We’ve all been there – staring at a blank piece of paper or a vast, white screen, wondering what on earth we’re going to do next in terms of video marketing.
Hitting what is akin to writer’s block in the world of video isn’t a particularly nice feeling and can lead to panic decisions being made on content that is less than stellar.
Worse still, the ideas that would be absolutely perfect (if you were in a better frame of mind), are often lost entirely.
So, how do you get yourself out of this quagmire? The answer is to return to basics. No matter how experienced you are at digital marketing, taking a wistful look back at the rulebook is often rather liberating.
Consider this post a video marketing beginners guide for marketers who absolutely know what they’re doing but who need a helping hand to rediscover their inspiration and get things back on track.
Here are ten back-to-basics video marketing ideas
that will get you back to producing your best-ever content.
1. Team Interviews
What goes on within the four walls of your business? Sure, you know exactly what’s happening – it’s where you spend most of your working life – but what about your customers (both potential and existing)?
Businesses thrive in the modern world if they are able to put faces to names and deliver that all-important human element. The teams within your organisation deserve their time in the limelight, so why not produce a series of videos that interview the individual team members?
It can be as fun and light-hearted as you like; by lifting the veil from the people behind the products, you’ll give your business serious personality, and personality sells.
2. Infographics
Think infographics are only made for static images? Think again. Video infographics are brilliant ways to capture the attention of those visiting your website and can bring to life what would otherwise be ‘just another’ bunch of stats and quotes.
Best of all, you’ll be able to repurpose old content, thus reducing the amount of time you’ll need to spend on each piece. Therefore, if you’ve got any infographics you’ve used in previous blog posts, now might be the time to dig them out and give them the video treatment.
3. Season’s Greetings
At the time of writing, Christmas is just one short month away, which makes now the perfect time to get to work on a bit of festive video marketing.
If truth be told, you can prepare such content at any time of the year and, if you’re really stuck for ideas and it’s only March, there’s absolutely no harm in getting this festive job out of the way nice and early.
4. How-to’s
Long gone are the days of humungous manuals that must be devoured before a product can be used. People love discovering the features of the stuff they buy, but the occasional nod towards a forgotten piece of functionality or assistance with a new piece of tech can still go a long way.
How-to videos are great for filling your video marketing calendar. You can break up the constituent elements of your product into short, 20 – 30 second video explainers and – hey presto – you have a wealth of new content ready for publishing and distribution!
5. Product demos
No matter your industry or the type of products that reside on your shelves, a product video demo can go a long way.
If you’re a software vendor, concentrate on screencasts that feature verbal run-throughs rather than captions and if your products are of the physical variety, the classic unboxing video is a great way to whet your audience’s appetite.
6. Customer testimonials
An old favourite of the video marketing world is the customer interview or testimonial. Unfortunately, they’re easily dismissed or put to one side because – let’s face it – they require a fair degree of effort to arrange.
However, the effort you put into such ventures will pay you back tenfold. We now live in a consumer opinion-driven society, and if potential customers can find comments made on your company or products by real people, they’re far more likely to engage with such content than the sales blurb on your website.
7. Ask the experts
The Reddit AMA (‘ask me anything’) craze is popular for a reason: it enables celebrities, experts and thought leaders to share their experience and wealth of knowledge with anyone who has a burning question relating to their chosen field.
As a business, you can do the same. Who says all of your video content needs to come from you? Track down influencers within your industry and ask if they’d be willing to conduct a short Q&A video on a certain topic. Few will refuse – it’s promotion for them (and content for you).
8. Your value statement
Product demos are great for showing the intricate features of the stuff you sell, but what about the value you offer as a company?
Value statement videos are a great way to answer the perennial question ‘why should we choose you?’. Use them to introduce the people in your company and the products they create, but focus on the benefits to ensure you produce truely memorable value statement videos.
9. Whiteboard story
The likelihood is you’ll have seen a whiteboard story video before and it will almost definitely have captured your imagination.
All you need is a whiteboard (obviously), a marker and someone with some graphical flair, and you can turn any company news story or product announcement into an engaging video.
Simply map out the story, scene-by-scene and ask the creative person to draw each one on the whiteboard, leave them on screen for a few seconds before wiping off and starting the next. It sounds like a rather belt-and-braces approach, but it is absolutely captivating for the audience.
10. Invites to webinars
If you regularly host webinars, video invites are a brilliant way to ensure as big an attendance as possible. If convenient, you can also introduce the speakers at that early stage, which will add the all-important personal touch to any webinar event.
That’s a wrap!
Still got video marketing writers block? We thought not. The tips in this post should keep you going for months to come.
Going back to school, as it were, could be the best thing you’ll do this week.