One common misconception in the B2B world is that customers enjoy lengthy PowerPoint presentations and documents filled with data. In reality, they often find them tiresome.
The digital world is evolving, and B2B marketers need to adapt their strategies accordingly. This means incorporating more visually appealing content, such as videos. However, working with videos can be challenging, and it’s natural to question whether the effort is worthwhile.
Our answer is clear stated in the statistics below:
• Over 78% of viewers consume video content every week, and 55% engage daily.
• 86% of businesses choose video marketing as their primary promotion tool.
• Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when reading it in text.
Given the importance of video marketing in B2B, the next challenge is integrating video strategically into your marketing plan. This raises key questions: Where should you begin? How should you start? And how does video fit into your marketing journey?
Luckily, we've done the groundwork to find out how video can effectively drive each stage of your marketing funnel—capturing prospects' attention, enhancing brand identity, and fostering customer trust. Let’s explore how videos can benefit every stage of the marketing funnel—top of the funnel (ToFu), middle of the funnel (MoFu), and bottom of the funnel (BoFu)—and dive into how videos help across all the marketing funnel stages.
Top of the funnel (ToFu)
The first stage of the marketing funnel is about grabbing the prospect’s attention. A decade ago, B2B marketing was all about information and reports.
Now, it’s about connecting with audience pain points and providing solutions. What kind of video will make your customer stop and think, “That’s exactly what I’m facing? What’s next?” Here are some tips on how video can help at the ToFu level:
Ace the why: The best way to grab attention is by addressing the "why." Questions like “What is your product?” or “How can it help?” comes later. Start by asking why they need your product and list out the pain points your prospects face.
Storytelling is key:Once you understand your prospect’s pain points and know what solutions or services they’re seeking, create videos that shows how your product solves their problems.
For example, when you visit the Salesforce website and click on the "Customers" tab, you don’t see logos or self-praising testimonials. Instead, you find customer success stories. These narratives go beyond simple case studies and create compelling videos that resonate with viewers.
Avoid overloading with data and statistics: B2B customers don’t spend their days reading reports and may not be familiar with all industry jargons. Create videos that are entertaining yet insightful.
For instance, Salesforce’s "Trailblazer Stories" combine entertainment with informative content, highlighting the success stories of businesses using their CRM solutions.
Email + Video = THE PERFECT DUO: A study by Oberlo found that adding videos to your emails can increaseclick rates by 300%. Videos stand out in an inbox, enticing people to open the email. They capture attention, tell a story, and communicate your message more engagingly than text alone.
Don’t overspend on social media videos: The typical shelf life of a social media video ranges from 48 hours to 14 days, after which engagement drops significantly. Spending excessively on such content doesn’t yield the desired ROI. Focus on consistency and engaging content instead.
Middle of the funnel (MoFu)
Once you’ve captured your prospect’s attention and they are familiar with your offerings, it’s time to progress through the MoFu stage. Here are some tips on how video can help at the MoFu level:
Use videos on your website:Prospects will visit your website when considering your product. Your website can make or break a deal. Publishing videos on your landing page, product page, or a dedicated video platform ensures better ROI than just using YouTube.
Personalisation of content:To create personalised customer content, start by understanding the value of accessing customer data with their consent. Next step craft personalised experiences by analysing customer data and tailoring content and messaging that deeply connects with your audience.
Use metrics: Analysing video views and shares is helpful, but it’s not enough. Gain deeper insights into your prospects’ interests and intentions by understanding what content they are viewing, liking, and how they are interacting with the videos.
Create credibility with video:Testimonials and case studies build trust. Video testimonials where similar companies have overcome challenges using your product provide social proof and encourage prospects to make a purchase.
Use webinars: Webinars capture prospects, highlight expertise, engage audiences, and provide valuable content that can be repurposed. And not just live webinar, on-demand webinars which can be watched anytime are particularly more effective. Educate your prospects, and they will become your customers one way or the other.
Bottom of the funnel (BoFu)
In the BoFu stage, the focus shifts from flashy visuals to fundamental principles. It’s about presenting facts, addressing any lingering concerns, and establishing confidence and excitement about prospects. Here are some tips on how video can help at the BoFu level:
Demo videos:Demo videos offer an engaging way to showcase your product in action. Let viewers see exactly how your product works and the problems it solves.
Provide training videos for your product:Create short tutorial videos to help customers maximize the value of your solution. Highlight best practices and provide practical tips and tricks. These videos empower customers to achieve their business objectives efficiently.
Build a video knowledge base:Create a collection of videos to help customers solve common issues independently, along with expert support. This allows customers to find answers easily and get on with their day.
For example, Rocketlane, a customer onboarding SaaS company, and a FastPix customer created an owned media platform that is like ‘Netflix for ecosystem-led growth’ Rocketlane TV. This initiative keeps their community engaged and ensures sustained audience growth.
