How To Master Video Content As A B2B In-House Marketer
Dustin Schultz is the Emmy Award-winning founder of Union. Union partners with marketing teams to strategize and create video content.
Video content requires more than technical proficiency—because you can find this nearly anywhere. Throw a stone and you'll probably hit a filmmaker. Instead, mastering video for your brand requires understanding storytelling, emotion and audience engagement.
You're busy, so let's hop right into it. Here are five indispensable steps to elevate your video content game and captivate your audience.
Video content has a uniquely powerful way of evoking emotions, whether it's joy, empathy or even anger. As an in-house marketer, your goal should be to make viewers feel something. Emotions bypass rational objections and resonate deeply with audiences, compelling them to take action. Prioritize emotional resonance in your videos.
"Story" is the most overused word in marketing for a reason. At the core of every memorable video lies a compelling story. Human brains are wired to process information in narrative form, making storytelling critical for marketers. Share the journey of a customer's transformation or an anthem film about your brand's history. Stories are immersive—help your audience get lost in one.
You choose the mood for your audience with music. Imagine watching your favorite movie on mute—it would totally fall flat. Guide your viewers into how they should feel, and leverage the power of music to amplify the impact of your video content.
Establishing brand recognition is crucial. Do two things to achieve this: First, ensure that your brand is prominently featured throughout. And second, create a unified style for your content campaign. Brand awareness not only reinforces brand identity but also helps accelerate the consumer decision-making processes.
Every great story needs someone the audience can root for and empathize with. In your video content, highlight relatable characters. Whether you're showcasing a customer's journey or featuring passionate employees driving change, humanize your brand through compelling characters. By inviting viewers to envision themselves within your narrative, you show your audience who they could be if they were part of your brand story.
Prioritize these five essential steps—creating emotional resonance, telling a compelling story, including an impactful soundtrack, consistently showcasing your brand and creating relatable characters. Use them as a checklist as you build plans for your next project.
Now that you have your checklist. What kind of videos should you make?
Here are four kinds of videos that every B2B brand should create:
• Video case studies: "But you don't have to take my word for it," said LeVar Burton in Reading Rainbow. People typically trust what others say about brands over what brands say about themselves. Testimonials in the form of video case studies are an amazing tool you can push out via your owned channels or have your sales team use in outreach.
• A brand anthem film: Information about a brand isn't just what people know; it's how it makes them feel. A brand anthem film sets a tone for the organization, boils down the key message of who you are and informs the viewer about what you offer. Often video content like this lives on the homepage of a website or can be played during a major event. Bonus tip: If you have a great founder story, encourage them to tell it. Remember, people buy from people, even in B2B.
• A product explainer video: Showing your product or service in action allows potential customers to see where they truly fit into your solution. Product explainers often go deeper into the technical details, highlighting key features. Use a film like this further down the sales funnel, when a customer is in the consideration phase.
• LinkedIn social ads: At the top of your lead funnel, video social ads hook people into the start of your customer journey. Make them simple, unexpected and clear. Don't pack every product feature into these videos. They're like a first date—you just want to create interest.
Now you know how to think and what to create for your video content strategy. I promise having these things in place sets you ahead of most B2B marketers.
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?