Are you checking all of the boxes that close the gaps in your Buyer's Journey? Scroll to find out.
Video: Your Best Marketing Investment
Every business needs video to communicate its brand messages.
Recent years have solidified video as a top marketing investment – boosting traffic, conversions and revenue at increasing rates – and our guide explains why these types of videos are all must-haves for brands looking to effectively guide their audiences through the awareness, consideration and decision stages of the buyer’s journey.
AWARENESS VIDEOS
Your buyer is experiencing symptoms of a problem and their research at this stage is to understand their problem better in order to define it
1. Brand Anthem ("Why/Who Cares?")
The most important video asset you can create is a video right on your company’s homepage that communicates your "raison d'etre," or the most important reason or purpose for your brand's existence. This inspirational, high-level view of your mission, vision and values should help viewers more clearly understand, frame and give a name to their problem, and determine if your brand is a possible solution. Consider it your blue-chip asset. It can be live-action, animated or a mix of both.
Use on your: website's homepage, YouTube, social media, sales emails, newsletter and paid ads campaigns
Most effective for: 2-5 year lifespan. Revisit upon major pivots/develpoments and brand redesigns
2. Mini-Docs ("For Whom?")
A Mini-doc is short-form (5-15 minutes) documentary that highlights one of your company’s core values or mission statements by telling a focused, real-life story related to that mission. Mini-docs follow the format of a feature length documentary, but tell a simpler story in a more compact, web-friendly timespan. They are often emotional in tone and follow real people, events and places. Mini-docs can deliver your brand stories and help you launch past brand awareness right to the most enduring and valuable level of brand/consumer relationship: brand affinity.
Use on your: website, YouTube, social media, newsletter, blogposts, and paid ads campaigns
Most effective for: 1-2 years and permanently on your YouTube/website
LoDown with LoJack. A 4 part Mini-Doc that explores the knowledge and distinctive culture of the LoJack's Law Enforcement Liaison team and automobile theft trends from around the country.
#DuchenneUnfiltered - The Nilson Family. A "Day in the Life" short film featuring the inspiring Nilson family, whose 10-year-old son Henry suffers from Duchenne, a rare and devastating form of muscular dystrophy. Witness how in the face of a bleak diagnosis, this family embraces one another and live to their fullest.
3. Milestones & Events ("When?")
Big events offer big opportunities, whether you're appearing at an industry trade show or celebrating your company's 25th anniversary. Whatever the occasion, events and milestones provide an excellent reason to highlight the important role your brand plays in the market and in your customers and provide exposure, visibility, and networking opportunities. Highlighting your event can serve an important role in many personal and professional avenues. Whether it’s an important social gathering or a major business function, as long as it’s important to you, it will require the high-quality video production to both promote and preserve it.
Use on your: website's Events/About page, social media, newsletter and blogpost
Most effective for: 1-2 months and permanently on your YouTube
CONSIDERATION VIDEOS
Your buyer understands their problem and is researching different solutions
4. Product/Lines-of-Service Explainers ("What?")
Focus on potential customers with more in-depth and specific videos, and embed them prominently on the relevant pages of your website. These could be explainers of individual products or core lines of service, or any other deeper dive/instructional content.
Use on your: website's Products/Services pages, website FAQ page, YouTube, press announcement, blogpost and social media
Most effective for: a single product/service (or suite of products/services) 1-2 year lifespan
DECISION VIDEOS
Your buyer is comparing competing solutions to ultimately make a purchase decision
5. Customer Success Stories ("How?")
Few assets are more valuable to a company than solid third-party validation and nothing sells that authentically better than a video.
Use on your: website's Testimonial/Social Proof pages, YouTube, sales emails, blogpost and social media
Most effective for: one video per key customer vertical, 2-3 year lifespan
6. About Us/Recruiting ("Who & Where?")
Every company needs great employees to be successful. Use video to showcase your company culture to help recruit and retain the best talent.
Use on your: website's About/Recruiting pages, Glassdoor, social media, YouTube, internal presentations
Most effective for: 2-4 year lifespan
NURTURE VIDEOS
Providing value doesn't stop when a buyer converts - keep your audiences engaged with meaningful, instructive content on a regular cadence
7. Thought Leadership ("What's the Larger Context?")
Thought leadership videos position your brand as a trusted expert in your industry, and elevate the authority and awareness of the leaders that function as the face of your company. They should convey genuinely valuable information to your audience, not merely brand messages.
Use on your: website, media opportunities/pitching, YouTube, social media, newsletter, blogposts
Most effective for: 6-18 months, specific moments in times/topics in your industry
8. Original Series or Podcast ("Tell Me More")
An Original Series is a multi-episode, "in-house" video show, often organized into seasons bound to a certain time period and/or consistent theme.An Original Series can be an in-studio interview show or a collection of like-themed Mini-docs (examples of each below). They're typically more brand-forward and thought-leadership driven than Mini-docs. In our opinion, Mini-docs and Original Series are a great brand differentiator because they're the clearest possible indication of your true brand values. It's really hard fake authentic long-form content.
Use on your: website, social media, YouTube, Podcast Directories
Most effective for: 6-18 months, providing value, entertainment and ongoing audience engagement
Similarly, the intimate, long-form nature of podcasts can help elevate brand sentiment, perception, value and trust — from the comfort of your own (home) studio. And it all starts with creating long form, binge-worthy content that's authentic to your audience. A well-oiled podcast can help you deliver genuine value and entertainment to the folks that will grow your show organically: your super fans and loyal followers who want to learn more, be better, and explore your industry with you.
YOUR BRAND'S SCORE
How many boxes did you check?
1.Brand Anthem
2.Mini-Doc
3.Milestones & Events
4.Product/Lines-of-Service Explainers
5.Customer Success Stories
6.About Us/Recruiting
7.Thought Leadership
8.Original Video Series or Podcast
0-3 Vide-uh-oh: You're missing major gaps in the Buyer's Journey that are affecting your bottom-line
4-6 Vide-okay: You're doing better than most, but likely still not addressing key QFDs
7-8 Vide-oh yeah!: You're absolutely crushing it! Just remember all videos need to be regularly updated to maintain relevance and effectiveness
START BUILDING A BETTER BUYER'S JOURNEY TODAY
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