Since the inception of YouTube in 2005, businesses, marketers and media companies have recognized the potential of video content. Each year, technology has advanced along with the interest and investment in using video. Not long after YouTube’s popularity began to soar in 2007, other platforms, including Facebook, gave users the ability to post video.

In 2020, video will be the highest performing type of digital content. This is true across platforms: tweets with video get 10 times more engagement, LinkedIn users are 20 times more likely to share posts with video, and on Instagram video generates the highest engagement levels. Having a robust video content strategy is no longer something marketers can afford to ignore.

Video is expected to grow even further in the next few years. By 2022, 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic will consist of online videos. Each year, the amount of video watched on mobile devices increases by 100 percent. Additionally, 85 percent of adults use multiple devices at the same time, which means someone may simultaneously view content on a television screen and a mobile phone. 

Statistics collected by Wyzowl, a market leader in explainer videos, show that people prefer to receive information through video rather than written articles, infographics and other presentations. Results from the firm’s 2019 survey report that 96 percent of people say they have watched an explainer video to learn about a product or service, and 68 percent say they prefer to learn about new products and services by watching a short video. 

It’s important to note that not just any video will do. You have to take the time to create something of quality that will resonate with your target audience.

Whether you’re marketing to end users or business owners, here’s how to use video to connect with your customer base and convert viewers to buyers.

Showcase the Products and Services You Provide

Video has the power to help a customer to better understand a product or service. This is especially useful in the construction industry where homeowners seek to understand how a builder or remodeler performs services, and builders and remodelers seek to understand how new products can be used to improve their business.

A little education can go a long way. Tutorial videos are a way for product manufacturers, contractors and builders to provide value to their customers.

Use them to:

  • answer frequently asked questions
  • help troubleshoot a common issue with a product
  • explain the features of a new product
  • compare products

Before-and-after photos are great, but time-lapse videos are better. They allow a customer to see the construction process in action. Months of work can be displayed in a couple minutes, and you can point out key products or processes in the video.   

Gain Consumer Trust

Use video to reach perspective customers and build trust. For businesses such as remodelers and contractors who work in the home, having the homeowner’s trust is a big factor. Likewise, a small business owner may be hesitant to try a new product from a brand they’re not familiar with.

Testimonial videos are a great way to do this. In a testimonial video, a third party, usually a satisfied customer, talks about their experience with a product or service. Because they’re an end user or recipient and not a representative from the company, they help establish brand credibility.

Get Access to Important Data

The viewing behaviors of your customers and followers can teach you a lot about them. When you utilize video on social platforms, they collect data on the viewing patterns of your followers. YouTube also offers detailed analytics on the videos you publish on its platform.

You can find out who watched, how long they tuned in, and what action(s) they took.

Once you collect enough of this data, you can learn from it and design video content that drives more engagement. Engagement is more likely to convert followers to buyers. According to Social Media Today, 90 percent of consumers said they use video to help them make buying decisions.