Here’s Why Your Small Business Needs Video Marketing

 

Mark Zuckerberg has been saying it for years … consumers want video. Back in 2016, he said, “I just think that we’re going to be in a world a few years from now where the vast majority of the content that people consume online will be video.” Based on our math, this means now is the time for video.

 

 

Video Marketing for Small Business

 

If you’re not already including video in your marketing strategy, you’re missing out. We get it, introducing a new piece to your small business (on top of everything else) is intimidating.

You’re probably concerned you don’t have the budget or the time to do it right. Maybe you’re worried that you don’t have the creative bug to make something awesome, or you’re completely overwhelmed with everything else you’re already doing to keep your business running smoothly. Adding video just may not seem like a high priority for your business right now — but it should be!

We’ve heard all the reasons why small businesses can’t do video and why putting in the work to do it isn’t their first concern. How about we change your mind?

Let’s take a look at all the reasons why you should be incorporating video as soon as possible.

 

 

Why Video Marketing Is Important

 

Stats have shown that a vast 80% of all internet traffic will be video by 2021. Yeah, that’s right … 80%! That means consumers are expecting video from your brand, and if you’re not already meeting their needs (or at least coming up with a plan to do so soon), then you’re falling behind.

Video lets your brand personality shine through, and people love to see it. Customers feel like they can really get to know you through watching a video, as opposed to skimming over long blocks of text or gazing through photos.

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is a library.”

– Srinivas Narayanan, Facebook

 

 

Where To Use Video

 

Even though you understand consumers expect your brand to put video out for them, you may feel that your business or industry isn’t the type that needs it. There are plenty of ways to incorporate video in your brand, no matter who you are.

• Brand videos. Film a video that talks about who your brand is and what you do. This can live on your landing page and is a great way to introduce yourself to new customers.
• Event videos. Next time you organize an awesome event (or attend one that falls in line with your brand), capture parts of it and put it out for your audience to see.
• Email marketing. If you send a monthly or quarterly newsletter, you may consider including a brand-update video. Email open rates increase by 19% if the word ‘video’ is included in the subject line.
• How-to’s, educational tutorials and product descriptions. Tell your consumers about your product or service and how (or where) they can use it. It’s a more engaging way to educate them, and it gives consumers a richer context to the product or service.
• Case studies and testimonials. Let your customers be in the spotlight. Share UGC (user-generated content) videos or ask a few of them to appear in testimonial videos.
• Live videos. The easiest one of them all … live videos can be filmed and shared anywhere you have your smartphone, and people love it! Show your audience what you’re up to or give them a behind-the-scenes look at production.

 

What’s Standing In Your Way?

 

It seems scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s dig deep into the video marketing concerns that have crossed the minds of every small business owner.

“I don’t have time.” When it comes to the time it takes to create a video, you probably have Hollywood production time in the back of your mind — that’s not necessary. When you have a direction and a purpose, take a moment to write it down and sketch it out.

When you know what you want to share and how you want to say it, all you need is 30 minutes to an hour (depending on the video you’re creating) to shoot something simple. No need to spend days producing a short video. We know you’re not Steven Spielberg (and so does your audience) — it doesn’t have to be perfect.

 

“I’m not creative.”

If you’re familiar with your product (which you should be … it is your business), know what your customers want and understand where to research for ideas (hint: check out what your competitors are doing well), you might surprise yourself. It also helps if you can pick at some brains. Pull your team together for a short brainstorming session and bounce ideas off of each other.

Also, realize that you’re not shooting for award-winning production here — don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself. Experiment with ideas and different tools. When you give yourself room to play around and try new things, you’ll find what works best for you. And if you’re nervous about your video, get fresh eyes on it and collect some feedback before posting.

 

“I’m too overwhelmed running my business.”

You’re already slammed with tasks to make sure your business is running smoothly, so even the thought of adding something else onto your plate makes you cringe. You don’t have to do it all yourself. If it’s in your budget, utilize an outside party to create your video for you.

If it’s not in your budget, there are plenty of other tasks that you can outsource for much cheaper. Hire a college student to work on bookkeeping and payroll for you, or find an intern to help you out with administrative duties. There are plenty of virtual assistants, students and interns who would be glad to take some duties off of your plate for the experience or a small paycheck.

“Video is too expensive.”

It doesn’t have to be. It’s not necessary to hire a whole production team to develop a short, simple video for you. There are plenty of tools to help you do it yourself. Check out ‘How To Get Started’ below.

 

 

How To Get Started

 

How you take a whack at video marketing really depends on your budget. As a small business with a little extra money to put toward something new, you can hire a branded content strategist or agency to take care of video for you.

If you have a small budget, sorry (not really), but you’re not off the hook. Only 24% of small businesses outsource their video marketing, which means they do it themselves. You can do it yourself too, just be resourceful. There are plenty of tools to help you do video marketing right.

Here are a few things to get you started:

Lighting

Photography umbrellas are great for creating a bright area for shooting, and small ones are usually only about $30. If you don’t have a photo umbrella (or don’t want to buy one), the big, bright sun is an excellent source of natural light — and the best part is that it’s free!

Studio

If you have a white wall with decent lighting, you’re all set. You can also purchase backdrops in a variety of colors. A bedsheet works great too!

Camera

You practically have a movie making-quality camera in your pocket right now. Smartphones are pretty spectacular at capturing video and are extremely easy and convenient to use. Get the idea that you have to have a huge, expensive camera in order to shoot a quality video out of your head — an iPhone will do.

Tripod

You’ll want your camera to be stable while shooting so you can avoid as much shakiness as possible (we don’t want your audience having to grab a barf bag). A selfie stick will work great too if you’re using a phone.

Audio

Smartphone microphones produce great sound, as long as you stand close enough. If you’re planning on shooting videos from a farther distance, outside or you might be around loud background noise, it’s a good idea to find a mic (or two, if you’re doing interviews). Mics start at about $80 each and go up from there, so depending on your budget, you’re probably not going to break the bank here.

Script

Sit down for a half-hour and think about exactly what you want your message to be. Write out what you want to say and practice it a few times. It’ll make shooting the video easier and quicker if your dialogue is already figured out.

 

Editing

Editing isn’t always necessary for things like a live video, but if it does seem like you need to edit, there are tons of free editing programs out there: iMovie for Apple users, iPhone and Android apps, Movie Creator for Windows users.

Altogether, you’re probably looking at only $100-$200 to create your own video production studio. Not as spendy as you thought, right?

 

 

The time to start video marketing is TODAY! With these simple tools, you have the ability to create a filming studio and video campaign up in no time. Remember: start small, stay focused, experiment and be resourceful. You got this!