7 Ways to Use Video in Your Inbound Content Marketing Strategy
If you’ve read any media or been on any social media platforms recently, you’ll know that today is the golden age for video in business. While it has long been a popular marketing channel, the pandemic has really helped boost this push – and savvy companies and marketers are taking note.
Think of the influencers or brands you personally subscribe to. Have you noticed an influx of video-based EDMs in your inbox lately? Maybe you’ve spotted more lives in your social media feeds? Or perhaps you’ve met relentless video pop-ups when scrolling through your favourite website?
The astounding popularity of video in 2022 is being harnessed by businesses and marketers alike as they increasingly apply the medium to their inbound content marketing strategy.
Biteable surveyed 694 marketers and small business owners to gauge the state of video marketing in 2021 and found that 61% of marketers see video as a ‘very important or extremely important’ part of their marketing strategy, and 94% of marketers who currently use video plan to continue.
Could video bring the boost you need to your inbound content marketing strategy?
What is Inbound Content Marketing Strategy?
Inbound content marketing strategy aims to form connections with an audience by offering content of value to them. It hopes to draw the audience in by giving an answer to a question they have, solving a problem for them, offering how-to advice or sharing information that interests them, and then nurturing them until they’re converted into a customer. Compare this with outbound marketing which interrupts the audience with content they don’t necessarily need or want.
Types of inbound content marketing include:
E-newsletters
Blog articles
Website content, including SEO
Social media campaigns
eBooks
Webinars
Offline content, such as speaking at events and conferences
7 Ways to Use Video in Your Inbound Content Marketing Strategy
Inbound videos are particularly useful because they can share the information in far less time than it would take someone to read a blog post, for example. This offers the audience a double whammy of providing valuable content in a time-efficient way. Here are 7 ways to create that double whammy for your business.
1. Make a Splash on Your Landing Page
Mojo Brand Video
Adding a video to the landing page of your website not only increases the amount of time your audience stays on the page, but also the percentage of conversions. Viewers love video content. And a brand video that shares your story and your values as a company can make a huge impact (we love the one we created with Mojo).
This type of marketing video allows you to tap into the viewer’s emotions by giving some background on your brand origin and mission in order to create a connection with the target audience. If done well, the video will leave your audience feeling emotionally engaged and wanting to learn more.
2. Share Footage From an Event
Event videos are a great way to repurpose the content you shared at an event such as a conference, festival, interview, speaking panel or launch. By engaging a film crew to record your appearance, you can not only further its reach but also capture the energy and atmosphere of a live setting, thus making it more engaging for viewers than if shared via a simple transcript.
Help Your Audience With a How-to/Demo
How-to video for Yummy Bear Packed Lunches
How-to videos can help convert customers by showing your product or service in action. In fact, according to Wyzowl, when asked how they’d most like to learn about a product or service, 73% of survey respondents said they’d prefer to watch a short video.
The key here is to keep the video short, simple and informative, like we’ve done with Yummy Bear Packed Lunches. Demonstrate the steps your customers will need to take, as well as the benefits they will receive. Demo videos can be shared via the product pages of your website, YouTube or social media channels.
Bring Life to Your EDMs
According to Campaign Monitor, including the word ‘video’ in your email subject line can increase your open rate by 6% and your click-through rate by 65%. If you haven’t been getting as much traction as you would like in your recent email campaigns, perhaps it’s time to liven them up with the inclusion of a video. Just be sure to include valuable content in the recording to encourage your audience to open your email again next time!
Share Inspiring Testimonials
A brand can bang on about the benefits of their products or services as much as they like, but the reality is that genuine reviews from customers will carry far more weight with potential clients. A positive testimonial from a believable source can often be the push they need to convert. Add a testimonial video to your landing or product page, or share short clips via your socials.
Go Viral With Social Media
Your social media channels are a great place to share your brand’s personality and have fun with your audience. Whether you’re joining the wider cultural conversation and taking part in a viral trend, engaging in a live Q&A for your audience or simply offering a behind-the-scenes sneak peek for followers, the power of videos on social media cannot be underestimated. Make sure you use hashtags to boost your reach.
Share Your Wisdom
Videos are now considered essential for the inbound content marketing strategy of thought leaders. If you want to establish yourself as an industry trailblazer, it’s up to you to prove yourself by sharing your wisdom and knowledge with your audience.
Videos are an excellent way of doing this. Not only do they capture your personality to help connect with viewers on a more personal level, but they can also communicate a lot of information in a far more digestible way than text on a screen. This kind of marketing video helps to build your profile, as well as establish your credibility.
There are a number of ways you can package thought leadership videos. You might like to repurpose content from previous webinars or podcasts, offer a short series of videos for subscribers on a specific topic, or partner with like-minded peers within your industry to share wisdom on a particular theme.