In recent years, video has been one of the main growth trends in the marketing world – the health crisis and restrictions have only confirmed the need for small businesses to adopt this format in their marketing strategy. of content. Researches [1] show that since the pandemic, online sales have jumped from 9.8% to 13.4% in 2020. Our own Visual GPS research shows that 4 in 10 Millennials would be more influenced by a video to select a small company to buy from, than by a visit in person.
A study [2] Recent research also shows that video is clearly one of the most effective means of communication and storytelling today. In particular, 92% of marketers who use video say it is an important part of their strategy, 86% of companies already use video as a marketing tool, and 89% say video offers a good return on investment. .
For small businesses, it allows the public to better understand how a product or service works and to discover who you are as a business and what your values are, which promotes a better connection with the customer. Video is therefore no longer a “user-friendly” marketing tool, but an essential tool. But for many, the barriers to creating professional-looking video, including cost, are still considered too high.
If you are looking for ways to stay on top of your budget, there are a number of tools that make video creation easier and more affordable, without reducing the impact. Here are some tips for incorporating video into your marketing strategies:
Use stock videos
As businesses produce hundreds, if not thousands, of marketing materials a year to communicate and engage their audiences, stock video clips are a cost-effective and cost-effective alternative to the costly production of original videos. While video is traditionally more expensive than still images, platforms like iStock offer subscription plans that give subscribers on-demand access to millions of video clips at a price to suit any budget. They also allow customers to license video clips starting at a few dollars per clip.
Use free video editing software
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Business leaders know that video marketing is essential to growing their bottom line, but creating videos can be time consuming, expensive, and complex. These difficulties deter many small businesses from creating their own video content, thereby missing out on business opportunities. It is therefore essential to choose a video editing tool that offers a simple user interface that eliminates unnecessary complexity and does not require any previous design or editing experience. The platform should also offer easy-to-follow step-by-step guides to help users from start to finish in the video creation process. Finally, the platform must also provide access to a wide range of photographs, videos, music and illustrations, in order to allow creators to find the right design and deliver the right message for any business. Features and tools such as layout, logos, customizable calls to action help develop content for both social media and promotional marketing material.
Optimize the reach of videos by adding keywords
No matter how good your visuals are, if they aren’t seen by your target audience, they won’t have the desired result. Including SEO keywords is a simple step in optimizing videos. Often overlooked, it is nevertheless essential to the success of online marketing. Start by doing keyword research on the topic of your video – there are a few tools, which generate words to use and tell you how often they appear in search engine results. Once the keywords are selected, use them in places like video title, description, filename, and any promotional content posted to the web or social media. It is important that keywords are present in all content, which will increase the chances of appearing in search results.
In addition to boosting engagement, video has been proven to help small businesses grow their audiences and increase loyalty. In fact, 84% of consumers surveyed as part of a study [2] recent reports that they were convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.
However, it’s important to remember that content needs to be relevant to deliver a good ROI. For small businesses looking to boost their sales using video, you need to make sure the content communicates your brand values. Indeed, according to our Visual GPS study [3], 80% of French consumers are more likely to be loyal to brands whose practices align with or support their values. By developing video content that aligns with your brand, small businesses can reap huge benefits without breaking the bank.
Author: Grant Farhall, Product manager, iStock
[1] https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/covid-19-confinement-le-e-commerce-a-explose-en-france-en-2020-1393110
[2] https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/
[3] https://creativeinsights.gettyimages.com/fr/visual-gps
(c) Ill. DepositPhotos
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