IN THE STUDIO

Product videos should be part of your video marketing strategy.

People want videos, people watch videos, and people BUY based on videos. Product videos don't have to be boring or salesy. In fact, they shouldn't be!  At this point, you've already realized the importance of incorporating videos in your marketing plan. Video views increased by 42% in 2015 compared to 2014 (Invodo), and many predicted they will increase even more for 2016.

Where do these videos come from though?  Some should be professionally produced, and some can be done in house depending on your level of comfort with some basic tools.  If you have no idea how to produce professional videos for your business that serve the purpose of boosting conversions, hire a pro. It will pay off in the resulting leads and ultimately sales.  

Most people have heard of or seen explainer videos, and there are other options as well. If you want to create product videos to increase conversions, then you'll need to employ as many of these five types of product videos as possible:

#1 Explainer Videos

An explainer video explains how your product or service solves the most pressing problems of the client. To create an explainer video that converts well, you must write a killer script. Some companies mistakenly focus on video quality, and while that is also important, a well-written script is key for driving conversions. Be involved in the writing of your script — you have a firm understanding of your product and the customer pain points that you're healing. Also, hire someone to assist you with perfecting the script and capturing it on video. Oftentimes, a production company will have staff that can work directly with you to craft a great script.

Here's an example of a product explainer video created for Stanley Access Technologies by Miceli Productions. Together with their internal marketing department, we helped craft the message that their new product the Express-Swing door presented unique problem solving for various entry ways. The video addresses the need for the new design and the problems it solved for their customers.

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Product demo for The Express-Swing by Stanley.

#2 How to Videos

Just as "how to" articles are popular, "how to" videos perform extremely well too. People enjoy learning how to do things that are meaningful to them. How to videos are an easy way for them to learn because they can observe a working product, instead of just relying on text. With "how to" articles, it can sometimes be confusing knowing exactly what the author meant without a demonstration. How to videos fill that comprehension gap. Product "how to" videos should be as short as possible — while still presenting a comprehensive demonstration — so that customers can quickly solve any issues and easily understand how to efficiently use your product or service.

How-to videos can also be used as a tool to educate your customers.  We filmed this service demonstration of a professional duct cleaning for Ductworks HVAC Services current and potential customers to view. It's a great tool to convey expectations to customers and share information about how something works.

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Ductworks HVAC Services Service Demo video.

#3 Product Tours

A product tour walks viewers through the processes and features of your product or range of products. A good product tour is brief, concise, and segmented. It must contain sequential steps and end (and sometimes begin) with a call to action. To avoid overwhelming visitors, each aspect of your product or service should be introduced separately. This also makes it easier for viewers to understand the benefits of your product.

We created this product tour to walk customers of Rowland Technologies through the many speciality products they offer, highlighting their unique features. Each product is addressed separately to cleanly convey product differentiators. To target the right audience, the video appears on their products page.

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Rowland Technologies Product Showcase.

#4 Video Testimonials

Testimonials are one of the best ways to help build trust with visitors. When a picture of the customer is included with the testimonial, it's perceived as more trustworthy by viewers. Likewise, video testimonials are powerful because viewers can listen to the happy customers' testimonials and watch them speak rather than just read their comments. This personal one-on-one experience can break down some of the barriers a potential customer has when it comes to making a purchase. Video testimonials capture the authenticity of a previous customer while aligning a new customer with wanting to make a purchase.

Here's a perfect example of how to harness expert testimonials for your business.  Miceli Productions' client Continuity sent us out to capture testimonials from the CEO's they serve. So we create a video called "Why CEOs Choose Continuity." Getting invested customers to talk about your product is a great way to reach new customers.

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CEO Testimonials for Continuity.

#5 Thought Leadership Videos

The fifth type of video you should create for your business are thought leadership videos as they establish you as an authority in your industry. When you present yourself as a leader in your field, customers will flock to you and your products, and people will give greater weight to your opinions. Ideas for creating thought leadership videos include sharing your opinion on the latest industry news, allowing someone to interview you, and offering insider advice based on your experiences. You won't notice an immediate boost in conversions with thought leadership videos unless you are already viewed as a thought leader in your field, but over time these can be beneficial to add to your marketing foundation.  Thought leadership videos can also take the form of a product that is sold as a stand-alone or series of videos about a specific knowledge base.  

Conclusion

Businesses that create videos encourage more conversions, boost their credibility, and increase engagement with their brands. People are visual by nature, so it's not surprising that images and videos are well-trafficked online.  To hold your visitors' attention, your website needs great visuals, period.  Video has solidly become one fo the most important elements for the best performing websites, so try each of these five types of product videos with your business. You'll be glad you did.

Miceli Productions is a full service production company.  We can take your video project from an beginning idea thru script development and beyond. Contact us for help creating and producing professional videos for your business.