The latest trends and best practices in B2B video marketing
Written by Maren Dinges | 22nd January 2024
Video formats continue to grow in popularity year after year. Video is no longer an afterthought in B2B marketing. In 2023, 91 percent of companies will use videos for marketing purposes. Explainer videos and social media videos are currently the most popular formats, closely followed by content that breaks up presentations.
Trends can be seen in the way videos are created. The amount of video content continues to increase, while budgets for individual videos are decreasing. For example, studies show that companies are willing to spend between $0 and $500 per video. The production of more video content is also possible because in-house production has become easier.
The latest trends in B2B video marketing show why in-house production is now easier:
Trends can be seen in the way videos are created. The amount of video content continues to increase, while budgets for individual videos are decreasing. For example, studies show that companies are willing to spend between $0 and $500 per video. The production of more video content is also possible because in-house production has become easier.
The latest trends in B2B video marketing show why in-house production is now easier:
AI-generated videos
The introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT artificial intelligence changed how companies create content. Since then, artificial intelligence has become an integral part of the marketing team. According to a study by HubSpot, the marketing industry has changed more in the past three years than in the previous five decades.
Artificial intelligence is a big part of that:
- Text for videos can be created in seconds from large language models.
- Images can be modified or created from scratch with just a few keywords.
- Artificial intelligence sets text to music in the desired tonality. It even goes so far as to make AI-generated voice recordings sound like you spoke, not typed. This changes entire marketing workflows. The CEO or key account could also give the AI their voice for greater customer intimacy. This has great potential for corporate video marketing. AI takes on the roles of professional narrators, copywriters, illustrators, and editors. The entire in-house production is done at the push of a button. This principle is also used by simpleshow video maker – your in-house platform for creating professional videos.Generative AI helps you with text, image selection and animation with just a few clicks.
Livestreaming
While AI makes the impossible possible in the content process, livestreams create authenticity in B2B marketing. They are currently the biggest revenue driver: on average, you watch a livestream three times longer than a traditional pre-produced video. Their interaction rate is even six times higher.
The high level of engagement makes this a great format for convincing decision-makers about your product or service. Statistics from LinkedIn Live show that livestreams are becoming increasingly important for community building, not just in B2C marketing. On the business platform livestreams are watched seven times longer. In addition to the high level of engagement, there is also sales potential due to the purchasing power. Hardly any other scenario offers such easy, personal access to conversations with decision-makers from other companies as livestreams on social networks.
In the B2B context, the focus of livestreams is on adding value and exchanging ideas. Digital roundtables, interviews, or a webinar on a specific topic are possible livestream formats that work in B2B. It is important to note that livestreams are not sales pitches. Rather, you are sharing your expertise and building relationships with potential customers or partners. As with content marketing, it is your experience and tips that sell in this scenario.
The high level of engagement makes this a great format for convincing decision-makers about your product or service. Statistics from LinkedIn Live show that livestreams are becoming increasingly important for community building, not just in B2C marketing. On the business platform livestreams are watched seven times longer. In addition to the high level of engagement, there is also sales potential due to the purchasing power. Hardly any other scenario offers such easy, personal access to conversations with decision-makers from other companies as livestreams on social networks.
In the B2B context, the focus of livestreams is on adding value and exchanging ideas. Digital roundtables, interviews, or a webinar on a specific topic are possible livestream formats that work in B2B. It is important to note that livestreams are not sales pitches. Rather, you are sharing your expertise and building relationships with potential customers or partners. As with content marketing, it is your experience and tips that sell in this scenario.
Short Form Vertical Video Content
A short-form vertical video gives you a maximum of 60 seconds to get your message across. The mobile-first revolution has reached the B2B sector. Like laptops, smartphones have become a tool for many decision makers. Reason enough to optimize videos for mobile use.
The trend towards short videos of 60 seconds or less continues unabated. B2B brands share their videos primarily on social media platforms such as TikTok, LinkedIn, or YouTube Shorts. Unlike formats such as livestreams, the attention span in the short-form video format is extremely short. Videos must capture the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds.
Such videos are profitable for B2B marketing in many ways:
Transmitted messages and impulses emotionalize.
Behind-the-scenes insights into offices create empathy
Testimonials build trustworthiness
Individual insights from case studies reach a wider audience
These are just some best practices. Depending on the quality, video production tends to cost companies more than livestreams and AI-generated content, but short-form video content has a big place in content repurposing. Blog posts can be turned into videos, and videos can be turned into social media posts. Such a strategy can significantly increase the return on investment of a video project.
Such videos are profitable for B2B marketing in many ways:
These are just some best practices. Depending on the quality, video production tends to cost companies more than livestreams and AI-generated content, but short-form video content has a big place in content repurposing. Blog posts can be turned into videos, and videos can be turned into social media posts. Such a strategy can significantly increase the return on investment of a video project.
Product demos and explainer videos
Finally, classic formats like product demos and explainer videos remain in vogue. In the B2B sector, informative content is in high demand at all stages of the sales funnel: for example, a video about a platform’s user interface is a good way to get a first impression. However, specific aspects such as flexibility, pricing, features, and service options are in the spotlight close to the purchase decision. And once the platform has been purchased, videos explain individual features in detail. So videos are in vogue for providing overviews as well as nuggets of knowledge on specific topics.
With simpleshow video maker, you can combine the trend of demo and explainer videos with AI-generated videos. With AI, you can create dozens of explainer videos for your product with little effort – your license covers all the costs. Again, companies are getting more creative with formats. A best practice here is to present FAQs in video format, ideally with questions from real customers. This increases both the relevance of the answers to new B2B customers and credibility.
With simpleshow video maker, you can combine the trend of demo and explainer videos with AI-generated videos. With AI, you can create dozens of explainer videos for your product with little effort – your license covers all the costs. Again, companies are getting more creative with formats. A best practice here is to present FAQs in video format, ideally with questions from real customers. This increases both the relevance of the answers to new B2B customers and credibility.
B2B video marketing gets cheaper and more authentic
Trends in video marketing for B2B companies show that while marketing budgets for video are increasing, less money is being spent on individual videos. The way video is edited and produced is also changing, with livestream replacing glossy formats and showing a more human side of B2B entrepreneurship.
Incidentally, one of the biggest hurdles to getting started with video production is not the cost factor, but the time factor. A license for the simpleshow video maker gives you direct access to our pool of experts. If you don’t have the time to create the video yourself, our explainer experts will do it for you. That way, time and cost are always in balance. So what are you waiting for? Try out the video marketing trends for your B2B business now. simpleshow video maker gives you all the tools you need.
Incidentally, one of the biggest hurdles to getting started with video production is not the cost factor, but the time factor. A license for the simpleshow video maker gives you direct access to our pool of experts. If you don’t have the time to create the video yourself, our explainer experts will do it for you. That way, time and cost are always in balance. So what are you waiting for? Try out the video marketing trends for your B2B business now. simpleshow video maker gives you all the tools you need.
The most important information in less than 90 seconds:
Claron is a brand nut. He has an unceasing curiosity about what brands do to break through the clutter to stay relevant to their audience. He also loves to explore how simple tech (QR Codes lately) can be used to improve customer experiences and consequently, scale up brands.
