There is a common misconception among the business world that video content marketing is an expensive and time-consuming endeavour. Yet with a little know-how and Instagram’s free video capabilities, you can produce fascinating, informative and entertaining videos for next to nothing and share them instantly on your social media networks.
Instagram started life as a photo sharing service, but incorporated video in the middle of 2013. The fully loaded video service allows users to record, upload and share 15-second video clips. They can also be edited on Instagram and have filters applied to give normal cell phone quality footage an epic cinematic quality.
Video marketing is a hot topic and is enjoying spectacular growth among businesses of all sizes and genres. Just look at some of the stats:
- Online video users will double to 1.5 billion in 2016. (Cisco)
- In 2016, online video traffic will account for 55% of all consumer Internet traffic. (Cisco)
- 52% of consumers say watching product videos give them more confidence in their purchasing decisions. (Invodo)
- 76% of marketers are planning to add video to their websites. (Social Media Examiner)
Instagram is playing an increasingly large part in this new video content marketing wave. Small businesses that can’t afford glossy TV commercials can resonate strongly with their customers and attract new ones with well thought out short video productions. Here’s how:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/35ZWM2vfjME Showcase your products – film little demo segments of your products and show how easy they are to set up. The videos can be divided into bite-sized 15-second chunks. Or just demonstrate your products being used as in this 14-second video from yoga-inspired athletic apparel company Lululemon.
When you’ve got a new product coming out, shoot a little sneak preview to whet the audience’s appetite. It’ll help create a sense of excitement and expectation. You may even generate some pre-orders.
Film video testimonials – satisfied customers are among the most powerful marketing tools so ask some of yours to film short video testimonials. Not only do we all like to have our egos stroked, but positive reviews are marketing gold that will encourage others to buy.
You can shoot the short video yourself on a phone or tablet computer or ask your customers to film their own testimonials. Once you have them, upload to Instagram and share with your crowd.
Compile portfolios of your work – no matter what industry you’re in, whether you’re a gardener creating a new landscaping plan or a bakery showing off your latest cake creations, film the best examples of your work. Send them to your followers and upload them to your main website.
Show comparisons – is your product head and shoulders better than your nearest rivals or the industry standard? If so, prove it by pitting them against each other.
Be more visible – customers love to see who’s behind their favourite brands. Fashion label Burberry provided its followers with a fascinating peek behind the curtain ahead of the launch of one of its collections. You can see the video here.
As well as shooting behind-the-scenes videos that show your staff at work, consider a short weekly or monthly message where you highlight some of the exciting things you think your customers need to know. You could also spotlight your team members and some of the great projects they’re working on.
Create quick tutorials and DIY videos – 15 seconds may not be a lot of time, but that doesn’t have to stop you from creating short, punchy videos that resonate with your followers. Perhaps you could turn your FAQs into short video explanations. You could even ask the audience to send their videos of how they use your products, and post and share the best ones.
Don’t forget Facebook – videos and photos inspire the most comments, likes and shares on Facebook so make sure you share your Instagram videos with your Facebook followers.
Get inspired – there are thousands of brands posting great Instagram videos. Take a look at what they’re doing and get inspired.
Up Your Marketing Game
All of these ideas are superlative ways to produce unique and original content, attention-grabbing videos that add value for your community of followers. Moving images can inform, entertain, inspire and persuade in ways that static ads fail to do.
From MavSocial | Social Media Marketing Software for Business
