Video content isn’t just a passing trend, a way to kill time or spice up your social media posts.
It’s one of the most effective marketing strategies out there, one that can make a real difference to your bottom line.
With its potential to be slick, incredibly informative, and even downright funny, video content has quickly become the go-to marketing strategy for small businesses looking to grow sales, engage customers, and build brand loyalty.
But how do you make the most of this powerful tool?
Here we look at 16 flexible video ideas small businesses could use to grow their sales.
From testimonials and product demos to motion graphics and tutorials, these videos have the potential to pack a punch and directly impact your bottom line.
#1. FAQ Videos
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) videos answer commonly asked questions potential customers might have, such as how a product is installed or how to return an item.
They help potential customers understand your products or services quickly and keep them from calling your customer service line with the same questions over and over.
How Are FAQ Videos Made?
FAQ videos can accompany written answers or be made into a series of videos, each tackling one specific question. They’re usually fairly short and to the point, and they can be done with a simple talking head video or even just a slide presentation.
Bottom Line: FAQ videos are an excellent way for small businesses to engage potential customers, providing them with the answers they need without wasting your customer service team’s time.
#2. How-to Videos
How-to Videos Are exactly as they sound—videos that teach people how to do something. From simple tutorials on how to use a specific product to more complicated tasks like installing kitchen cabinets, how-to videos provide viewers with an easy and convenient way to get something done.
The videos can be created for nearly every stage of the customer journey, from awareness to consideration to purchase and post-purchase.
They essentially help ideal customers solve a problem or challenge, increasing their chances of purchasing your product or services.
How Are How-to Videos Made?
First, you’ll have to develop a concept of what you want to show people—and remember that the simpler, the better. From there, you’ll need to create a script and storyboard and then film the video.
Possible Tools to Use
- Smartphone: You don’t necessarily have to invest in a DSLR camera. If you own a smartphone, that should be enough to get your foot through the door.
Shoot and Edit the Video
- Vont: Allows you to add text and music to your videos
Bottom Line: How-to videos are great for small businesses looking to demonstrate the ease of use and practicality of their products or services. They’re also great for creating trust with potential customers, as they provide an in-depth look into the product or service and how it works.
#3. Product Demos
Product demos help potential customers visualize how a product works and what it can do for them. They take potential customers through each step of using the product, from setup to use, so they know exactly what to expect.
Product demos can be in the form of a straightforward presentation, a narrated video, animations, or even a live-action tutorial.
How Are Product Demos Made?
First, you’ll need to decide what type of video you want to create and then create a script or storyboard that outlines your product’s features and benefits.
You can film the video from there, using either live-action footage or animations.
In the case of a software product, you can also use screen recordings to demonstrate the product in real-time.
#4. Onboarding Videos
When a lead finally converts into a customer, it’s your job to ensure their onboarding experience is seamless and smooth. Onboarding videos are short, informative pieces that introduce customers to your product or service and help them learn how to use it.
You can use them to welcome new customers, guide them through each step of the process, and even provide helpful tips or best practices.
These videos are meant to help the customer start off on the right foot. You want them to feel comfortable and confident in their purchased product or service.
How Are Onboarding Videos Made?
You must put on your thinking cap and develop a creative concept to captivate your audience.
Remember that these videos run a bit longer than most business videos — 5 to 10 minutes. Because of that, you’ll have to plan how you’ll keep your viewers engaged throughout the video.
If you decide to sprinkle some humour in there, all the better.
Once you have your concept, create a script outlining each step of the process. This will help ensure that you don’t miss anything and that the video runs smoothly.
Once you’ve filmed the video, you can add music and sound effects to give the video an extra punch.
#5. Internal Training Videos
Everyone in your organization needs to be on the same page. Internal training videos are great for teaching new or existing employees about company policy, procedure, or company-specific knowledge.
You can use these videos to take your employees through an in-depth training process and ensure everyone is up-to-speed on the company’s product or service offerings.
What’s more? These videos aren’t just meant for new employees. They can also be used to train existing employees on new processes or technologies.
How Long Should Internal Training Videos Be?
Internal training videos can be whatever length you need them to be. It all depends on the complexity of the topic and what you are trying to teach.
They can be as long as 3 hours or as short as 15 minutes. It all depends on how much information you want to get across.
#6. Testimonial Videos
People influence people. That’s the whole idea behind testimonial videos.
From Google reviews and Yelp reviews to Facebook comments, reviews shape how people perceive a product, company or service.
Testimonial videos are no different.
These videos feature real customers talking about their experiences with your product or service in their own words. They’re a great way to show potential customers how satisfied your existing customers are with your offerings.
How Are Testimonial Videos Made?
The key to making a great testimonial video is getting the right people. Identify customers willing to talk about their experience with your product or service.
You’ll need to create a script that outlines the questions you want them to answer and the overall message you want to convey.
Once you have a script, it’s time to film. Make sure your filming setup is simple and professional.
#7. Promotional Videos
Promotional videos are like commercials for your business. They’re designed to give viewers an inside look at your product or service and help them understand why they should become customers.
These videos are usually short, snappy and to the point. Whether inviting guests to an event, introducing a new product, or showcasing your services, promotional videos are the perfect way to convey your message.
In these videos, you want to give a brief overview of what your business offers and a call to action that encourages viewers to take the next step.
The end goal is to get viewers to take action.
How Long Should Promotional Videos Be?
Promotional videos should be as short and sweet as possible. Keep them between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Anything longer than that, and viewers might start to lose interest.
Incorporate visuals and captivating music to keep the viewer engaged. You also want to include a strong call to action at the end.
Metrics that Matter for Promotional Videos
Play rate is the primary metric to remember when creating a promotional video. It’s the percentage of users who watch at least one second of your video.
But perhaps more importantly, you want to measure the number of people who took the call to action at the end of the video. See how many people clicked on a link, downloaded an eBook, or signed up for your email list.
#8. Company Culture Videos
Company culture videos should be fun to watch (or, dare we say, entertaining?) and give viewers a glimpse into your employees’ day-to-day lives.
These videos are meant to capture the company’s spirit and show how much fun it is to work there. They don’t necessarily need to be serious but should have a positive message and reflect the company’s values.
Company culture videos can highlight special events, recognize employees, or show what life is like in the office.
Do you throw an annual holiday party? Show it off! Do you have friendly office competitions? Feature them in the video!
Does the CEO have a special way of thanking employees? Include that too!
These videos help humanize your company, making it more relatable and approachable.
How to Make Company Culture Videos?
You want to keep things light and fun when making a company culture video. The goal is to capture the company’s spirit and showcase the people behind it.
We suggest you work with your team to develop ideas for the video and decide who should be in it. You can even have some employees film themselves to add a more personal touch.
Once you have enough footage, you can edit it together and add music to make the video more engaging.
Metrics that Matter
Company culture videos should measure the same metrics as any other type of video: view rate, completion rate, and engagement.
And don’t forget to track the number of shares, likes, and comments. Social media is the perfect place to share company culture videos—it will help boost your reach and engage potential customers.
#9. Video Voicemails
Video voicemails are low-cost, high-rewarding videos that allow you to connect with customers and prospects more personally.
Video voicemails are like regular voicemails but with a personal touch. Instead of leaving an audio message, you can record yourself and deliver your message with a friendly face — plus a few body language cues to boost credibility.
These videos can be used for customer follow-up, thank-you messages, special offers, and more. They’re also great for onboarding new employees and giving them a warm welcome.
How to Make Video Voicemails?
Making video voicemails is easy. All you need is a webcam or smartphone. Just record yourself and hit “send.”
Metrics that Matter
Video voicemails should measure the same metrics as any other video: view rate, completion rate, and engagement.
And don’t forget to track the conversion rate of your video voicemails. If you’re using them for customer follow-up, measure how many people responded to the video.
How Long Should the Video Be?
Keep videos short and sweet. Aim for 30 to 60 seconds – no more than a few minutes.
And don’t overthink them; just be yourself. Take your phone, webcam, or other device and be yourself. Freestyle it, and you’ll be surprised at how well it works.
#10. Sales Presentations
Sales presentations are a secret weapon for boosting sales. The advantage? You can easily time their delivery and control who sees them.
Sales presentations are like traditional PowerPoint presentations but with a few tweaks. They should be tailored to the individual needs of the customer, so be sure to include specific information about their situation.
These videos can be used for sales follow-up, onboarding of new customers, product demos, and more. And they’re great for generating leads and building relationships with existing customers.
How to Make Sales Presentations?
When making a sales presentation, you must consider who will be viewing it and what key messages you want to communicate.
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and think about their questions. You can then use this information to create a presentation that answers these questions and provides value.
Include visuals, like graphs and charts, to help illustrate your points.
You can record the presentations with a webcam, screen recording software, or video conferencing platform.
You can then send your prospects these videos and have them watch them at their convenience.
Metrics that Matter for Sales Presentations
Sales presentation videos are meant for specific audiences. These audiences are usually small and targeted, so track the performance of your videos on a per-audience basis.
In this case, the most important metrics to measure are engagement, watch time, conversion, and customer satisfaction.
How Long Should the Video Be?
Sales presentations should be kept short. Aim for three minutes or less. But be sure to cover all the details, questions, and objections your customer might have.
Ultimately, you want to include a call to action and a deadline for them to take action. The idea is to nudge them to take the next step.
#11. Social Videos
Social Videos are created with social media in mind. Be it for brand awareness, engagement, or lead generation.
These videos are short, fun, and often include a call-to-action. They’re also meant to be shared, so they should be engaging and visually appealing.
Most social videos are optimized for a single platform like YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook.
Here’s an example of a social video from Wistia:
https://twitter.com/wistia/status/1450998810667364354?s=21
How to Make Social Videos?
When it comes to creating social videos, you have a lot of options. You can use tools like Animoto to create videos with photos and clips. Or you can use online video makers, such as Vimeo’s Video Maker.
You can also customize existing videos with apps like Adobe Spark or InVideo, or create animated videos using tools such as Powtoon.
How long Should the Video Be?
Short, if not shorter. Aim for 15 to 60 seconds. That’s usually enough time to communicate your message and make an impact.
Metrics that Matter for Social Videos
When measuring the success of social videos, the most important metrics to track are engagement, views, likes, shares, and CTR (click-through rate).
These metrics will tell you if your videos resonate with your audience.
#12. Teaser Videos for social media
Teaser videos are short clips that give people a glimpse of what’s to come. They’re perfect for announcing upcoming events or products.
These videos usually consist of attention-grabbing visuals and a call to action that encourages viewers to take the next step.
You can use them to generate anticipation and get people excited about what’s coming up.
How to Make Teaser Videos?
You can create the video from scratch or use existing footage or clips.
You can use tools like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro to create high-quality teaser videos. Or you can use online video makers, such as Animoto, Shakr, or Wave.video, to create simple and fast teaser videos.
How Long Should the Video Be?
Teaser videos should be short, usually no more than 30 seconds. You also want to make sure the visuals are engaging and exciting to look at.
Metrics that Matter
Teaser videos aren’t meant to boost conversions but generate anticipation and get people excited about what’s coming up.
That’s why conversion isn’t the main metric to track here.
Instead, you want to pay attention to the awareness they’re generating. Track the total number of views, likes, comments, and shares your teaser videos generate. That should give you an idea of whether or not they resonate with your audience.
#13. Live Streams
With live streams, you have endless possibilities. You can use them to host webinars, Q&A sessions, product demos, etc.
You can host seminars and conferences, share big product announcements and even use them to launch a product.
iPhone runs them every time they launch a new product.
How to Make Live Streams?
Live streams can be created with tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Skype. You can also use dedicated streaming services such as Ustream, Livestream, or YouTube Live.
Facebook Live is another viable option. Plus, it’s free and easy to use.
Production
The production process is all in the setup. You must ensure a reliable streaming service, good sound and video quality, and the proper setup for your guests or speakers.
You also want to ensure your speakers are within the frame, the backdrop is appropriate, and all elements are in place.
Video Length
There’s no restriction on how long live streams should be. It all depends on the purpose of the stream.
You can make them as short or as long as you need them to be.
Metrics that Matter for Live Streams
The most important metrics to measure with live streams are engagement, viewership, and audience retention.
Engagement metrics include likes, shares, comments, questions, and interactions with the stream.
#15. Podcast Videos
You started a podcast for your brand. Congratulations!
One of the most effective ways to promote your podcast is through videos.
These videos can be used to introduce the show, showcase past episodes or highlight specific topics.
How to Make Podcast Videos?
Creating a video for your podcast isn’t complicated.
You just have to start shooting your podcasts.
You can use your phone camera or any other video recording device to shoot the video and edit with a program like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro.
You can also use online video makers like Animoto, Shakr, or Wave.video to quickly create a podcast video.
Video Length
The length of the podcast video depends on what you want to show in it. Keep it short and sweet.
Metrics that Matter for Podcast Videos
Regarding podcast videos, views are the most important metrics to track.
You want to track the total number of likes, shares, and comments for engagement.
You also want to track audience retention to see how many people watched the entire video.
#16. Video Series
You watch TV shows. Well, video series works the same way.
You create a series of videos that are related and tell a story.
These videos offer an excellent opportunity to sink your teeth into your content and explore topics in greater depth.
How to Make Video Series?
The production process for video series is similar to that of other videos.
You just have to plan your content in advance and explore topics in great depth.
You also want to ensure each episode is short, engaging and entertaining.
You can even create a coursework, where each video is a part of the course.
Video Length
Video series can be as short or as long as you want.
It all depends on the content and how detailed you want it to be.
Metrics that Matter for Video Series
