- Video is all the rage. People are devouring and sharing video content on social media like never before.
- LinkedIn users are 20 times more likely to share a video on the platform than any other type of post.
- While LinkedIn is a social network for professionals and business leaders, your video content doesn't necessarily have to be professionally produced to be effective.
- If you aren't incorporating video in your marketing strategy in 2020, you're leaving some serious money on the table.
Once upon a time, LinkedIn users could only embed video content from other sources, such as YouTube. But in 2017, LinkedIn made it possible to upload native videos through its mobile app. This lets LinkedIn users see a more "human" side of brands and companies, making them more affable.
Now, according to Wyzowl's 2019 State of Video Marketing ...
- 51% of video marketers have used LinkedIn video as a channel, up from 38% in 2018.
- Out of those, 84% say it's been successful for them, up from 75% in 2018.
- 79% of people say a brand's video has convinced them to buy a piece of software or app.
- 87% of people would like to see more videos from brands.
What's more, 59% of executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic, they are more likely to choose video.
Even so, numerous businesses are yet to give video marketing a chance. This may be due to lack of time, budget, technical know-how or some other excuse. Consequently, video is still a relatively untapped marketing channel.
If you are wondering whether video marketing on LinkedIn, or even in general, is worth all the effort and investment, then go ahead and put your doubts to rest. Because as the figures above confirm, it's definitely worth it. The only question is, how do you do it effectively without breaking the bank?
You don't want to be one of those brands that fail to leverage the demand for video content just because you are on a shoestring budget. Let's dive into the top five most cost-effective ways to kickstart video marketing for your business in 2020.
1. Create screencast tutorials and presentations.
A screencast is nothing but a video recording of your computer screen accompanied by audio narration. If you're just getting started with video marketing on LinkedIn, creating screencast videos of slideshow presentations and tool tutorials is the most effective yet inexpensive way to go about it.
To kick off, all you really need is a script for your video, some solid visuals on your screen (created on, say, PowerPoint), screen recording software and a mic to speak into. You might use your webcam to reveal your face and make it a bit more personal, but that's optional.
Basically, you just narrate as if you were giving a presentation or tutorial to a live audience. If you can't currently invest in a decent camera, or if you're just camera shy, make sure to give screencasting a try.
2. Share video testimonials from happy customers.
Social proof is something you can never get enough of as a business. Having more and more user-generated content in the form of product reviews, social media shout-outs and testimonials from happy customers is invaluable to the growth of your business.
Video testimonials are especially effective because they communicate social proof and brand credibility more concretely than plain text reviews. A couple of genuine video testimonials from your clients can go a long way in growing your brand on LinkedIn.
Besides, potential leads and clients on LinkedIn are very forgiving about the video quality when it comes to testimonials. In fact, an unusually well-produced video testimonial will appear less honest, since it's likely well rehearsed and shot with multiple takes.
Thus, consider reaching out to your existing client base and offering them discount codes in exchange for video testimonials of your product. Your customers will appreciate a good discount, and you'll greatly benefit from such social proof in the long run.
3. Show behind the scenes of your business.
How about showing your audience where the magic happens? Everybody loves a backstage pass.
You can highlight your best employees each month and appreciate their hard work in a simple one-minute behind-the-scenes video. Impress your audience with the skill, craftsmanship or technology that goes into making your products. Or simply flaunt your super cool office culture and brand values.
4. Try DIY animated videos.
Of course, hiring an agency or experienced freelancer to create high-quality animated videos will cost you a pretty penny. Doing so could really pay off in terms of long-term ROI, but presently, we want to get the best bang for our little buck.
An excellent way to save resources while making entertaining and educational videos is to make animated videos yourself. Animated videos empower you to explain concepts in a more simpler manner and at the same time, they can be really engaging. Such videos spark the conversation and enchant your viewers if done well. No wonder so many marketers prefer going the animated route to make inexpensive marketing videos.
While cloud-based animated video creation platforms such as Sparkol or Vyond are not free, they are surely affordable. Besides, you can also start animating for free by signing up for free plans of software like Animaker or Powtoon.
5. Interview experts and thought leaders.
To be recognized as an industry influencer, you first need to associate your brand with existing industry influencers. Provide value to your social media followers and business prospects by interviewing experienced leaders in your industry or even the C-suite of your own company.
Filming interviews with thought leaders in your industry is a tried-and-tested way to build trust and authority with your target audience. Discussions about product innovation in your industry and case studies on successes and failures work really well. Production-wise, interviews are quite easy to manage. A noise-free environment with good lighting, a couple of steady cameras, and basic video editing software is pretty much all the equipment you need to get cracking.
Moreover, interviews with founders and business leaders in their office space comes across as personal and authentic. Interviews can open your brand up to a wider audience who are connected with the person you are interviewing. And with growing video conferencing technology, your guests need not be next to you. You can conduct interviews with anyone on the planet using tools like Skype, GoToMeeting, and so on. Just record that conference video call and post it on your LinkedIn.
So, hunt down influencers and thought leaders in your industry, reach out to them strategically and get these conversations in front of your fanbase.
Don't forget to include subtitles or closed captions in all your videos as people typically scroll through content on their feeds wherein videos are on autoplay without audio playback. Doing so will also make your content more accessible to the hearing-impaired.
Video content marketing is still booming like crazy and is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. It drives more eyes and engagement compared to any other content format today. With the tactics outlined above, you don't have to spend big bucks to hit the ground running. Start small and scale fast.