The ultimate success guide to B2B video marketing

Written by Eduard Klein| 27th October 2023
A Marketing professional holding several marketing items for B2B communications
When most people think of videos, B2C is what comes to mind. But did you know that videos can be an equally powerful marketing tool for B2B businesses as well?

In fact, statistics show that 70% of B2B buyers watch videos throughout their path to purchase.[1]

This is proof that using videos as a part of your marketing strategy is a powerful way to move the needle and encourage your prospects to move from one customer journey stage to another.

In this post, we’ll discuss everything you need to create a successful B2B video marketing strategy, including the types of videos you can create, tools to use, and tips for promoting them. Let’s dive in.

Why is video marketing important for B2B businesses?

SEO, trust, brand awareness/affinity, higher conversions, higher retention, highly shared,

Why invest in B2B video marketing is a question that may arise. The short answer—people absolutely love videos!

The long answer:
  • Better brand awareness/affinity – Videos are more sticky than any other content marketing format. So, a high-quality video that strikes a tune will surely increase your brand’s awareness and likeability.

  • SEO benefits – Search engines boost video content, not just hosted on YouTube, but even the ones that are on your website pages.

  • Builds trust – Videos lend a face to your business, making companies feel personal and trustworthy.

  • Higher conversions – Decision-makers in B2B sectors convert better with concise video explanations compared to text-based content.

  • Improved retention – Videos are memorable and create a lasting impact. Hence, when used at the bottom of your funnel, videos can significantly improve your retention rates.

  • Not everyone is doing it – This may be the most important one. A few years down the line, everyone will be investing in B2B video marketing. By taking action now, you’ll get a head start ahead of your competitors.
A business card is being handed to another person because of good B2B video marketing

Types of marketing videos for B2B businesses

Depending on your goals, different video types can propel your business to varying heights. Let’s have a look at the most common types of B2B marketing videos:
  • Explainer videos – These short clips break down complex subjects. Think of it as the elevator pitch for today’s digital age. For example, a tech startup might use an explainer video to show how their software saves time for businesses.
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  • Brand Videos – These offer a glimpse into your company’s soul. They tell your brand story, vision, and mission. In B2B, a captivating brand video can resonate and inspire.
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  • Case study videos – These are real-world success stories in motion. Showcasing a satisfied client’s journey can be a powerful tool. For instance, a logistics company might share how they solved a big client’s complex delivery challenge.
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  • Social Media videos – These are bite-sized, shareable videos tailored for social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter (in the case of B2B businesses). For example, an IT firm might share a clip on LinkedIn about a recent cybersecurity threat and their solution.
  •  
  • Video testimonials – What better way to share genuine feedback from happy clients than in the form of video reviews and video testimonials? Nothing says “trust us” better than a satisfied customer on camera.
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  • Product videos – These are videos used at the bottom of your funnel highlighting features of your products or services. They are perfect for showcasing tangible benefits and helping with better conversions and retention.
  • How to create a B2B video marketing strategy?

    Alright, you’re sold on video marketing’s prowess. But where to start? In this section, let’s talk about how you can craft a powerful B2B video marketing strategy:

    1. Research and Set Goals

    The foundation of any good strategy is good, deep research. Research includes market research, competitor research, and, most important of all, audience research.

    With research, you can understand what your audience’s needs are and how you can cater to them with marketing videos.

    Once you are done with research, you can set clear goals. Are you aiming for brand awareness or driving conversions? Or, you may want to use marketing videos for lead generation.

    Defining objectives is pivotal in measuring and improving Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

    2. Choose the type of video

    The next step in your B2B marketing strategy is to decide the right type of video based on your goals. You can choose from one of the video formats that we discussed in the previous section.

    You can choose the type of video based on a number of factors, like the audiences’ stage of awareness, the customer journey stage, and your marketing goals.

    For instance, if you want to capture more leads from social media, you can work on creating daily short videos to post.

    3. Decide the distribution channel

    Selecting where to share your video is as vital as its content. You need to promote your videos in a place where your audience hangs out. Plus, the video format should be best suited for the channel you choose.

    LinkedIn is a goldmine for B2B interactions. Sharing your video there can engage industry peers and potential clients. When someone views your video on linkedin, they are already pre-informed and a warmer contact. You can simply export the likers and commenters and go directly into the sales conversation with the contacts

    Emails are also a great channel for sharing video content when it comes to B2B businesses. You can easily do this through free email marketing software. The best practice is to create a preview gif that runs when the recipient opens the email. It makes the recipient want to click on the link and watch your video. A great technique to integrate motion into email.

    4. Create the video

    Next comes the most important part, where you actually create the video.

    The right tools for your marketing videos can elevate your brand’s message. Using platforms like simpleshow video maker for creating explainer videos can fine-tune your B2B communication.

    These explainer videos distill complex concepts into digestible bites. Plus, you can empower your leaders to be confident in training others using these easy-to-create explainer videos.

    5. Publish and promote the video

    Once you have created your video, it’s time to publish and promote it. You can do this on the distribution channel you picked before.

    However, don’t just restrict yourself to that. You can repurpose and reshare the video content on all possible platforms to get the most out of your social media traffic.

    For example, a long-form video published on YouTube can be edited to create 4 bite-sized videos. You can promote these shorter videos on YouTube Shorts, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

    6. Track success metrics and improve

    You’ve created videos and published them, but how do you know if it was successful? Through video marketing KPIs.

    You can monitor the basics first: views, shares, and likes. They give an initial gauge of success. You can improve these metrics by adding the right hashtags on Instagram or using an attractive thumbnail and a SEO optimized description on YouTube.

    You can also dig deeper and look at metrics like watch time and click-through rate. These metrics show genuine engagement.

    Learn from these metrics and optimize your video accordingly.

    Measuring conversions from viewer to lead and purchase are also important metrics to measure the impact of your B2B video marketing.
    A Graph going up showing improved B2B marketing thanks to video

    Conclusion

    There you have it! A complete guide on how you can ideate, create, and promote marketing videos for your B2B business. You can use this as a starting point for creating video content that helps you reach your revenue goals faster.

    Author's Bio

    Eduard Klein
    Eduard Klein is an International Digital Growth Marketer, Blogger, and Entrepreneur with a global mindset. He guides through the process of starting and growing a digital business, and riding the wave of digital technology and marketing without getting swept away.

    Sources

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