Video marketing is growing in popularity and only going to get bigger; it’s predicted that by 2017 74 percent of all internet traffic will be video.

Even more shocking, one-third of all online activity is spent watching video. It seems daft not to tap into such a popular resource to help grow your business. 

But how do you use video to its full potential? And what can you do with video to help grow your business?

1. On Your Website

Studies have shown that videos are over 50 times more likely to boost you to the first page over search engine results. Your intended audience is more likely to watch a video than to spend time reading content. Website visitors spend 6 times longer on pages with videos. By embedding a video into your website you are encouraging traffic and audience engagement.  

Including a video on your website also increases your chances of being shared on social media resulting in inbound links to your website that could convert leads into customers, thus growing your business.

2. Brand Recognition

Creating a video is another way to boost your brand and when you do make a video you need to make sure it’s in line with your brand guidelines. A video is an extension of all your other marketing material so it needs to be consistent with your brand.

Video is an effective tool for brand recognition as the message engages attention, which enables your audience to get to know your brand, your messages and your values. Boosting your brand awareness can only improve the strength of your business.

Related Article: How McDonald’s Used Video Marketing to Educate Buyers

3. To Introduce a Product or Service

Viewers of an online video state they are 85 percent more likely to purchase a product after watching a video about it. Entice your potential customers into committing to your product by showing them how your product can help.

A good animated explainer video is a perfect way to do this. In your video focus on the problems your customer faces and use it as an opportunity to showcase how your product or service solves it.

4. Product Learners and Demonstrations

Create a video that demonstrates how your product works, so that your audience can see it in action and know exactly what to expect. It’s better than trying to write a lengthy explanation about how to use the product—a one minute video is worth 1.8 million words. 

Your video marketing strategy does not need to be limited to one demo video, you can create a mini series of videos if your product is has numerous elements to it, such as an app or web-based program. Focusing on the different areas in one video each will help to give your audience a fully comprehensive understanding of how your product is to be used. In doing this you go some way to stemming the amount of support queries you need to deal with as the demo/learner videos can cover the common problems your users may face. In a recent survey, 30 percent of marketers said video reduced the volume of support calls they receive.

Creating explainer and demo videos creates tools your audience can use to find out about your product or service which frees up your time to focus on other areas of your business. The result: your business grows.

Related Article: Lights, Camera, Action: Ways to Add More Value to Video Marketing

5. Behind the Scenes

This style of video is another great way to engage your audience. Businesses can often be viewed by consumers as faceless corporate machines that are just about selling something to us, so in doing a behind the scenes video you go some way to bridging the gap.

Show your audience the people and the processes of your business. Seeing the people behind the product or service makes you seem more human and puts personality to your brand which will result in your audience feeling more connected to you. And showing them the processes helps them understand the work that goes into the product or service they receive which is likely to make them appreciate you more as a brand.

6. Make it Mobile

Ensure your video is mobile friendly, 80 percent of internet users own a smartphone and smartphones are where they go on social media, and social media is where videos get shared.

Interesting Fact: 500 years worth of videos are watched daily on Facebook and more than 700 YouTube videos are shared on Twitter every minute.

Tapping into that kind of coverage is sure to grow your business.

7. Training

Along with customer engagement, videos can be used to engage your staff. Replacing presentations and slide print outs with videos is a great way to teach your staff about a new initiative. An animation explainer video allows your employees to quickly process the information with a better understanding.

As people, we recall around about 20 percent of what we read, 10 percent of what we hear and 80 percent of what we see and do.

Image via Wyzowl

Engaging your staff and helping them to learn will create a stronger business. Companies with engaged staff outperform those without by up to 202 percent.

Closing Thoughts

Videos have the power to grow you business and can be fun to make. If you’re not using video yet, now is the time to start.