How to Grow Your Business with Video | Digital Harvest Marketing

Video is quickly becoming the dominant form of

content online. Views, shares and uploads of video are accelerating at a

breakneck pace. Many forms of existing content, such as blog posts and how-to

articles, are also pivoting to video rather than text-based formats.

People simply can’t get enough of video!

For business owners, video content can be a

key part of their strategy to earn new customers and grow their company. Video

marketing has started to offer incredible returns on investment for companies of

all sizes. Adding a video to your website product pages can increase conversions by 80%! That’s

probably why 83% of business owners say that video offers great ROI.

To help your company get started using video

effectively and using it to grow your revenues, consider the following five

helpful tips below. You’ll learn why video is such an important asset and how

to use it in a way to maximize your positive results.

Start Simple With Slide Shows

Some business owners may think they don’t have

the resources to even bother with video. These limited resources can include

time, money, creativity or even patience.

What these entrepreneurs should realize is that

video does not have to be a big-budget affair in order to be highly polished

and visually appealing. In fact, you can start instantly making videos for free

right now and have them ready to upload in seconds.

There are dozens upon dozens of free video makers

online designed for this exact purpose. Many offer options for combining text

and images to create a dynamic slideshow. These videos are nearly effortless to

make, yet they are still immersive and look professional.

Great options to get started making your own

slideshow style videos include Renderforest

and [Adobe\\

Spark Video](https://spark.adobe.com/about/video). Both are free with a registered account. They also

utilize great-looking templates, so you don’t have to be Spielberg-level genius

to create your first videos. Simply pick from the options, input your own text

or photos, and let the program do the rest.

Examples of great text-based videos include:

●Repurposing existing blogs or

content pages as short videos

●Creating a quick explainer to get

people excited about what you have to offer

●Revealing interesting information

or “#MondayMotivation” style inspiration related to your area of business

●Giving a “thank you” to your

existing customers

●Announcing big things on the way,

such as a new product or event

Creating videos like these can get you in the

habit of thinking visually rather than textually, which can help you earn more

views and raise interest in your business offerings.

Create Product Reviews or Descriptions of Your Core Services

Once you feel comfortable to start investing

minute videos giving an overview of the products or services you offer can

significantly improve awareness and interest.

According to Hubspot, people who watch a video

reviewing or explaining a product are 64% more likely to buy that product later

on.

Using an explainer video on your homepage can similarly double your conversion rate.

When reviewing products, stay focused on

features and key selling points the consumer is most likely to care about.

Think about it as a resource, not an ad. Do your best to compare this product

to others, helping your customers get an idea of the range of options available

to them.

For a great example, check out motorcycle

accessory retailer RevZilla. Pages for products like this $300 backpack

explain exactly what the

product is supposed to be used for, what its most notable features are, and

what separates it from other available options. After watching a video like

that, someone may not only understand why they might want a $300 backpack but

have a serious desire to buy one after realizing just how much it offers.

For service-oriented explainer videos, try to

think of it as a presentation. You’re walking the visitor through what your

service offers and how it benefits them. Many of these videos start off by

revealing a specific pain point that the product solves before moving into key

benefits or competitive differentiators.

If you need a way to warm up to this type of

content, try doing it live. You can broadcast a Facebook Live post, for

instance, where you have a Q&A with your audience or offer a live

demonstration of what you do. Going through the motions in a low-stakes

environment like this can give you an idea of what to do for a more polished

version down the road.

Personify Your Brand Through Video Marketing Content

Video content isn’t just good for information

— that’s why only a slim margin of movies are documentaries, after all! The

rest aim to give viewers an emotional experience or to tell an engrossing

story.

Video is particularly great at these emotion-focused

concepts because it combines several of our senses at once. Through powerful

images, mood-appropriate music, and clever editing techniques, you can

communicate the soul of your brand in surprisingly subtle ways.

To see what we mean, take a look at [this\\

charming ad from the tourism board for the Faroe Islands](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht_WB7iN0vw "Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht_WB7iN0vw"). It manages

to reveal many things that make the Faroe Islands and its people so special

without ever stepping into outright advertisement. The subject is interesting,

it’s well filmed, and something people can relate to instantly.

Videos like these are great for solidifying

your branding and generating awareness from your audiences. Since people are

able to remember 95% of what they see in a video — compared to just 10% of the

text they read — videos like these help keep your business top-of-mind. That

way, you earn more recommendations and sales while forging strong positive

associations to your unique brand values and personality.

Use Video to Climb to the Top of Search Results

People love video, and search engines want to

accommodate people. So, naturally, search engines now love video!

According to one study, you are [53 times more likely to show up as the first result on\\

Google](https://www.dreamgrow.com/8-reasons-why-your-business-should-use-video-marketing/)

when you have a video embedded in your page. It therefore

makes a huge amount of sense to accompany each new page or blog you submit with

a short, relevant video.

Make sure the video offers value to the

audience and not just the search engine, though. “Tricky” practices like just

shoehorning content into a poorly made video show up on Google’s behavioral

data, and over time the algorithm will likely be refined to punish such habits.

So, create good videos that fit naturally

within your content, and reap benefits from both audiences and the increase in

traffic thanks to search engines.

Be Your Own Harshest Critic

Producing video can help you quickly stand out

among your competitors, but that can mean “standing out” in a negative way if

your quality is poor.

Here’s a few simple tips to help improve your

video quality:

● Use a tripod.

Even smartphone cameras can look

great when they have a stable mount.

● Provide lots of light sources on your subject.

Cameras look much less blurry when they’re focused on something bathed in

light. Use floor lamps or professional lighting setups to get the look you

need.

● Be aware of your background.

Modern cameras

are so easy to use because they auto-focus, but this can mean focusing on the

wrong subject if you have something distracting or more brightly lit in the

background.