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Lead Generation Via Video Content: A B2B Marketer's Guide

forbes   video survey b2b marketingIf you try to sweep video under the rug, dismissing it as a passing fad that doesn't apply to you because "we're B2B, not B2C", then you're in danger of missing the boat.

Videos are just another format of content that can be used to generate leads, the same way mobile is just another vehicle for viewing content.

Video IS popular with business people - whether you like it or not - it's what your prospects want, and it's not going anywhere.

In fact, 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute (that's more than 1 hour of video every second!), and according to research conducted by Forbes:

  • 75% of executives watch work-related videos on business-related websites at least weekly
  • 52% of executives watch business-related videos on YouTube at least weekly
  • And a HUGE 65% of executives visit the marketer's site after viewing a video

Video is everywhere, and our ever-shortening attention spans are partly to blame. We don't have enough time to go through web content with a fine-tooth comb anymore.

Online, there's just too many things that are vying for our attention, competing for our retweets, likes, and social shares. It's much easier to sit back and let the visuals and audio do the work.

So how can B2B marketers begin to use video for lead generation? Here are our 3 steps:

1. Have A Plan

Whilst this may seem obvious, there are a few things you need to decide from the outset:

How it fits into your overall strategy.

What goals is your video going to achieve? Who is your target audience? How is your video useful to them? What course of action do you want them to take after viewing it? How will you measure ROI?

What format you want.

Is it a casual phone-recorded video, or does it need to be more professional, using animation or a green room studio? Obviously if you're strapped for cash you'd have to go the DIY route, but the cost of video is falling rapidly and you might be surprised at how affordable some of the other options are.

What you're going to say.

You can't wing it! What's the story you're telling? Write it down. Read it out loud and measure how long it takes for you to complete the script. Know when you're going to cue visual aids. It has to flow like a narrative.

What visuals you're going to use.

Gather the visual aids that help you illustrate points, like slides (if you're using a green room), or props (for example, a whiteboard). Make sure that they actually add value, and aren't there just to fill up space.

2. Produce Your Video

In post-production of your video, remember to...

Keep it short.

The length of your video should be 30 to 120 seconds max! People have short attention spans. Leaving them wanting more (getting them to click through) is better than having them drop off before you even get a chance to tell them where to go next.

Double-check sound quality.

Bad sound quality is unprofessional. Do you have a good microphone? Is there minimal background noise? You need the audio to be crystal clear so it doesn't damage the value of your great video.

Add your brand logo.

You're doing this for lead generation, so it's a marketing exercise! To get them to identify with your brand, introduce yourself at the beginning of the video, and remind your viewers at the end of the video.

Have a call-to-action.

This is an absolute must-have for lead generation. Give them somewhere to go if they've stuck around to the end of your video. The fact that they even watched it to the end is a good indicator of interest, and you don't want to let that conversion opportunity go to waste!

3. Promote For Inbound Links

Unfortunately, the previous steps are only half the work. Distribution is the hard(er) part. Besides having it up on your website, like on your blog, you also have to get your video out there to the people that matter: your prospects. Otherwise, you won't be able to generate any leads.

At the very least, you should:

Upload your video to social networks that make sense.

YouTube is a non-negotiable MUST. When uploading your videos, remember to...

  • Create a text transcript for optimisation purposes, because Google's spiders can't crawl what's said in your videos yet
  • Optimise keywords (in your title and your description)
  • Use content categories

Send your video out via email.

Email is lead generation's best friend, especially in the B2B space.

Why?

  • 63.9% of 5000 people watched a video sent by email to completion. The average email readers will only spend 8 seconds reading an email (MarketingVox)
  • Video in email has 280% higher returns than direct (Gartner)
  • Emails containing video received on average 5.6% higher open rates and 96.38% higher CTRs than non video emails (GetResponse on examining 800,000 customer emails)
  • Videos in email have a 30% higher open rate and 3x the conversion rate of emails without video (ActivePath)

How?

To get videos playing in email you can use HTML5. All iOS devices and most web browsers are compatible. You can also use an awesome program called LiveClicker which automatically adapts to the email client it's sending the email to, so that if the video can't be opened by the email client, it will deliver the asset that works (like an animated .gif or animated .png silent video).

Experiment with different formats.

The .gif format is great because it renders quickly (as long as it's under 30 seconds).

There's also something called the cinematograph (see some examples here). The little bit of movement is surprising, unexpected, and eye-catching.

So there you have it! For more information, please download our free ebook on using video for B2B lead generation:

 

video marketing for b2b marketers
Topics: lead generation content marketing marketers b2b marketing strategy video