According to Wordstream, one-third of online activity is spent watching video.
A staggering statistic, but before you dive headfirst into video marketing, hold fast on the starting block and ask yourself, what purpose will your video serve and, do you actually need it? If you’re dipping your toes into video purely for YouTube subscribers or because it looks ‘fun’, prepare to watch your efforts sink before your eyes.
That said, there is continued talk around video marketing and why companies should utilise this marketing tool. I’m sure we don’t need to tell you about the importance video marketing has in today’s digital climate.
If you’re looking to harness video content and entice leads to your business, grab your camera and tripod because this guide will demonstrate four video marketing ideas that SaaS (Software as a service) companies can implement into their wider content strategies.
What is Video Marketing?
Firstly, let’s get you up to speed. Marketers, more than most, will tell you that video is the future, but by no means is video marketing new. Video marketing defined is the ‘use of video to market and/or promote your brand, product or service’. From Facebook live events and training videos to viral hits and ‘how to’ guides, video marketing comes in its many forms.
If we apply video marketing in the tech industry where software does not sell itself, marketing via video has proven to be a goldmine for content creation offering SaaS and cloud-based software companies new opportunities to connect, engage and create value for their consumers.
Video content provides leverage to promote products and create impressions for both new and returning customers in the buyer’s journey. Don’t just take our word for it, here are three key points of video marketing that prove its worth:
- Video is a fast-growing marketing tool. 87% of marketing professionals use video as a marketing tool (Wyzowl)
- Video engages users for longer on your website. The average user spends 88% more time on a website with video (Forbes)
- Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text (Forbes)
Today, video marketing is a must for SaaS and other cloud-based software companies to incorporate into their content marketing strategy.
What makes video marketing so awesome?
Every company needs video marketing. Video is a powerful tool to connect and engage your audience, setting the stage for more human connections between brands and consumers. Not only has it become increasingly important and relevant, but video content offers a strategic angle in your content marketing strategy to gain a competitive edge.
Video marketing raises awareness about conversations, but it also presents opportunities for businesses to inspire, evoke emotion and appeal to audiences in a real and authentic way.
We all know how busy and cluttered the internet has become. With limited attention, tech giants Google have called for search engine marketers to become video marketers. - “If you’re ignoring online video, you’re literally missing billions of opportunities to engage with people”.
Video Marketing ideas for SAAS Companies
If you’re ready to get to grips with video marketing, Digital Media Stream understand that the sheer number of options available to SAAS companies can make it hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve picked four effective video types that SaaS sharks can start creating right now. Pen and pad ready?
Educational Video:
Educational videos are winning the content wars. Why? They’re enjoying phenomenal success in triggering interest as soon as the user arrives at the content. The science behind educational video content is pretty straight forward - offer prospects useful and interesting information that is helpful to them. Bingo!
Particularly in the B2B sector, educational content such as webinars, whitepapers and conferences has been the bread and butter for a long time. It’s this same notion that makes educational video content such a success that it is today. People love learning new things. If a brand can make learning faster, quicker and fun, users are more likely to engage and share the content with wider audiences.
Case Study: Microsoft
Microsoft nails their educational video content by hosting a weekly YouTube series called ‘Microsoft Unboxed’, hosted by Sonia Dara and Colleen O’Brien. Their video content focuses on Microsoft’s latest technologies as well as the people and stories behind the tech, exploiting a more friendly and human approach.
In the video below, Sonia and Colleen give an inside look into Microsoft Build, a premier developer conference, and explore the show floor to discuss the importance of trust for Microsoft. Watch below.
Promotion Video:
Promotional video marketing can often be mistaken for the SaaS companies solely promoting their product or service. At the very heart of promotional video marketing, the aim is to connect your product or service with your target audience by using values and stories; a less forced, more human approach so to speak.
Promotional videos are short, stylish and give a clear message to the audience about what they are watching. The best promotional videos understand the ins and outs of your target audience, how they think, what they really want and reflect that back to them.
Case Study: Dropbox
There’s probably no video more aesthetically pleasing than what file hosting service Dropbox delivered to help promote their brand and product. Labelled as ‘the world needs your creative energy’, Dropbox draws viewers in with an incredibly inspiring video compiled with a variety of artist’s creative resources.
Amidst extremely competitive advertising/promotion, this one stands out above the rest. Watch below.
Demo/Explainer Video:
A video marketing challenge for SaaS companies is to take dry technical content and turn it into a product that engages audiences and promotes sharing. In competitive B2B and B2C environments, a demo/explainer video helps audiences understand abstract concepts in a simpler format then copy alone.
Demo/explainer videos normally come in bitesize content, ranging between two-three minutes in length (Videos up to 2 minutes long get the most engagement), and are produced in a variety of formats including 3D and live-action. Using wider options, some demo/explainer videos opt for emotional tactics to communicate their business’ message.
Using demo/explainer videos for your business is more likely to see prospects purchase your product or service. According to Wordstream, 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
Case Study: Salesforce
Cloud-based software Salesforce utilizes video content to demonstrate their Salesforce Essentials software that helps small businesses quickly get started and grow.
Engaging from the onset, Salesforce paces their application demo with eye-catching illustrations, light background music and a detailed narrative that helps their prospects and customers to understand the product, what it’s used for and what it can do. Watch below.
Testimonial Video:
Somewhat underestimated at the best of times, video testimonials (also known as success stories) offer huge benefits to SaaS companies that range far beyond increasing your sales. They’re noted for highly motivating prospects to say ‘yes’ and help push them to the next step in the buyer’s journey. But video testimonials also help build a brand’s trust, informing their target audience about how good their product or service is.
Testimonial video content delivers real and lasting results because they’re credible, enjoyable and able to connect with the user in a human way. Customers trust other customers when they share genuine positive experiences and honest feedback. 73% of customers trust a business more after reading positive reviews, so it makes sense to delve into testimonials videos for your companies good.
Case Study: Square
Credit card processing services Square hit all the right buttons in their testimonial video with a sweet and short 30-second long edit. The video protagonist, Danny, shares his story as he informs the audience about how good Square’s service truly is.
Portraying a convincing reason why Square is better than alternative solutions, it’s easy to see how the testimonial will help other prospects to choose Square as their card processing solution. Not to mention, we can all take away how such a simple video can be so effective. Watch below.
If you want to become successful SaaS video marketers like the examples above, you’re now armed with the knowledge to entice the billions of potential prospects to your business by delivering exciting video content.
If you get the basics right and don't over complicating your resources, opportunities will follow thick and fast to attract, convert and delight customers with real value.
However, it goes without saying that, if you're not using video marketing in your content marketing strategy, its more than likely that you’re at the back of the pack and the best prospects on the market are swiping their credit cards with your competitors.
Are you looking to get your video marketing strategy up and running? We’d love to help and our agency is on hand to get you started. Drop us a hello here.
