In the old days (5 years ago), getting to know a company or product online meant lots of reading and maybe a few photos. Now, we follow our favorite brands on social media, we sign up for their email list and… we watch their product videos. Whether it’s for a pair of shoes, a new bike, or B2B security software, good product marketing videos are where we get the most information. I’m not talking about specs. I’m talking about personality and emotion—the major driver of our decision making.
Product marketing video that connects with the target audience will lead to better conversions.
So, the question shouldn’t be whether you should be using videos to market your products, but how to do it in a way that produces results. Here are some tips to help you create effective product marketing videos:
Talk About Benefits
A great product marketing video will focus on the benefits to the customer rather than the product’s features. It will show the audience how the product can solve their problems, which is what they care about. Does it mean that you never mention specs? No. But when you do so, mention it as support for a point you make about customer benefit, aka how it makes their life better.
What makes you special?
In an environment where your prospects are exposed to massive amounts of content and a ridiculously extensive choice of products, differentiating your product from the masses is essential. Your product marketing video should communicate not just why it makes the customer’s life better, but the unique methods it uses to accomplish this. Here’s an example: 2 similarly-priced pieces of technology perform the same valuable services in a data center. But 1 does it using half of the space on the server rack. This is huge differentiator.
Your Brand Isn’t the Hero
When planning a product marketing video, it’s easy to think, “How will we make this product look good and sound smart?” You should be thinking, “How can we make the customer feel smart when choosing our product?”
Great product marketing makes the customer feel like the hero. Sure, some product marketing videos are uber simple. This is usually because the products themselves are uber simple. But for most products and services, there must be some explanation. This is a great opportunity to tell a story. Just make sure it’s told by someone the customer will identify with, in a way that’s engaging.
Build an Emotional Connection
People like stories. They’ll watch a video that tells a story, especially if it’s one they can relate to. This strategy is effective whether you’re in a B2C or a B2B environment. Even if your customer is another business, there’s still a person behind the business with whom you need to connect. Commonly, great stories take the form of good customer testimonials, or as we call them, video case stories.
The Right Video at the Right Time
Focusing on the benefits to the customer is essential. There might come a point in the sales funnel when you need to go deeper, though.
A product marketing video focusing on customer benefits and satisfaction is perfect to create awareness and interest and move a prospect further in the buying journey. But when serious consideration begins, some product marketing videos may need to go deeper. For tech, this might mean a message on “product integration.” Regardless of what your sales funnel dictates, remember that the rules above are still valid. Story will always rule and your customer’s benefit should still be top of mind, regardless of how specific you need to be.
Call to Action
In marketing, people like to talk a lot about “strong calls to action.” And yes, it’s important, but a “good call to action” will NEVER salvage a lame product marketing video. So, yes, include a specific call to action, but always remember that when it comes to product marketing videos, engagement should occur from top to bottom.