The New Year is well underway, and for many of us, small businesses and individuals alike, we would prefer not to look back in the rearview mirror and reflect on all the surprises and challenges we came up against in 2020.
While there is no certainty on how much longer small businesses will be under the strains of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, we can set out to tackle 2021 and come out stronger, better, and more resilient than ever before.
Video content is among the best digital media resolutions your small business can adopt in 2021. Let’s dive in and make 2021 the year your small business thrives with video content!
Understanding Video Content in 2021
Marketing gurus and experts have long projected video content would dominate world web traffic by the turn of the new decade and forever change the landscape of digital marketing.
But what they, like all of us, couldn’t predict then was how a global pandemic would break down traditional face-to-face communication and force us all to connect from isolation via video.
So 2020 quickly became the year of team conferences, coffee dates, and family dinners on Zoom, Google Hangouts, and FaceTime. As expected, but nowhere in the way we imagined, video content did fulfill its promise to change the way small businesses market themselves and drive revenue.
What Are the Benefits of Video Content?
When asked about the best small business digital marketing practices in 2021, Shannon van Niekerk, an account manager with NEXT!, said:
Think about how you can more effectively connect with potential new clients in ways that people communicate in 2021. Think and act upon those things smarter, not harder. Observe how your ideal clients presently use the Internet and social media and strive to adopt some of those practices.
From brand-building videos and product promotions to vlogs and Instagram stories, the possibilities are endless when it comes to video ‒ and any business, no matter the vertical or industry, stands to benefit.
88% of video marketers reported they were satisfied with the return on investment of their video efforts in 2018. Additionally, 54% of consumers want to see more video content from the brands and businesses they support.
While the numbers are still out there for 2020, we do know this:
Once the pandemic officially struck, forcing the traditional brick and mortar to close and go virtual, video content helped small businesses connect, stay afloat, and send messages to their audiences ‒ and will continue to do so. And because the demand for video content only grew after the start of the pandemic, it’s safe to predict that 2020’s video ROI rates will reflect and project favorable figures for 2021.
How to Create Video Content Your Audience Will Watch
When deciding which types of video content are right for your business, the real challenge lies in determining where and how your audience spends time online.
Not sure if video content fits your audience’s online habits or is right for your business? No worries! Let’s get you familiarized with video content and all its possibilities:
Do you have a website?
A website is the basic building block of a company’s online presence. Why not jazz up your website with video content, modernize your brand, and give your audience the personable, real-life touch we all need?
Plus, when the world opens again, you’ll have something your competition doesn’t have. So, put your business on the digital map for all to see and experience from afar. Get seen by more people, and be the company that was creative and engaging during the pandemic.
Do you have Facebook or Instagram marketing?
Again, more than half of consumers want video content. If you have a strong social media presence, throw your followers what they want with engaging, likable, and shareable video content.
Once you do, monitor your website’s traffic and watch the conversion rate. By funneling more viewers from your social media pages to your website, you can improve your website’s visibility on search engines.
Was video content one of your digital media resolutions in years past but got put on the backburner? Don’t let your commercial YouTube channel sit idly in vain. After all, with over 2 billion users worldwide, YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google, so all the more reason to start optimizing your brand for the powerhouse video platform.
Can you create video testimonials and product tutorials?
People love when they’re shown how to not only operate a product but use it to their advantage. You can go beyond the basic product tutorial video and directly speak to your audience, explain the whys behind the product, and demonstrate how to use the products to yield the best experiences.
If you’re not a product-based business, what’s stopping you from giving tutorials on your services? The more demonstrative you are, the more trustworthy you’ll seem in the eyes of your audience.
There’s more!
If your company experiences peak sales periods during the holidays or in the summer, start promoting it months in advance by reaching out to potential customers by video.
Another important variable to keep in mind: Reviews. The more online reviews your company has, the better. Because positive reviews not only boost your revenue; they’re more trustworthy than traditional advertising.
Over 90% of consumers between ages 19 and 34 trust online reviews, and with the demand for video content so high, you can, metaphorically speaking, kill two birds with one stone by creating video testimonials from living, breathing, and satisfied customers!
Commit to Video Content As Your Digital Media Resolution
Are you ready to commit to video as your top digital media strategy in 2021?
Social distancing and stay-at-home orders are still in effect in many US states, and with so many consumers shopping online and communicating via video, it can be the best ‒ and only ‒ means of reaching your audience, at least for the foreseeable future.
If you would like to learn more about video content, check out this article or contact us today. And stay tuned to our blog for more digital media resolutions you can make in 2021!
