It is no secret that video is a great way to get your message across, and that more and more people prefer this form of communication. But there is much more to using video as a strategic tool in your digital marketing toolbox, especially for moving your prospects through your funnel towards a sale. Building on the sales funnel information from our recent blog and webinar, let’s take a look at how video is best used throughout your sales process.
Why Video?
The stats are pretty straightforward (from our most recent webinar on video):
Nearly 50% of internet users looks for videos related to a product or service before a purchase. (Google)
Facebook videos receive, on average, 135% more organic reach than Facebook photos. (Social Bakers)
Including video on landing pages can increase conversion rates by 80%. (Unbounce)
Searches related to “how to” on YouTube have grown 70% year on year. (Google)
Videos build trust with your customers. Instead of trying to tell searchers that you are the local authority in your industry, you can show them that you are. Web search, especially in the better building sector, is rampant with question-based queries. “What is an appropriate humidity level in my home.” “Do solar panels work on the north side of the house?” “How good are ductless mini splits for heating?” (Real examples.) Video, for so many of these types of questions, is not only the best vehicle for explaining complicated topics, but is also much more likely to get the click.
Types of Marketing Videos
These can range from short promotional videos to longer educational explainers, but you should have a variety of video titles and objectives in your quiver:
Brand videos
Tell your company story, showcase your company culture (great for recruitment), document training in process, or highlight specific team members
Product/service videos
Talk about a particular service. Examples: How Heat Pumps Work, Battery Storage Explained, What is an Energy Audit?
Expertise videos
Showcase the expertise and certifications of your employees and technicians and dive deeper into more complex topics like infrared thermography, building science, or solar sizing.
Explainer videos
Focus on things that require more explanation in order for a layperson to understand, such as the whole-home approach, rebates and promotions, your solar install process, or the energy audit process.
Case studies
Tell the story of a well documented project and how you accomplished the goals of that project. Documentation can include still images taken onsite, and you should include the before and after numbers and details.
Customer testimonials
Don’t like “selling” your own business or tooting your own horn? Let your happy customers do it for you. Interview a recent customer who was satisfied with the work you did for them.
Customized sales videos
Personalize your sales process and send along a custom made, short video explaining a recent proposal or quote. Think along the lines of “Hey Gary and Susan, I wanted to explain why I added an air sealing option on your insulation quote.”
Using Video Throughout The Sales Funnel
Each of the above video types will present a specific value to your customer, but it takes careful consideration to place these in the proper channels — your GMB profile, your YouTube channel, YouTube ads, Facebook posts, Facebook ads, Instagram, TV ads, etc. — in order to reach customers in your sales funnel process. Here is where we aim to fit some of these video types along the traditional funnel model:
Using brand and product/service videos will attract new customers and get them familiar with your company name and capabilities. Then, you can build trust by showcasing happy customers who have used your services, and show why you are the absolute expert on something they need. From there, seal the deal with a more in-depth explainer video of your process and maybe a customized proposal video.
But, Which Channel??
Each part of the funnel and, in turn, each video objective will lend itself to specific distribution channels. We developed this horizontal chart to place each channel where it will be most effective (outside of your own website, of course):
Brand videos and product/service videos are especially effective on social media, where there is a broad and diverse user base that encourages sharing. And posting your new product or service video on your Google My Business page can be essential to a new product launch!
Expertise videos, case study videos, and testimonial videos are especially great for social media retargeting to people who have already engaged with your site or other videos.
Now that you’ve got a good game plan for where to put your new videos out into the world, how should you be using your new video assets on your site?
Using Video On Your Site
Make sure to consider your customer as you place videos on your site. An explainer video about the solar tax credit probably isn’t going to fit on the “About Us” page. But putting that video on the rebates and incentives page can make the information available that much robust!
Keep in mind that if there is a video preset on a page, the user is much more likely to click play. And if that video isn’t immediately relevant, you may have a bounce on your hands. This page on ice dams has a relevant video (with a perfectly curated thumbnail) explaining how ice dams form and who to call to prevent them:
Your most compelling brand awareness videos should go on your homepage — the ones that answer the question of “Why us?” and “What makes our services better than any of our competitors?” In this video that lives on KV Tech Construction’s homepage, they tout their “unprecedented” warranty:
Don’t Use Video Just For The Sake Of Video
Video is a powerful, effective, and forward thinking tool that can be used to drive conversions. But make sure you are using it right and considering your customers! When you tailor your video content to exactly what’s on the mind of your potential customers at different stages of the buying cycle, you’ll increase the effectiveness of an already powerful medium.