The Power of Videos: Supercharge Your Marketing Strategy

A picture is worth a thousand words, so how many more words might video be worth?

While I ask the above question rhetorically, the point does stand. Video as a marketing medium is a powerful tool.

So how can you use video to supercharge your marketing strategy?

That question is one I can, and will, answer.

I use video marketing, successfully, and you can too.

In this post, we’ll discuss the psychology of videos in marketing. This includes why they are so good at increasing sales. We’ll then share with you five tips to expertly market with video for your brand.

What Is The Psychology of Videos In Marketing?

There are many reasons why video is such a powerful marketing tool, but they all come back to one thing: human psychology.

Humans are wired for connection.

Face-to-face connection is the most compelling, but that’s not always possible. So, the next best thing, then, is video.

Video enables viewers to connect with the brand on a personal level. They see the human behind the brand. This, combined with the stimulation of the senses, is the perfect storm for eliciting emotion and building those connections that last.

How Videos Can Boost Sales

We know that videos, when used wisely as part of your overall marketing strategy, can increase conversions and boost sales. After all, 93% of businesses landed a new customer after sharing a video on social media. That’s no small feat!

This chart shows the presence that video has compared to other forms of media.

(source)

That’s a big audience for video content. So how do videos garner this type of interest?

They Drive Engagement

Platforms like YouTube and TikTok focus solely on video, while platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are optimizing for video content.

Why is that? Because videos drive engagement.

According to Twitter, tweets with video drive 10x more engagement than non-video tweets. The same can be said for Instagram and Facebook.

Beyond comments and likes, videos are also more likely to be shared.

According to one survey, people are twice as likely to share video content with their friends than any other type of content.

They Build Trust

A whopping 81% of consumers globally said that brand trust is a significant driving factor in their buying decision.

(source)

So how do you build brand trust among your target audience?

There are the usual drivers, like customer testimonials and collaboration with trusted brands. Then there’s video.

Video is a unique medium that allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level.

With video, you can show a personable and human side to your brand.

It opens the door for authenticity which 86% of consumers state is a key factor when making a buying decision.

If you think about it, it’s really only one step away from face-to-face marketing which is another powerful marketing medium.

Take a look at how I do it on my own YouTube channel by offering free courses to my audience:

How To Effectively Use Videos

You know why videos are important for your brand. So how do you effectively use the psychology of video to supercharge your marketing strategy? Check out the five implementation tips below.

Focus on Stories Over Sales Pitches

Storytelling is a human art form that predates language. Maybe that’s why storytelling can boost conversions by 30%.

So start with telling your brand story.

Why does your brand exist? Who was your brand made to help? Who are the people behind the brand?

From there, you can branch out to tell your product stories. Even further, you can tell your customer’s stories. In fact, 66% of consumers prefer stories about “regular people.”

If you need a good example of this, look no further than Airbnb.

Their commercials feature the stories and images of their recent customers. They capture memories and feelings and wrap them up in a pretty little marketing video:

Choose Your Platforms Wisely

Where should you host your video content?

While it’s possible to host on multiple platforms, you will want to choose wisely what types of video content you post and where.

There are some obvious platform limitations, such as Instagram’s 10 to 60-minute video limit and Twitter’s maximum length limit of two minutes and 20 seconds. However, you also want to consider the audience you’re targeting and the ultimate goal of the content.

Let’s say you’re a brand that’s largely targeting Gen Z. You’ll want to post content where that audience frequents, so Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are your best bet.

(source)

Or maybe you’re targeting Boomers. In that case, Facebook is where it’s at.

When picking a video hosting platform, consider platform limitations, target audience, and platform capabilities. You should also keep an eye on platform improvements that may alter how the platform is used. For example, YouTube is best known for its long-form video content, but short content is also possible with YouTube Shorts.

Optimize Your Videos for Search

You optimize your website, your blog posts, and your images. How about your videos?

Search optimization for videos is crucial to getting as many eyes on them as possible. This is true whether you’re optimizing for search engines or social media search algorithms.

So what does it mean to optimize your videos for search? Here are a few rules to follow, whether you’re uploading to YouTube, Facebook, or sharing across platforms.

• Create custom video thumbnails. Don’t just use a still shot from your playback. Create a custom video thumbnail that is human-centric and informative (e.g. include text on screen).

• Include a video transcript. Inclusivity is important, both for SEO and because it’s the right thing to do. Ensure all of your target audience is included in your marketing efforts with video transcripts.
• Write engaging headlines and descriptions. Keywords are important, but a keyword-stuffed title isn’t interesting. Be sure to strike a balance between informational and engaging.

The good news is that any actions you take to optimize your video for SEO will also be beneficial for the end user, so it’s a win-win.

Include Clear Calls to Action

Calls to action (CTAs) are direct messages that tell the consumer what to do next.

“Sign up for our email newsletter.”

“Join our exclusive membership club now.”

“Buy now.”

Whatever it is you hope for your customers to do, a call to action is the way to get them to do it. This seems to be even more true for CTAs in videos.

When the KISSmetrics blog added a CTA to the end of a service introduction video, they saw 380% more clicks than the normal sidebar CTA:

So how do you ensure the messaging is clear and compelling?

• Combine verbal with visual CTAs. Give your viewers a manual action to perform, like clicking a button or following a link posted in the video. It bridges the gap between possible to probable action.
• State the CTA early and then repeat later. Give your CTA as early in the video, as it makes sense to capture as many viewers as possible. Just be sure to follow up toward the end of the video as well.
• Make it simple. Multi-step CTAs aren’t a good idea, whether they’re on video or in a blog post. Keep it a simple one- or two-step action for maximum follow-through.

Did you know that A/B testing your video content is also possible on many platforms? That’s not just video titles and descriptions, but also thumbnails and CTAs.

Collaborate With Other Brands

Remember that one reason videos are so successful is that it increases brand trust. Another way to push this even further is to collaborate with other, well-trusted brands.

Brand collaboration as part of your video strategy could include interviews, industry storytelling, or a platform “takeover.” There are tons of fun ways to collaborate with complementary brands while also relating to your shared audience.

Brand collabs aren’t a new thing. They have been happening for decades, whether it’s brands with other brands or brands with celebrities.

Sony and Honda is just one recent example that aims to combine Sony’s entertainment and imaging expertise with Honda’s production facilities and manufacturing technology:

The biggest benefit here is being able to “borrow” that brand’s trust. It also broadens your audience. Assuming your brands have a similar target audience (which is highly likely if you’re collaborating), then you may get some new followers out of it, too.

FAQs

Do you have more questions about the power of video? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions on the topic.

Conclusion

Video is a powerful marketing tool for brands of all types and sizes.

No matter your target audience or your product/service, the psychology of video can be used to build meaningful connections. That lends itself to increased brand trust and customer engagement which, as a byproduct, boosts sales.

What additional questions do you have about how to use video to supercharge your marketing strategy?