We can all agree that in the consuming age of binge-watching, our daily screen addictions have changed the way we absorb information. As a result, smart B2B marketers are prioritizing video content in their marketing strategies and seeing real results. A recent Google study concurs, 70% of B2B buyers watch videos along their path to purchase. And although that path is longer than the more instantaneous cycle of B2C, B2B marketers can gain the same great success their B2C contemporaries achieve by using video at every stage of the funnel.
When B2B marketers combine the top of the funnel (brand awareness) with the bottom of the funnel (purchase) through video, the buyer becomes invested in the company’s story which then incentives brand retention and conversion.
So, you want to make sure you are just not stopping at the top of the funnel with one video but taking your consumer on a thoughtful, cinematic journey through your sales cycle.
Here’s how:
Top of the Funnel (Awareness)
Since the top of the funnel is where you let your consumer know you not only understand they may have a problem, but you are also here with the know-how to solve it, you want to use videos that create awareness to your solution and spark interest in your service. Brand Story and Explainer Videos work well at this stage because your buyers want to understand who they are working with, and what exactly they are buying.
Check out this brand story video we created for Dude Solutions that introduce new customers to their story, while also reassuring their current customers, that even though their design has changed, they are still the same “Dudes” at heart.
Mid-Funnel (Consideration)
Now that your consumer is aware of the problem they are trying to solve, they are intent on considering all the possible solutions. So to prove that your product/service is the best is with How-To or Testimonial Videos. These type of videos help push buyers down the funnel by making them feel like informed decision makers.
Here’s one that we think does an excellent job to sway customers stuck in the middle of the sales cycle to purchase. ChowNow convinces us of their expertise by showing us the story of how they solved a common industry problem.
Bottom of the Funnel (Purchase)
If your customer is at the bottom of your sales funnel, that means they’ve figured out that you just may be the solution they need. But before you start to celebrate, they need to be convinced to take that final step to purchase. Providing a FAQ Video or an Instructional Video will help your consumers feel confident that they have all the answers they need to commit. Plus, you have now positioned yourself as an expert in your industry.
The tutorial we created for Altice Business provides an instructional demonstration of how to use the product. A video like this works to move consumers to purchase because trust is formed as well a secure sense that the consumer will continue to get this type of customer service post-purchase.
As video continues to evolve in the ways it can lead consumers through the path to purchase; the better marketers understand the plan isn’t just to make more videos, it’s to have a smarter video strategy.
Have you used video for beyond the top of the funnel? Let us know how your video strategy has worked for you.
