7 Tips for Using Video to Boost Your Content Marketing Efforts with Minimal Effort

Hey everyone,

Today I wanted to talk about video. So many folks here on Steemit are creating videos everyday and finding it to be a wonderful way to get their stories across.

Videos have become an important part of any content marketing campaign but few small businesses have the resources to regularly record professional-quality videos.

Unless you have a documentary producer on retainer, chances are you’re challenged to regularly come up with engaging visual content. Some of you have really mastered how to create engaging videos, but many of us struggle. However, using the camera on your smartphone or tablet, you can shoot an entertaining video that engages customers.

Here are some video content tips that may prove helpful to both the newbie and the experienced video professional.

Conference Clips

Don’t let your next presentation go to waste. If you’ve been invited to speak at an event, have someone record it and post it to your social media pages or blog.

You’ll reach a much wider audience than the conference attendees and have interesting content to help build brand awareness. If you aren’t currently participating in a conference, consider hosting a webinar and recording it to later share across your online channels.

Photo by @sambloom at Unsplash.

Recordings of Demos

If you're an entrepreneur and your team sells a product or software solution that requires a demo or training session, you may be missing a valuable opportunity to showcase that product.

Instead of traveling to conduct workshops or holding webinars each week, use software like Camtasia or GoToMeeting’s built-in session recorder to capture the session. You’ll then be able to invite potential customers to watch that session, while also posting it on your website for people looking for more information.

Instructional Videos

Chances are, someone on your staff has an expertise that can be shared with the public. Have each of your team members, including you, record short instructional videos on issues like marketing, entrepreneurship, application development, or customer service techniques. These videos will show up in searches and help introduce your business to a wider range of customers and potential clients.

Manufacturing Products

The success of the TV series How It’s Made showcases the fact that people are fascinated by how a product is built. You can easily satisfy that demand by shooting brief clips of your product under construction. If your manufacturer is overseas, offer your overseas partner the opportunity to shoot brief videos of the process in exchange for publicity and/or extra payment.

Launch Party Video

If you plan a party to launch a new product or service, video is a must. Share short clips of the event, including comments from business partners and team members in attendance. By giving your customers a behind-the-scenes look at your operations, you’ll make them feel as though they’re part of your business, which can increase customer loyalty.

Customer Contests

One of the easiest ways to create content for your marketing efforts is to ask someone else to do it. Hold a contest inviting your customers to submit videos of themselves using your product or service.

The prize money you pay out to winners will be less than what you’d pay a professional videographer to put together something for your business and often customers are more creative and interesting than what a company might come up with anyway.

Use Explainer Videos

Explainer videos provide a helpful way to briefly explain what your product or service does. These short videos can be shot in house or by a professional and posted to your sites. The goal of an explainer video is to answer the main questions your customer has in a fun, entertaining way. The more concise you can make an explainer video, the better.

With video content marketing, your business can reach audiences that might not have otherwise paid attention to your message. By keeping it as simple as possible, you can accomplish this without investing a large amount of time and money.

Thanks for the ongoing support everyone. Please check out some of my more recent writing:

Who I am

The Healthy Entrepreneur:
Why Following Online Fitness Gurus is Just Making You Fat
How a Brief Meditation Session Can Energize Your Next Morning Staff Meeting
3 Weekend Getaway Ideas That Can Refresh Even the Busiest Worker

Social Media and Content Tips:
Need More Content Quickly? Offer a Poll
Why Too Many Social Media Accounts Can Hurt Your Brand

How to Be a Better Entrepreneur:
20 Businesses You Can Start for Less Than $20
4 Insanely Easy but Overlooked Tactics to Advance Your Entrepreneurial Career
There is No Tidy Way to Deal with a Hoarder on Your Staff
How to Pitch a Top Journalist Successfully

Creating a Better Career:
How to Partner Successfully With a Younger Boss
How to Keep Things From Getting Worse When Your Boss Starts Yelling at You
My Number One Hack for Staying Motivated in Work and Life (DTube)

Thanks again all for the support! If you would like to check out any of my previous work, go to my website or my Steemit blog.