Inbound video has never been more significant than what it is today. Previously, you could be forgiven for thinking of video as an afterthought within your marketing campaign - however, if you’re still of the same opinion, you’ll undoubtedly be left behind by your direct competition and the rest of the industry.
One of the many brilliant factors of inbound video is its versatility. It can be used for a plethora of reasons - to boost sales, improve brand perception and more, to name a few. But also it can be used on a wide range of devices, meaning that you can target your ideal audience and personas in the areas that are most effective.
Inbound video can dovetail with your whole campaign, providing another channel that helps drag your business in the right direction towards your overall goals. Don’t worry if you’re not sure on the ins and outs of it - this post is an all-in-one guide for everything you need to know about it and how it can benefit your business.
We’ll cover:
- What is inbound video?
- How can inbound video be used?
- How much does inbound video cost?
- How video complements your overall marketing efforts
- How Red-Fern can help with your video marketing needs
What is inbound video?
Inbound video is the perfect way to stand out from the competition and establish yourself as an industry thought leader. It allows you to easily create a relationship with your audience, which is vital in the success of an inbound campaign. Whereas words in a blog post can be taken in a multitude of ways, hearing somebody address their audience automatically makes them more relatable.
81 percent of businesses are using inbound video as a supportive marketing tool. That’s a lion's share of the market, so if your business is one of the few that isn’t utilising the method, you might want to rethink before you get left behind. If you’re not producing videos to assist your marketing campaign, it means that your competitors will have the upper hand in forming trusting relationships with their prospects.
By 2022, it’s predicted that over 82 percent of online traffic will be made up of videos. So, before you fall further behind the curve, it’s time to sink your teeth into the methodology behind inbound video and start putting yourself out there for the world to see. Nothing signifies confidence and knowledge like a brand who constantly produces videos to assist their holistic marketing campaign - FACT.
How can inbound video be used?
When wondering how to use inbound video, you need to look at two areas. Firstly, you need to think about where you’re physically going to put them. For example, whereabouts within an email or on a landing page are you going to place the video. You should research the optimum positions that draw clicks and views for videos within your medium.
Plus, you need to think of the different audiences for each channel too. Across social media channels, each platform has a different audience. That means they’ll respond to videos differently - so you must create inbound video that is suited to each platform. Like with posts and regular content, you can’t roll out the same messaging across the different channels and think it’s going to be effective - oh no.
Whilst considering where to place it and which channel to roll it out on to effectively reach your audience, you also need to think about how it fits into the Buyer’s Journey. Just like any other content, you need to put the right video in front of your audience at the right time, in order for a seamless conversion.
How much does inbound video cost?
Inbound video can cost you as much as you’d like it to. All you really need to get started is a smartphone with a quality camera and a few editorial apps and you’re away! However, that’s not a long-term plan, is it? The costs of inbound video completely depend upon how far you want to take things - and what your budget will allow, of course.
So, what do you need? Firstly, you’re going to need a quality camera. If you’re new to filming and recording, an entry-level DLSR camera is a great option for finding your feet. They’re basic enough to understand while providing top-quality so your videos will look professional. At Red-Fern, we opt for the Canon 5D Mark III - perfect for advanced features and unrivalled quality.
You’ll need a good quality microphone too. After all, a video is only as good as the sound quality that’s portrayed. You could have the best visuals in the world, but if the sound quality is off, it’ll tarnish the quality of the whole video. You’ll need a mic that you can plug onto your camera, and you’ll also need small clip ons for people to use when being interviewed too.
Editing software is essential too. This is the complicated part of inbound video - so, if you’re new to the game, Apple iMovie is a great starting point. It’s easy to use with basic features to get the job done - plus, if you’re using a Mac already, it’s absolutely free. For our videos, we use Adobe Premiere Pro and Audition for professional results and extensive features.
Notable extras you’ll need are:
- A tripod.
- Spare SD cards.
- Lighting.
- Spare batteries.
How video complements your overall marketing efforts
While the shift in the way that people consume information is evolving, it doesn’t mean that you should completely ignore written content. Allowing your whole campaign to lean on video marketing will restrict its reach and effectiveness. A hybrid approach that utilises both video and written content is perfect - they complement each other ideally and leave your audience with a choice of which medium they engage with the best.
Videos are a great way of tying your wider efforts all into one. Written blogs with an embedded video solidifies the points made in the post. It also gives another angle that the readers can use to consume the information. That way, the value in your posts is significantly increased.
Inbound video is ace for social media. At a very top-level, what’s more likely to draw clicks and engagement - reams of content or an exciting post with an embedded video? The latter. Video is a great tool for your audience to gain quick wins and snippets of information. If posts are then supported with links to deeper content, they can extend their knowledge even further on the subject.
The more value that you offer over a wide choice of marketing channels, the more trust and credibility your brand is going to portray. Trust is everything for nurturing leads down the Buyer’s Journey - the more trust that somebody can instil in your brand, the more likely they are to come back to you as a credible source, right?
How Red-Fern can help with your video marketing needs
We understand that launching a video marketing campaign is daunting. A lot of people don’t like being in front of the camera and don’t like hearing their own voice back - but good things don’t happen inside the comfort zone, do they? Sometimes, all you need is a little assistance and a push to get yourself out there and reap the benefits of inbound video.
At Red-Fern, we’ve worked with plenty of partners who have had no previous video marketing experience and have successfully launched campaigns. Video is so versatile, it’s amazing what benefits it can bring to your business. Our expert team are vastly experienced in delivering successful video campaigns to increase brand awareness, credibility and drive results.
We’re always on hand to offer industry-leading advice and guidance, plus, we offer everything that you’d expect from a professional videography service. Rest assured, you can put your trust in us to reach your ideal audience. It all starts with the strategy and persona formation, that ensures that we’re always targeting the right people for your brand.
And it doesn’t stop at video either! We can incorporate it as part of a tactful marketing campaign to help drive your business forward. From content marketing to social media efforts, video marketing can be a great accompaniment to guarantee success and results.
Get started with inbound video today!
As we’ve mentioned, we know it’s daunting to pick up the camera and get going - but it doesn’t have to be. At Red-Fern, we’re here to help you take the leap of faith and get started with inbound video. Once you’ve started, we guarantee that you won’t look back - the only regret that you’ll have is not starting earlier.
Video can bring amazing benefits to your wider marketing campaign and business as a whole. If you’re still not convinced, then why not book a discovery call with one of our expert team? They’re always on hand to answer any questions or queries - and alleviate any of those pre-video campaign nerves. We know, we’ve all had them!
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch today!