Manufacturing / B2B / Content Marketing / Creative / Digital / Strategy / Video
The Future of B2B Video Marketing
Video is crucial to the marketing strategy of any company, including B2B brands. But B2B marketers have very specific audiences – which calls for more intentional choices in format, delivery, and tone.
And it would seem that a fine tuned B2B video marketing strategy is paying off now more than ever.
According to a 2023 survey from HubSpot, ROI and marketers’ optimism about the value of video content is on the upswing. They even report an “all-time high” percentage of survey participants (95%) who said they get a good ROI on video marketing content.
The good news is that the future of B2B video marketing is bright, and there are plenty of formats to choose from. The even better news: We’re breaking it all down for you! Keep reading to learn more about the B2B video marketing practices that are on the rise.
B2B Tutorial Videos
All marketing efforts should be informed by the audience you want to reach and when you want to reach them. B2B brands generally serve clients who already know what they need and are looking for the best version of that solution.
Video tutorials offer B2B brands the chance to demonstrate – not just explain – what makes their product, brand, or service the best version on the market. To that end, the messaging behind a B2B tutorial video should place emphasis on factors that differentiate your product from others and avoid overexplaining any obvious benefits.
The next element to consider is placement. Placing a video tutorial or case study on the homepage of your site has a chance of enticing interested visitors, but we suggest being as intentional as possible when it comes to presentation.
Tutorial videos might make a bigger impact in the consideration stage, where details are likely to matter more to a potential lead. Examine the typical buyer’s journey for your business and see if you can deliver a video tutorial or case study in a way that provides extra value – in a newsletter or on a product page, for example.
B2B Short-Form Videos
How long is an ideal B2B video? The answer depends on your KPIs. However, short-form videos were most preferred among the B2B marketers surveyed by HubSpot.
HubSpot notes that B2C businesses tend to have greater success with short-form videos than B2B businesses do, but their survey shows that short-form videos were still the most preferred format among B2B marketers.
Keep in mind that short-form videos may not be effective at every stage of the buyer’s journey, which means they may not serve your particular goals. A video that’s quick, visually enticing, and to-the-point will make an impact in the awareness stage.
However, a short video may leave a lead wanting more information if they’ve already made it to the consideration stage. Consider short-form videos to increase brand awareness, grow your social media presence, or reach engagement-related KPIs.
B2B Culture & Testimonial Videos
Want to generate interest in what your brand does? Try showcasing your people, as well as how your business supports the talent and innovation that drives what you do.
Videos about culture also make your company more accessible and show what you value, which can earn the trust of potential customers and partners. And – as we covered above – B2B brands need to focus on those types of differentiating factors even more so than B2C brands.
Culture videos that include employee interviews, highlight workplace wellness, or promote the company’s mission will give potential clients even more positive things to consider about your brand. These types of videos can also double as useful recruiting tools.
Just remember to keep the focus on your people, their contributions, and how they are supported at work. Centering your brand and why it’s the best in this type of video might dampen the impact you’re aiming to achieve. Find more strategies that don’t involve talking about your brand here.
Testimonials also lend a trustworthy, human face to your message or product. Idea Kraft created a series of video interviews for a public health campaign that was aimed at educating teens and their parents about the risks of underage marijuana use.
As part of the “High Stakes” campaign, we created three video interviews with local spokespeople who discussed their values, their experiences, and the importance of community. This video component cultivated the trust and uplifting tone necessary to support an effective public health campaign.
B2B Digital Marketing Agencies
If learning video production sounds too intense, you’re not alone.
Approximately 49% of B2B marketers surveyed by HubSpot reported using an outside agency in addition to their own in-house video marketing. And the majority of B2B marketers felt that working with outside agencies produced higher quality videos.
Working with the right agency saves you time and results in a product that reflects your goals and brand identity. Over the last decade, Idea Kraft has produced marketing videos for clients in a wide variety of fields – from manufacturing and construction to small business and government.
Our portfolio includes product videos for the B2B company Scorpion Security Products, as well as traditional commercial spots for consumer-facing organizations such as United Methodist Homes. We’ve even worked with social media influencers to create promotional videos for the Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology’s (AMT) direct-to-work program.
See more video production case studies here or contact us to see how we can elevate your marketing strategy.
Ready? Set. Action!
The landscape of B2B video marketing is thriving, and we hope you’ve come away from this list feeling more prepared – and excited – to enter it with a strategy of your own.
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