Video content marketing is more than some fast-burning trend; it is one of the single most impactful content marketing forces in the world, and only seems to be increasing in ubiquity and effectiveness as time goes by.
“In the US alone, digital video marketing is already a $135 billion industry, while 90% of users report that video is influential in their decision-making process.”
No contemporary brand or business can afford to exclude video from their content marketing strategy – even if their particular field might not seem like one that would be a natural fit for the medium.
Let’s pull the curtain back on four industries that don’t necessarily appear to be the perfect match for video on the surface, but which have all found brilliant ways to incorporate video into their marketing strategies. On closer examination, how can their concepts benefit your brand? And what can you do to follow in their footsteps as an industry leader.
1. SaaS
SaaS stands for “software as a service” – it refers to companies like Adobe or Dropbox that license centrally-hosted software to customers on a subscription basis. While you might not intuitively think of SaaS as a hyper-competitive field, the numbers say otherwise. Last year, one study found that there were 6,829 SaaS companies currently operating in the marketing space alone. That’s a lot of options for any business or brand to choose from, which means that every SaaS platform needs to work overtime to make its merits clear.
One powerful way for an SaaS platform to stand out is by creating a demo or “how to” video. This is the most popular type of SaaS branded video, and also one of the most essential for attracting an audience. The function of SaaS platforms can often come off as a little dry or tech-heavy in text form: Project management, activity capture, conversion tracking, etc. But video allows you to take that same information and communicate it with a straight-forward, engaging narrative.
Check out this demo from SaaS platform Salesforce, which quickly and intuitively walks potential clients through the basics of their product. See how much more effective and enjoyable it is, compared to a blurb on SMB-specific apps?
2. B2C
B2B and B2C are arguably the two main types of modern business models. These acronyms respectively stand for business-to-business and business-to-consumer. To help clarify the difference, picture a tailor in a workshop; if the tailor sells their handmade clothes to a retailer like Nordstrom, then they are using a B2B model, while if they sell to individual customers, they are using a B2C model. If your brand or business is engaged in a B2C enterprise, you have more options than ever to connect with your audience – and more challenges to overcome.
“Contemporary customers are notoriously fickle, partially due to having their pick of millions of brands to spend their hard-earned money on. Video can help B2C enterprises reach their audiences in a genuine, empathetic way, by speaking directly to their pain points.”
That’s why one of the absolute best types of video for doing so is customer testimonials; interviewing satisfied customers to capture what they love about your brand. An old marketing adage says that “People don’t buy from brands – they buy from people.”
Well, testimonials allow potential consumers to see and hear from real people about the impact that your brand has had on their lives, which is twice as valuable as any slick logo or graphics.
Take a look at this customer testimonial video Lemonlight created for Jamba Juice. When customers get to sincerely speak up about the brands they love, that emotional connection shines through clearly.
3. NGO
NGO stands for non-governmental organizations, referring to any independent organization involved in an activist sphere: Education, human rights, health care, public policy, etc. Because of their unique purpose, these organizations have to deal with many complex issues beyond the normal scope of content marketing. Some are nonprofits, meaning that their promotional budgets are relatively limited. Almost all are asking people to spend money without receiving a product or service in exchange, which is a tricky proposition, even if their donation benefits an important cause. Additionally, many of the issues that NGOs raise awareness for are either upsetting or controversial, and can alienate audiences.
Infographic videos are an excellent type of content to help NGOs make an impact on their potential donors. Through a blend of animation, text, footage, and static images, NGOs can succinctly explicate their core mission without relying on sentimentality. One of the big dangers of NGO marketing is overwhelming audiences with emotional content. But with infographic videos, viewers are kept at an emotionally-secure distance while still being enlightened, engaged, and even entertained.
Observe how this infographic video for anti-trafficking NGO Love146 combines different content elements (footage, pics, text, etc.) into one visually-compelling package. It moves the audience, but is not emotionally exploitative.
3. Finance
There are few industries as little understood–and little trusted–as finance. But while just the word itself might immediately fill your mind with images of evil billionaires, there are many other functions that go into finance as a whole, and countless companies to help keep your money where it ought to be. But because of this, a challenge for finance content marketers is not only to try and make their lingo-heavy services comprehensible for laymen, but also to dispel negative industry stereotypes.
An especially effective method for tackling these challenges with video is to embrace live streaming. More than any other type of video content, live streaming breaks down the barrier between a brand and its audience. Whether it’s a policy announcement, a Q&A session, or an influencer demo, live streaming allows potential customers to directly connect with finance leaders and receive public, truthful answers.
“Transparency is a major issue in the world of finance, and the more these companies can do to reflect core values of honesty, sincerity, and generosity, the better. Live streams can also be archived and re-packaged as additional video content down the line.”
Saxo Bank’s Morning Call, for example, offers real-time access to their chief economist and strategy team for 10-20 minutes a day. This video content is also available on their YouTube channel for viewers who could not catch it live.
Conclusion
Each of these industry leaders has found a different way to adapt video content to their specific challenges and needs. That’s because, as impactful as video can be, its true power is its malleability. Like all other forms of content marketing, video is really just a tool that can be used more or less efficiently depending on who holds it. So, the next time you observe the effect that video has had within these industries, think about how those same innovations can be readjusted for your own – and the benefits that your brand or business will reap as a result.
