Unleash Greatness
Unleash Greatness
Video marketing is growing in prominence and popularity. According to a recent HubSpot report,
43 percent of people say they want to see more video marketing from their favorite companies and brands.
Simply put, online consumers find it easy and appealing to engage with video; that represents a significant opportunity for manufacturers.
In fact, manufacturers who launch video marketing campaigns can see several key benefits:
For outreach to potential customers, video marketing can be invaluable. Often, consumers don’t have time to read a 500-word blog. But, many may be intrigued enough to open a video they see in a YouTube playlist or shared on social media.
For manufacturers, video can be used to demo products, provide tutorials, and go behind-the-scenes of your manufacturing process—all of which are ways to show that your products are well-made and reliable. This can be all that’s required to convert an unknown visitor into a prospect.
Video can also be humanizing and fun; it can help your brand to be more relatable and to connect with consumers. For example, a behind-the-scenes video of your team can help the viewer feel like he or she knows your business on a personal level—and that, in turn, can build brand loyalty and increase the likelihood of social media shares, etc.
The bottom line: Manufacturers should take video marketing seriously, but not just because it’s popular; rather, because there are reasons for its popularity, concrete benefits your company can gain
Before we get into the specifics of how manufacturers can leverage video marketing, let’s pause for a case-in-point. Okuma, a manufacturer of machine tools, has a robust, highly active YouTube page; even a quick scan of their video library will reveal their commitment not just to high-volume video content, but also to truly diverse video content.
There are a couple of noteworthy things about this diverse video collection.
First, the sheer eclecticism of content is designed for engagement; there are always interesting new videos, on diverse topics, for customers and prospects to consume.
Second, these videos are made to address different types of consumers and different consumer needs. Some provide technical insight; others address potential questions or doubts about the products; some provide social proof, and others convey thought leadership.
Okuma is a great example of how a manufacturer can use video to its advantage. Wondering how you can get started? Here are just a few potential strategies.
Show how your products/parts work or how they’re different. This is a great opportunity to show usefulness, quality, and other product differentiators.
Is there something in your manufacturing process that sets you apart from the competition, or creates value in your products? Production videos can show rather than tell the things that make your process unique.
Prove that you’re a company that invests in its customers; create educational videos.
Leverage videos to show your expertise in your industry. Thought leadership will position you as an expert and will differentiate you from your competition.
A vlog is a great place for any company to start. Show what goes on at your company and among your team members, and help make your company feel more human, trustworthy, and relatable.
That same HubSpot report that we noted earlier indicates that there are more than 500 businesses creating 250,000 videos this year. This is the new frontier in marketing, and it’s one you can’t afford to ignore.
You may not be doing video marketing yet, but it’s likely that some of your competitors are.
The good news is, you don’t have to be left in the dust, nor do you have to start off with a huge video commitment; something as simple as a vlog can be a great first step.
Then, as you see video marketing’s ROI, boost your production values with professional-grade demos and product launch videos.
Again, you don’t have to start big with video marketing—but it’s critically important that you do start.
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