This year, most of consumer internet traffic was composed of online videos, placing platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram at the center of digital marketing strategies. In this post, we look at 4 popular types of B2B video content that every B2B company should know and how (and where) to use them to your advantage.
Useful video content – the kind that drives traffic and leads – is a hard thing to create. Many B2B marketers struggle with the prospect of creating videos, let alone using them in digital marketing campaigns. Why? Because without an experienced partner, videos can be tricky to produce and share. The questions alone can be overwhelming.
What kind of videos should you do? What should they be about? How long should they be? Where do you even start?
Today, you can begin getting answers because we’re going to look at the 4 most popular kinds of B2B videos and where to put them for maximum impact. Let’s dig in.
Top 4 Types of B2B Video Content:
#1 — Explainer Videos
Like all B2B content, videos should provide something valuable to its viewers. Depending on what industry you’re in, an explainer video could feature all kinds of topics. The reason B2B companies like them so much is because they offer a great way to explain a topic or concept that is highly technical or difficult to understand. B2B buyers like explainer videos, too – cutting to the chase gives viewers the most salient benefits of your solution, which means they don’t have to search for them.
Here are two examples of explainer videos we’ve done for our clients:
#2 — How-To Videos
How-to videos are a popular way for B2B companies to show step-by-step breakdowns of a specific service or solution. And the best part is they can be about, well, anything. When framing a how-to video, think about a common question that customers ask you, and how you can provide value to them by showing the individual tasks or instructions in sequential order.
In this video, we show a step-by-step overview of how to use our client’s software with one of its integration partners.
#3 — Customer Testimonials
Explainer videos and How-tos help communicate the benefits and advantages of your product or service. But eventually, your prospective buyers are going to want some proof of your greatness. That’s where the customer testimonial video shines. Testimonials offer a way to showcase how amazing, helpful, revolutionary, game-changing you are – but from the mouth of your customer. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about trust. And potential customers will be more likely to engage with your people and services if they see that others in the industry have had a good experience.
Here’s a testimonial video we created with one of our clients:
#4 — Trending Topic Videos
Creating a video about a trending topic in your industry is the perfect way to stay relevant and appeal to buyers who are hungry for guidance or direction. After all, the best people to create, comment on, or get ahead of trends are the industry’s true experts. Trending topic videos help establish your company and brand as a knowledge authority and thought leader in your field or discipline.
Here’s an example of a video we developed for our client in the financial industry, which was dealing with a hot topic known as reference rate reform:
Top 3 Places to Post This Content Online
Now that we’ve reviewed the most popular types of B2B video content, let’s look at where to use it.
#1 — YouTube
YouTube provides a ton of exposure for all video content. The platform has more than 1 billion monthly users worldwide (!) and is the top choice for most business accounts. Accounts are free to create and come with access to some great analytical tools. Having a YouTube channel is essential for most B2B brands. And it doesn’t just matter on YouTube – it matters on Google. YouTube videos are favored in Google’s organic search results over other video platforms like Vimeo and Dailymotion. As such, video content is critical to a well-rounded SEO strategy.
#2 — Your Website
It should seem obvious that your website would be the perfect place to put your video content. But many companies neglect it, putting their entire focus on YouTube and never thinking twice about it. This is a huge missed opportunity because certain B2B video content fits perfectly on certain website pages. Explainer videos work well on homepages. How-to videos can be easily matched with and embedded in an accompanying blog. Customer testimonial videos can be used virtually anywhere on a website, but will have the most impact on the homepage or on your most important service or solution pages.
#3 — Social Media
Last, but definitely not least, is social media, which is all free! Every B2B company should utilize social media platforms to post videos. Virtually everyone is active on social media, and video content will likely be more effective than anything else at attracting your target audience. The main platform your B2B company should utilize is LinkedIn. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter all have their place but only use them if your buyers use them – particularly when they’re at work. All posted content can be cohesive, as having multiple channels is about reaching as many viewers as possible. For example, some of your potential clients may use LinkedIn and only LinkedIn.
B2B Video FAQs:
Is video creation really worth the cost?
Yes, video creation can be expensive – but if you can fit it into your budget, it’s worth the money. Videos are highly interactive and are better at grabbing a viewer’s attention. And even if you don’t have the budget to create tons of videos every month, that’s okay. Posting a few videos per month is better than nothing.
Will videos help my B2B brand gain followers online?
Yes, absolutely. The more video content you post, the richer your online channels will be, and the more opportunity you will have to attract your target audience. Viewers are more likely to stay engaged and follow you if they see new content on your channels throughout the week or month.
What equipment do I need?
While the examples shared in this post were a bit more robust with animations and stock videos, if you don’t have those tools or skills available, you actually don’t need more than an iPhone or Android to produce videos. Smart phones can be used to make outstanding videos, and you can edit them using Apple iMovie, or apps such as Shotcut or Filmr. Video creation doesn’t have to be a huge investment. As always, an experienced partner can help you scale your abilities faster.
Final Thoughts
Videos are a crucial part of B2B content. They help B2B buyers cut through the noise, understand your value proposition, trust that what you’re telling them is true, and find answers to complex questions. Don’t shy away from taking these tips and trying your hand at creating something yourself. But if you need help, don’t shy away from asking us.
