7 Ways Industrials Can Use Video in Their Content Marketing Strategy

A lot of people prefer videos over other types of content, like blogs or articles. Videos are growing fast on all social media platforms. In fact, we even watch videos while we're watching other videos!

Even though we all know that video is important, it can be hard for small to mid-size industrial manufacturers to create good industrial videos and put them in the right places. Videos can take more time than creating a blog post, and learning about and getting the right equipment can be a barrier to entry for many marketers looking at video for content marketing in manufacturing.

Video content marketing ideas

Here are seven ways that B2B industrials and manufacturers can use video to increase engagement and conversion in their video content marketing campaigns.

#1. Product demonstration video

Product videos can help increase the number of people who buy your product by 144%. People usually prefer to buy products from physical stores where they can see, feel, and touch the product before buying it. However, video can also fill that same need for product interaction. An industrial product video allows consumers to see how the product works and how it is used:

• See how the product looks from all angles.
• See how the size compares to other objects.
• Watch someone else use the product.
• Learn how to put it together, install it, or power it.

Even if you have products in a showroom, 50% of internet users look for product videos related to a product or service before visiting a store. This means that it is important to have good product videos if you want people to buy your products. Product videos don't need to be flashy or high-production, but they should be simple and filmed with a camera on a tripod against a solid background.

#2. About us video

One of the things your marketing department has to do is communicate the details of your company's values, beliefs, history and market position on websites. This can be difficult because it is hard to show all of this on a website. However, using a video on your About Us page can help people understand what your company is like at a human-to-human level.

There are two types of marketing videos for manufacturing businesses: highly produced and simple talking head videos. What matters is that you candidly share your company’s story.

Don't give any sales pitches. Instead, talk about why you started your manufacturing business, what you’re passionate about, and why you built your company the way you did.

You can even go further with your ‘about us’ video by giving a quick tour of your industrial plant or meeting some employees. But DON’T SELL.

Most people watch videos thoroughly. This gives you a captive audience. Companies often ask for sales, but they don't share their story. Share your story with video content marketing.

#3. Company updates on social media

If you want to make a low-budget, casual video, social media is the best place to start. People love seeing real people doing real things on social media. Highly produced social updates often perform worse than casual video updates. Here's how to make a social media video update:

• Get your phone,
• Be enthusiastic (videos can come across as flat),
• Point the phone at yourself or a coworker,
• Share an update, a milestone, or congratulate a coworker or customer.

You can post video updates anywhere from once a month to a few times per week. It all depends on how often you have noteworthy updates to share. If your updates aren't very exciting, people will stop watching them. So only share interesting updates that are worth filming and posting a video about.

#4. Hello from the president video

This video is similar to the "About Us" video, but it must come from a high-level person in your company. This could be the president, the founder, or the board chairman.

The video should be shot at the president's desk or in a busy place in your office. This will make it feel more intimate and familiar.

Don't worry about using fancy footage or graphics in your video. People will connect with you better if you just have a face-to-face conversation with them. Your president doesn't have to be photogenic.

Intimacy is key in industrial B2B marketing.

#5. Customer testimonial video

Having testimonials from happy customers helps build trust with your audience. It shows them that others have had a good experience with you and that they can too. There are many ways to showcase testimonials, but video testimonials are one of the simplest and most effective methods. Keep it simple though - don't go for highly produced videos if you're not confident in your video production skills. Stick to industrial style videos that are easy to produce and look good.

If you can get testimonials from your B2B customers, it can help promote your business. People will see that other people have been happy with what you've done for them. Written testimonials are good, but videos are even better because people can see and hear the person talking about how great your product or service is. It may take some time to get a few of these videos together, but it will be worth it in the long run.

#6. Landing page conversion optimization video

Landing page views are hard to get. You need to do everything you can to make sure people who visit your landing pages convert. This includes using paid and organic traffic, and making sure your videos on conversion optimization are effective at convincing visitors to become leads or contact you about a project.

Making a video that shows you understand your audience's goals and the pain points of your industry can help persuade people to buy from you. Be sympathetic and poke their pain points, then make a compelling call to action. Having a real human being deliver your sales message can be more persuasive than reading bullet points on a webpage.

#7. Video sales email

Sales messages are sent to us through email from many different people. Most of these people are strangers who work for companies we've never heard of. This can feel impersonal and intrusive. It can be difficult to find ways to be more personal and establish a connection with a prospect via email.

Videos that are embedded in emails and have thumbnails make it so that your prospects have to see your face. If they click on the thumbnail, they will also hear your voice and feel your passion. Sales videos can create closeness because they show that you are a relatable human too. When you make yourself relatable, you build trust and connect with your prospect at a peer level which makes your industrial company feel more accessible.

Video content marketing: where to start

Almost all industrial marketers should use video content in their marketing. It is no longer an option. You need to use video to make your messages heard, outrank your competition, and drive conversions. Producing high-quality videos is important, but it is not the only type of video that you should create.

Video equipment can be expensive, but it's important to create videos that show your personality and connect with your audience. You don't need to buy new equipment- you may already have everything you need. You can start making videos with your cellphone camera.

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