Over the last few years, video services have certainly taken off. YouTube is now one of the largest visual search engines out there and social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram now include video elements.
However, not all B2B companies are using this as a marketing strategy, which is a real shame. Video is a great tool and adding it into your digital media mix can be a great way to stand out from the competition.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few of our favorite tips on how to use video marketing for B2B sales.
Create Videos Around Your Products
There are so many different ways a B2B business can utilize video marketing. To start, think about what customers ask you or your sales team the most. Are there certain elements to your products or services that need a bit more explaining? How is the item you’re selling made? Giving behind-the-scenes product access is always a great subject for video marketing.
The really cool thing about doing this is that you’re accomplishing two major things. First, you’re positioning yourself as an expert in that particular item. The next time someone is looking for a company to help with what you offer, they’re much more likely to get in touch with you. Second, you’re showing that you’re a dealer or manufacturer for that item. If they do a Google or Bing search, they’re likely to pull up your video as a result. Plus, if you have a large catalog, this strategy can help you come up with new content for a fairly long time.
Optimize Videos for Search and Accessibility
Use clear titles and descriptions with relevant keywords so people grasp the topic.
Add captions and a full transcript to improve accessibility and indexability.
When embedding on product pages, include schema.org VideoObject markup and a strong thumbnail with alt text.
Ask the Expert Sessions
If your business is in a particular niche, consider using video to do “ask the expert” sessions. Simply recording fifteen to thirty-minute-long sessions explaining how to accomplish a particular task in your industry builds credibility for your business. The videos can then be shared on social media, transcribed for blog post content, and more.
In addition, it also gives your sales team additional content to share with potential leads. These videos make great tools to help prospects understand that you’re experienced in your industry and understand the particular issues they face.
B2B Distribution: LinkedIn, Website, and Email Basics
Post native video on LinkedIn, which auto-plays muted, and always include captions.
Embed videos on product or service pages with short context copy nearby.
In email, use a clickable thumbnail linking to a landing page, since clients block playback.
Meet the Team
You can also detail the history behind your company and spotlight individual staff members. It’s a good idea to even show scenes from a recent trade show or other sales presentation. Even in a B2B environment, people buy from other people. That’s why it is a good idea to use video marketing to help introduce your team. Whether it is the office assistant who answers the phone or each member of the sales department, creating short bio videos is a great idea to introduce customers to your staff.
Of course, this is especially true as we all switch to more virtual meetings than face-to-face encounters. By having these videos made ahead of time, your leads know exactly who they’ll be on a Zoom call with before it takes place.
Measure Performance with Analytics and UTM Tracking
Track view-through rate, average view duration, retention, clicks, and conversions for each video.
Use YouTube Analytics, LinkedIn video analytics, and your website analytics to connect views and leads.
Tag links with UTM parameters to attribute traffic and forms to a clip.
Wondering What’s Next?
If you want to create a professional video with post-production graphics and such, you’ll want to contact a digital marketing firm with access to video editors. (Hint: We can help with this!) From there, we can help you put together a plan of what you want the video to include and create a storyboard and script for you. While this option takes much more of a commitment and an upfront cost, it is a wonderful way to build a knowledge library of videos that your sales team can share with leads in addition to growing your online presence.
Add Clear Calls-to-Action and Lead Capture
Use one primary call-to-action per video, like “Book a demo,” to guide next steps.
Use YouTube end screens or cards, and add an on-page button near the player.
Some hosting platforms support time-gated email capture to collect contact info before or after playback.
While video marketing is might be one of the last things a B2B business might consider, it can be an incredibly powerful way to project a professional brand image.
