It’s no secret that video has already begun to dominate all of the major social media platforms, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a successful business without a video on their website. The trend toward utilizing video marketing isn’t surprising when you consider that video drives a 157% increase in organic search engine results when embedded in your site, and the fact that 64% of consumers have said that video had a direct influence on their decision to buy something. Coupled with the widely cited prediction that by 2021, 82% of internet traffic will be video — it’s safe to say that now is the right time to get started with video marketing for your home business!
It may sound intimidating, but long gone are the days when you have to spend half of your marketing budget on hiring a video production company or an advertising agency. Here are three types of video marketing that you can pull off with nothing more than a smartphone:
1. Create your own videos for social media ad campaigns.
Many brands report that they get significantly higher conversion rates when they use videos instead of photos or links for paid social media campaigns, and it’s likely that you’ll see similar results. The best way to see how much more ROI you can get by switching to video ads is to create a video ad campaign and compare the results to one of the ads that you usually run.
You can use an app like Swish to create a video ad for your product or service with your smartphone, without having to pay an agency or design professional. If you have your own video footage, you can use it, but we recommend trying out a ready-to-use template if you aren’t feeling totally secure in your video production skills. You can upload your logo, change the text to fit your business, and get your campaigns up and running!
Tip: If you’re creating Facebook ad campaigns, keep in mind that square videos are the most effective format for the highest ROI and engagement.
2. Embed a video testimonial in your website.
If you have happy customers, testimonial quotes are helpful – but video testimonials can be a much more powerful tool for telling your story to potential customers! Seeing someone describe how they’ve benefitted from your product or service is a much more engaging and believable way to generate excitement about your brand. Generally, it’s as easy as asking a customer or client to record a 15-30 second video review on their smartphone. Most satisfied customers will be happy to help you out, and you’ll have evergreen content on your website that can help you get new customers.
Tip: Video testimonials also make really great content for Instagram Stories! Make sure to save them to a dedicated highlight so that you can build up a whole library of happy customers to show anyone who happens upon your Instagram profile.
3. Go live on Facebook or Instagram.
Live social media broadcasts are one of the simplest and most effective forms of video marketing. The Facebook and Instagram apps are the only tools you need to go live, and you can plan a live session in less than an hour.
To get started, do a quick brainstorm and think about what topics your target audience is interested in. What knowledge can you share that they’ll find interesting and engaging? For example, if your home business is a catering company, you could do a live broadcast and demonstrate how to make a simple but trendy dish. The idea is to come up with quality content that delivers value and relates to your core product or service.
Once you’ve created an outline of your live broadcast and you’re ready to go live, make sure that you’ll be free from interruptions like your dog barking, or your kids barging in the room. It’s also important to position your phone so that it’s completely steady. You can do that by resting it on something heavy that doesn’t move, or by investing a little bit of money in a small tripod designed to hold smartphones.
That’s really all there is to it! Be sure to choose a time when your audience is likely awake and online, and go for it.
Tip: If you get good feedback on your first live broadcast and want to continue, try to establish a predictable schedule for going live so that your audience can remember to tune in.
When you own a home business, it’s crucial to stay on top of digital marketing trends so that you don’t get left behind. Video marketing is on its way to becoming the most important strategic investment that any small business can make; fortunately, any business owner with a smartphone can incorporate video into their marketing plan without too much effort!
