Video Marketing for Small Business
Do you struggle with which marketing tactic to invest your time?
There are so many options! And so many opinions about what is working best. I’d argue the tactic which will give you the most “bang-for-your-buck” would be video. This is backed up by statistics.
- 87% of video marketers say video has increased traffic to their website. (Wyzowl)
- 80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales. (Wyzowl)
Imagine yourself looking for a service or product online – such as on Facebook or YouTube or Google – and finding a video from a local business owner that tells you they not only have what you need but in this video they show you how its locally made, designed, and ready right now? Furthermore, the owner (there in the video) looks forward to meeting you and helping you use it or experience it or provide it to you.
If you’re a business owner or marketing person in a small business, you need to get good and comfortable at doing video. You just don’t have much choice any longer. YouTube is the number one search engine in the world for video and the second largest search engine overall, just behind Google.
You need to be doing videos. You need to be on YouTube. It is where your target audience hangs out online (for most of you).
You need videos that share your company’s story, and educate your target audience on how your products and services will solve their problems. Videos build connection and communication with your audience which leads to trust, which leads to new clients and repeat customers.
Check out these other video marketing statistics:
- 54% of people want to see more video content from marketers.
- 93%of marketers say they’ve landed a new customer thanks to a video on social media.
- The average website user spends 88%more time on a website which contains a video on the home page.
So, you might be asking…
“What Equipment Do I need to Start Doing Video?”
I have clients ask this question a lot. Once they realize they do need to be creating valuable video content, they start asking what camera? “Can I use my iPhone?” “Do I need lights?” “Which lights?” “Do I need a microphone? (YES!) and “Which microphone?”
I do quite a few videos about video on my YouTube channel where I cover how to get going with video and examples of clients who are doing it. Take a look at this webinar about video and social media – its worth your time and I discuss getting started and equipment.
To help you get started, here are some relatively inexpensive items to pick up on Amazon. As I say in many videos and with clients – the best camera to start with is your smartphone. You can always upgrade but phones these days have good cameras so just get going with what’s in your pocket.
Equipment
Here are other items you’ll want to have on hand:
- Lapel Microphone (NOTE: Using a microphone is very important. People undervalue audio quality all the time): https://amzn.to/3hTP4AX
- Lights: https://amzn.to/3jFcpqj
- Simple tripod with remote for a smartphone: https://amzn.to/2Z3dO2d
- Tripod for DSLR camera: https://amzn.to/2YYFjtu
- Smartphone adapter for the tripod: https://amzn.to/3gYB9rH
- Good rather inexpensive DSLR Camera for Video: https://amzn.to/2Gio28c
- Editing software to get started: https://amzn.to/352W0Ia
If you are doing videos with your iPhone you can use iMovie on a MAC and get a good edit. No reason to go beyond this at first. But once you start doing videos more often, you probably want to upgrade to a real piece of editing software.
The other option is to hand over your video recording files to a professional editor. Many small business owners should go this route. Editing is time consuming. And you want it done well with good graphics, right?
In Summary
There you go – the items you’ll need. If you attended our Small Business Marketing boot camp you watched us talk through the physical set-up of your video space – how you place the lights, the camera, etc. If you were not there, there are many videos on YouTube about setting up a basic video shoot, such as this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sJvutaec7I
Note that the shotgun microphone he shows in this video I’ve used and I’m not that impressed with it. I’ve always achieved better sound with a lapel mic that is wired into the camera. The lights he shows in his video are not bad but the lights above in the list are my choice.
Video Marketing Takes Practice
Realize that, like everything new, doing video will take practice. And the editing of videos will also take patience. But it will get smoother and faster as you do it. I predict that once you get into it, you’ll enjoy it immensely. It will speed up your ability to talk to your audience and existing customers. It will make you a better salesmen for sure.
You may get frustrated. Push through. Or, get help.
Get videos into your marketing strategy.
Good luck!
Cebron
Walker Kreative is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
