What makes a great B2B marketing video?
The world of B2B is a competitive playing field, with more businesses than ever making their shot for the top. No longer a kept secret, B2B video marketing has become a must, even a non-negotiable, in a marketing strategy. Naturally, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for creating the best B2B video content, especially when you factor in different products or services, different platforms, different audiences and so on. However, some top tips, or tactics, can take you from something that audiences scroll past to something attention-grabbing. This article looks to our very own design team to offer some advice on B2B video mastery!
The basics
With the average user taking 0.05 seconds to form an opinion about your website, it’s so important to grab the audience’s attention. The ideal B2B marketing video should not only hold your audience’s attention but also lead them to engage with your brand.
A particular challenge that we have within the B2B sphere is that we are often presenting quite complex or technical subjects. So how do we put this across in a short period of time, for example, a 30-second video? B2B videos have to be clever. Potential customers won’t be swayed by a text-heavy slideshow or seemingly random graphics thrown together. Whether video ads, B2B sales videos or brand videos must embody an understanding of your product and market recognition.
Type of videos
There are so many options when it comes to video marketing, some more obvious than others. Take a look at a few examples:
- B2B explainer videos: an opportunity to hone in on a specific topic, product, or application. These can provide clarity, generate awareness and sit high up within the sales funnel.
- Paid video ads: these can appear all over the internet and don’t even feel like an advert if you’re clever about it. You can place your video adverts on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google (and partners) and so on. They’re a great way to get in front of the right people with highly specific audience targeting.
- Product demonstrations: these are great for the B2B market, as the expert, you can show the people watching how it’s done. The demonstrator differs from the explainer, as you’re not explaining how it works, rather showing it in action.
Timekeeping
A digital age-old question; “how long should my marketing video be?”. The answer is that there is no answer (cue eye rolls). The truth is, each platform is different and requires different timings. A top tip to keep in mind is that a video should be adaptable to different lengths, this will allow you to share your media across various platforms and provide brand consistency.
When deciding on the length of your video, it’s important to do your research and choose wisely. Too short and your message may get lost, but too long and your audience may lose interest! Keep in mind, just because a platform allows a lengthy video, doesn’t always mean you should create a longer one. For example, LinkedIn allows a native video 10 minutes of screen time, yet video marketing statistics say a video on LinkedIn should be 30 seconds or less for optimal engagement.
Corporate videos will always be longer than general marketing videos. These will usually consist of interviews, educational episodes or introductions to the company. It’s important to remember the difference and when creating video marketing content, to always create something appropriate for marketing purposes. B2B video stats and SEO best practise suggests that embedding your corporate videos on your site is a good idea. Embedding keeps users on your website instead of redirecting them elsewhere.
Being a realist
What makes a better video in B2B, animation or live-action? Again, the answer to this question comes down to the circumstance. An animated video can grab attention on social media, but what’s better for brand awareness than the actual product?
Animated videos come into their own for making a complex product or sector more digestible. This style is also a good solution to a common problem with B2B marketing videos and imagery, which is when filming isn’t an option. Often, products are hidden behind red tape areas, so live footage is a no-go, whilst animation and illustration can combat the issue. On the other hand, when it comes to B2B marketing videos, nothing beats live-action. Professional footage of the B2B product or service can highlight why the audience should be investing in it.
You heard it here first from Move’s design team, but if you’d like to discuss video marketing further or have any other questions, then don’t hesitate to get in touch! You can reach the team on 0161 359 4363 or info@movemarketing.co.uk – let’s get the conversation moving.
