Now, imagine thirty images per second telling a story, and what do you have? Video!
Video is powerful and engages more of our senses into the messaging we’re receiving. Video leads to more engaged viewership and the positive feedback speaks for itself. In a State of Video Marketing survey by Wyzowl, 86% of marketers say video has been effective generating leads and 81% feel that video has a positive impact on sales performance.
Below, we will walk through how to get started with B2B video and highlight different video categories marketers can utilize for their video strategy.
The Fundamentals of B2B Video Marketing
Luckily today you don’t need a fancy camera to make great videos. If you own a smartphone, you have more power in your pocket than Spielberg had when he debuted his first feature film. A small marketing team can make great video content, even with limited resources. Fewer resources equals more creativity, and I know from experience that a trashcan makes a great tripod.
Below we’ll break your video strategy into three steps, pre-production, production, and post-production. Each of these steps have multiple subcategories but for the sake of starting your own B2B video strategy, we’ll focus on the fundamentals.
Pre-Production
One of the most important parts of making a great video is storyboarding. This is the step where visions get crumbled and thrown into the trash can, or imagination becomes reality in high definition.
Certain types of video require more storyboarding than others. Product videos often require more rigorous storyboarding because the message needs to be engaging but also sell the product. The graphic designer and I at Triblio spent countless hours on the pre production stage of our Orchestration Canvas video. In return, it shortened the production and post production stages. See the video below:
Production
There are two approaches to video in my mind; rigorously prepare at the drawing board or whatever happens, happens.
“Whatever happens, happens to you by you, through you; you are the creator, enjoyer and destroyer of all you perceive,”
- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Some of the best video content you consume had no prior planning. Video is an art form and the best art doesn’t have a checklist. Some of the most iconic scenes in film history were by accident, because your natural environment and emotions will always be more convincing than a script. When filming videos or interviews, be prepared, but also don’t stress and feel like you need to know it all before you’re filming.
For those of you new to video, I do recommend reading more on filming basics and understanding video composition techniques like the rule of thirds and using proper lighting. Read more here: https://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds-in-video/
Post-Production
Post production is my favorite, and oftentimes my crutch. I asked for Final Cut Pro one Christmas in my teens and never looked back.
The idea here is to make your pre-production and production stages as polished as possible, so your post-production stage is smooth. However, post-production is powerful and can bail you out of a lot of production mishaps. This is by far my greatest strength in video work and because of that, I know I can manipulate and edit cuts to be exactly as they were envisioned even if the production wasn’t up to par. Although there are tons of powerful ways to edit video, basic cuts and sequencing can go a long way to creating great in-house video for your company. This stage also has the biggest learning curve because it relies heavily on learning multiple softwares and best practices.
Luckily, editing software has become more readily available and easier to use with tons of tutorials available on YouTube.
Total Beginner’s Guide to Video Editing
How Important Is Video?
Before we jump into the categories of videos your company can benefit from, I want to stress how beneficial implementing video into your marketing strategy can be. The 2022 State of Video Marketing Survey also found that 94% of marketers agree videos have helped increase user understanding of their product or service. This stat coupled with the fact that B2B buyer’s average video consumption time continues to increase annually, means you’re missing out on demand gen opportunities when video content isn’t being created.
To get started, set goals for your video marketing strategy and choose which platform(s) you want your videos to be hosted on (YouTube, Vimeo, company website). If you're new to video, keep your goals simple. An example of a video marketing goal would be to increase brand awareness, establish industry authority, or increase website traffic. Having your goals planned helps determine which videos your marketing efforts should be focused on.
With that said, what videos can we create to inform buyers that your product can solve their problems?
Customer Stories
One of the most compelling forms of video for your business are customer stories. A customer story is a perfect use case for effective video strategy and helps establish industry authority. These videos serve as a detailed testimonial to the products you're offering as well as what others can expect when working with your company long term. Let’s check out a great customer story created by Palantir Technologies, highlighting their partnership with Scuderia Ferrari:
Social Media Clips
Social media video certainly is the most fun video option available for B2B companies. In a sometimes seemingly strict environment, when comparing B2B marketing to B2C marketing, social media video allows B2B companies to be more creative and produce video that relates to the personable side of buyers.
At Triblio we decided to recreate mean tweets, a popular segment on Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show, with a sweet twist. See below:
Product Videos
As previously mentioned, product videos require much more pre-production preparation before filming. These types of videos need to be catchy, create a clear message on what the product is, and show the product's value.These videos can also be commercial-like (Google Pixel) or longer and more informative (HubSpot).
Watch these examples below:
Sales Prospecting Videos
Another example of using video to generate demand is with platforms like Vidyard. Vidyard allows your BDRs or SDRs to record personalized video that can then be sent to prospects. This video tactic helps your email stand out in a decision maker's crowded inbox. As mentioned above, video engages more senses than copy alone, creating a visual and auditory experience for a potential customer can go a long way versus traditional outbound methods.
Check out more on prospecting videos from Vidyard below:
Customer Support Videos
Video is also a great tool to establish customer product knowledge. Our very own Triblio Academy was produced in-house and consists of five in depth courses to help our customers get the most out of our product. These videos are great for all customers and provide a resource that’s available 24/7. Below is a preview of Triblio Academy:
Final Cut
Remember, you don’t need state-of-the-art equipment to create engaging video. However, it is important to be realistic with your initial videos and add more elements to your strategy as you gain experience. If something like a customer story is too demanding, start small with social media clips and then work your way up to longer videos with more elements.
With B2B marketing trends continuing to favor video consumption, now is a great time to get started with your B2B strategy if you haven’t done so already.
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