7 Ways to Use Video as a Growth Catalyst
Video is all the rage right now. The question is: are you riding this wave to accelerate your business growth?
Video allows you to create a connection with your audience fast. Moreover, it’s the best form of visual content, allowing you to pass on complex information quickly. Think about it: by 2020 video is expected to account for almost 90% of Internet traffic, according to a Cisco estimate. It already accounts for about 70% of total traffic. Whatever business you’re in, this is huge!
In this post, we take a look at 7 actionable ways to leverage video as a growth hacking tool.
1. Webinars
Webinars are video events focused on a certain topic and can be either live or recorded. You can use webinars to teach your audience about a topic that is relevant to your business. At the end, you can then pitch your product or service if it matches the topic you presented. Of course, you can choose not to promote any paid offer and just use webinars as an engagement tool for your audience, to gain good will. Webinars can have a great conversion rate if you offer something of value to the participants.
2. YouTube
YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google. So you can imagine what opportunity lies in front of you. Although there are a ton of new videos uploaded to YouTube daily, it’s still much lower competition vs. Google. So now is the right time to start or grow your own YouTube channel.
3. Facebook Native Video
For most markets out there, Facebook is still a top social media network, despite the declining organic reach. That is why everybody and their mother is on Facebook. That is why the challenge you need to tackle is standing out. From this perspective, using video is a must. However, for best exposure, upload it directly to Facebook, vs. sharing a YouTube link for example. Also, make sure it works well for mobile. You could even add subtitles, for the people watching the video with no sound (like during a boring meeting)!
[Tweet “7 types of #video your #smallbiz can use as a quick and effective #growth catalyst.”]4. Explainer Videos
If your goal is to explain what your company or product does, explainer videos are the way to do it. These are short videos, just a few minutes long, focused on your unique selling proposition. Your goal is to convince prospects to explore your offer further, so don’t dilute your message with too much detail. Focus on one goal. What do you want them to do? Sign up for a webinar, subscribe to a free trial, purchase the product (while being covered by a 30-day money back guarantee), etc.
5. Training
Videos are a great tool for training, be it for your own team, for your partners (eg. affiliates promoting your product) or for your prospects. You can use it to help them uncover their problems, discover solutions, or learn how to use your product effectively. You can also use videos to offer a great consumer experience after purchase. How about having a great collection of concise tutorials that help your buyers hit the ground running?
6. Testimonials
Social proof has a big impact on the purchasing decision, right? Testimonials are great trust building tools in general, and video testimonials are the best. But, how can you get them? Ask your clients! They don’t need to be crazy in terms of high-end video production. Just ask your clients to take out their phone, shoot a short video with their testimonial, upload it to the cloud and email a link to you. Easy.
7. Content Marketing
If you don’t have significant funds to invest in advertising, using content marketing extensively to grow your business is a no-brainer. So why not take advantage of the hottest content marketing format out there: video.