Small Business Strategies to Survive the Recession

Small Business Strategies to Survive the Recession

Sep 8, 2022 | Video Marketing

If you’ve watched any TV news broadcast lately, you will know that the economic future is clouded by uncertainties. The COVID-19 epidemic is still around globally, and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine impacts soaring interest rates. This could all be a disaster for your small business.

Economists predict that the United States will enter a recession by late 2023 or early 2024. With a recession on the horizon, businesses and industry leaders are in uncharted territory.

Is digital marketing a good approach during an economic downturn?

To put it simply, yes!

People will continue to look for products and services online even if overall demand has reduced. Therefore, your digital marketing efforts should not be shut down during a recession.

In fact, this is likely the most useful marketing decision you can make during an economic slump. Digital marketing allows you to reach people who are actively looking for what you have to offer. Also, whoever most closely match your target audience.

Experts agree that strong internet marketing is the smartest long-term investment for your company during a downturn in the economy. Recession-proof business marketing methods are more important today than ever.

Prepare Your Small Business for a Recession

There is one thing that separates recession-proof businesses from the competition. The fact that they take action sooner, and start business planning for a recession before their competitors do.

Have you started making plans for a recession in your business? Follow these digital marketing tips to better prepare your business for a recession and safeguard your brand:

Improve Your Online Presence

Building and maintaining a strong online presence in any economy is one of the foundations of recession-proof companies. Maintaining a strong digital presence enables you to capture a larger portion of the market when a recession occurs.

You must stay top of mind with your target audience, invest in market research, and create a mobile-friendly website. Hire a expert to help you with your search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) marketing.

There are many things to consider with a recession on the horizon. This includes establishing a stronger digital presence and staying on potential clients' radars.

Do Not Reduce Your Small Business Marketing Budget

During a recession, business owners must decide where to make sacrifices. Reduce their marketing budget, suspend marketing efforts, or double down on their digital marketing campaigns.

It may seem sensible to some to suspend marketing during a recession. Spending a lot of money on digital marketing may feel unimportant when sales are down. Consider what took place in 2020. Spending on digital marketing campaigns fell about the same time that 255 million full-time jobs were lost globally. Due to lower ad earnings during the COVID-19 epidemic, even Google had to cut its marketing budget by half.

So, why should you keep working on your digital marketing strategy and investing in digital marketing services?

Businesses that continue to market throughout a recession are more likely to survive, according to studies. During an economic downturn, many businesses reduce their advertising budget. This is a opportunity to show that your business is stable even when things are hard. So continue your digital marketing campaign efforts! Or, at most dial them back slightly, but never fully suspend them.

To keep business flowing, have a digital marketing strategy in place. Discontinuing your marketing efforts will make it much easier for your competitors.

It's Time to Optimize Your Website… Now!

Check out your website. Is it generating leads for your company 24 hours a day, or is there room for improvement? Not sure which parts of your website should be improved or updated? Consult with a reputable digital agency – it's what they do!

Agencies normally will employ conversion rate optimization (CRO) specialists. They perform in-depth website audits to evaluate your website's interactions. A specialist will also discover areas you need to optimize to meet your goals.

Conversion rate optimization helps you make the most of your traffic. This is done by examining the data from your website to improve the consumer experience.

You will learn what pages are visited the most and which pages receive the least engagement. You also can examine cart abandonment and overall customer behavior.

Gather this info to create a data-driven strategy. That way, you'll know that any changes you make to your website are more likely to affect your bottom line.

Maintain Your Social Media Efforts

During an economic downturn, many people prefer to stay at home in order to spend less and save more. This also shows that potential customers spend more time on their mobile devices. This is an ideal time to use social media marketing to attract new consumers. And, nurture leads via your sales funnel.

Continuing your social media marketing also ensures that your audience is aware that your business is still active online. A little can still go a long way to attracting new/existing customers.

Create Compelling Video Content For Your Small Business

Certain web marketing approaches pay off due to their cost-effective, creative approach to audience involvement. Video marketing is one example of this .

Video marketing is still one of the most engaging ways to connect with your target audience and deliver information. It fosters trust and confidence in ways that text alone simply cannot.

Consider creating video content that is evergreen and will continue to be useful content for years to come. This ensures that your dollar goes further than if you spend more on campaign-specific content.

Share videos on your social media platforms. Ask that customers create video reviews for you to use on your website. Allow followers to communicate with your brand and ask questions in real time by live-streaming on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

During a difficult time, Americans are likely to spend time online keeping up with friends and news. Video marketing is a great way to engage with your target audience. Learn where they spend the majority of their time, and grow your customer base!

Optimize Your Marketing Budget and Choose Your Priorities Wisely

Digital marketing is not like a light switch.  You can't just turn it on or off, it is an ongoing process.

Even if the economy is struggling, you owe it to your team and customers to figure out how to source, sell, and optimize your business to get through difficult times.

It is crucial that you begin improving your digital presence and investing in new digital marketing methods. These methods will make positive long-term benefits for your business.

Looking for a good way to create video content for your small business? We can help! Sign up to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. Create great content and get your name out there!

Digital Marketing Mistakes And How You Can Fix Them

Digital Marketing Mistakes And How You Can Fix Them

Aug 24, 2022 | Digital Marketing, Video Marketing

We are currently living in the internet age, which means your business needs to evolve along with it. Digital marketing can help you promote your company, brand, and products or services.

There is an audience to be reached online, as well as a reputation to be established. However, there is more effective and less effective ways to approach digital marketing. Check out these common mistakes to ensure you're doing it right!

Bad Performing Website Design

A digital marketing-focused website should include a call to action and a well-optimized landing page. Any promos or discounts should also be prominently displayed. In order to create leads, you must have an informative and engaging website.

Not Optimizing Your Digital Marketing with a Blog

Remember that you are not only marketing your business, but also yourself as a trusted industry leader. Publish blog content that is valuable, informed, and easily accessible. This will establish you as a trustworthy voice. Furthermore, each blog post is another indexed page for your site. More indexed pages mean your site will appear higher in Google search results.

It is not enough to simply create a blog. In order to improve your digital marketing, it should also be interactive. To get responses, submit questions in the comments section. Include guest posts or interviews with researchers or other successful individuals in your field. Use this blog post writing guide to consistently produce the most important and relevant blog posts you can.

Failure to Convert Website Traffic into Customers

Visitors to your website who do not convert into customers are pretty much worthless. Unless, they generate leads for you through word-of-mouth recommendations. The first goal is to get visitors to your site. But, the second goal is to convert them into customers. Create a plan for converting online visitors into sales. Then, make a referral program that encourages people to recommend your business.

Not Optimizing for Mobile Users

Mobile browsing accounts for over half of all web traffic globally. Keep this in mind when you are optimizing your digital marketing websites or pages. If you're optimizing your site, don't forget to optimize it for mobile users as well, so that the load time is as quick as it is on desktop. Make sure the design of your site is also mobile-friendly.

Not Utilizing Social Media for Digital Marketing

You might think you can get away with not using social media. I’m sorry to tell you that you’re wrong! It’s an essential way to turn leads into customers. Spreading your content, reaching your audience, and engaging with users will help you promote your business online. But don’t try to do it all yourself; learn how a social media manager can help.

Providing Lack Luster Customer Service

Customer service starts with your digital marketing. If a visitor who has never done business with you before decides to become a customer, they are taking a risk. Having good customer service is vital for lowering that risk because 70% of consumers will continue to do business with you if they have a good experience.

Help should be easy to find on your site so that people know they can get it. This could be a Contact Us page, a virtual chat, a helpline, or other options. Just make sure that if someone visits your site, they can easily get help if they need it.

Not Offering Deals in Your Digital Marketing

According to a Retail Me Not poll, two-thirds of buyers made an unplanned purchase purely due to a discount. Online discount coupons or limited-time deals are excellent pop-ups for your site. Include deals on the landing page or when visitors are about to abandon their cart.

Sleeping on your Competition

It's possible that someone else is doing the same thing you are. Instead of pretending they don't exist, find a way to stand out. Identify what makes your business unique and showcase it on your website and social media channels. You should make it abundantly clear how your business stands apart from the crowd.

Lack of Social Proof

It's a known fact that showcasing your happy customers increases conversions. You want potential customers to purchase with confidence! You can use testimonials, case studies, and success stories in your digital marketing. This will give potential customers that are on the fence peace of mind and help to avoid any buyer’s remorse.

Not Keeping Track of Your Leads

Keywords, email blasts, referring links, social media, and other traffic sources can all generate online leads. One of those sources may be generating leads that rarely convert into customers, but another may be routinely generating them. This is critical information to have so that you may update your strategy based on the data you know.

The Influence of Digital Marketing

To succeed, your business needs the right marketing tools and strategies. By adjusting your digital marketing approach, concentrating on the right leads, and building an optimized website, you can grow your business to its fullest potential.

We want to help you improve your digital marketing! Sign up to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. Here, you can get your name out there and show what you know. After, we will provide you with free video content to boost your marketing game.

Why Video Marketing Is So Important To Small Businesses

Why Video Marketing Is So Important To Small Businesses

Aug 18, 2022 | Video Marketing

Today, operating a small business means competing against other businesses potentially with more resources. To get ahead of the competition, you need to be intelligent with how you market your business. What are the best ways to market your business? Among the most effective tools you could utilize today includes video marketing. In terms of dollar-for-dollar returns on investment, video marketing might be the highest-ranking marketing format out there!

With video, you can add a more human touch to your marketing. You can speak to people in a way and a tone that feels in step with your business. You can win people over with informative, creative content that ignites their interest. But of all the forms of marketing out there today, why should you focus on video marketing for small businesses?

Because it works.

Why Is Video Important to Your Customers?

Prior to the smartphone, producing and distributing video was prohibitively expensive. The majority of small businesses could not afford video marketing. Major brands dominated video because they had the resources to create professional videos and air them during commercial breaks on television.

The smartphone changed the rules of the game in multiple ways. And, for once, it stacked the deck in favor of small businesses rather than large corporations. Nowhere is this more apparent than in video.

A small business owner can now create and publish a video in seconds, reaching hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people.

In this article, we'll look at why video is so effective for small businesses and how your company can get started with video marketing in small steps.

While video marketing can be low-effort, it is far from effortless. And, let's face it, as a small business owner, you already have a lot on your plate.

Why should you devote time and money to video marketing? The answer is simple: because video attracts more customers.

So, whether you own a jewelry store, a catering company, or a dentist who promotes healthy teeth and gums, video should be a part of your marketing strategy!

What makes video so powerful?

Video clearly works, but why?

Videos illicit an emotional response differently than other mediums. Studies show that up to 95 percent of purchasing decisions are subconscious and emotional choices.

Reason1: People process images faster than words.

The fact that our brains can process images much faster than words is one clear reason why video works better than other forms of communication. MIT researchers discovered that the human brain can process an image in as little as 13 milliseconds.

Not only that, but our brains can process images concurrently, whereas we process in a linear manner. Why is that important?

Because if information is easier to process, it is also easier to remember.

According to studies, we retain 95 percent of information from video versus only 10% from text. And what is the point of advertising if people don't remember it?

Reason 2: Seeing other people's faces elicits empathy.

It all boils down to how we are wired. In our brains, there are mirror nuetrons. When we observe the facial expressions of others, these neurons fire, causing us to empathize with them.

We essentially put ourselves in their shoes.

And, while we're on the subject of shoes, do you see why Nike commercials are so effective? Because they so artfully portray people and acts of greatness, you can literally feel greatness for a few brief seconds.

How Can You Get Your Videos in Front of Potential Customers?

Before we dive in to this question, let's be clear: you don't have to edit and produce your videos professionally. This article isn't about making a TV commercial. We're talking about creating and distributing videos in areas where your customers are likely to be found. Unlike in the days of TV dinners, consumers are unlikely to be glued to the television screen during commercial breaks.

Know Who Your Customers Are

You should have already created a customer avatar and know who your customer is. Understanding your customer is the first step toward determining where they spend their time.

A CPA offering tax services to wealthy individuals, for example, has a very different audience than someone selling beauty products directly to consumers.

Where they are is determined by who they are.

You can begin to understand where your customers spend their time online once you know who they are.

Which small business owner in the preceding example is better served by creating a weekly insights & advice video series and promoting it on LinkedIn?

And which owner should be uploading quick video testimonials from satisfied customers and product reviews to Facebook and TikTok?

Keep in mind that video is a type of content marketing that is intended to attract and retain an audience. That way, when the time comes to buy, you'll be top of mind.

That will not happen unless you get your video in front of the right people.

So, where are your customers nowadays?

While there are well over a billion websites online these days, the majority of people's online time is spent in one or more of the following places:

All of these channels allow you to reach a large number of people with whatever videos you want to make. There are numerous resources available to assist you in understanding how to optimize your video strategy to reach more of your target audience on each of these platforms. Make certain you understand the best practices for the platform(s) you select.

You now understand why videos are effective. You did your research to find out where your customers spend their time. You've even researched the best ways to get your videos in front of them. You must now decide what type(s) of videos you want to create.

What Kinds of Videos Can You Make to Generate More Customers?

Here are four of the most effective low-cost/low-effort videos you can make:

Video Demo/Explainer

If your small business sells products, make short demo videos that show how those products solve problems. Video is an excellent way to demonstrate how those products work so that customers can see them in action.

Video Testimonial

Potential customers should put themselves in the shoes of the person in the video they're watching? What better way to sell your products or services than to put potential customers in the shoes of one of your satisfied customers?

When you're with a satisfied customer, pull out your phone and ask a few simple questions about their experience with your company.

Info Style Videos

These are ideal if your small business provides a service of some kind. You obviously have a wealth of knowledge that people pay you for as a service professional. Offering some of that knowledge in the form of a video not only helps people understand their situation, but it also shows that you know your stuff.

When it’s time to hire a professional, you will have already established a level of trust with the potential customer, increasing the likelihood that they will come to you for assistance.

Video of the Company's History

People buy from people, especially when it comes to small businesses. You are not a large, stale corporation. You're a small business with a one-of-a-kind story to tell. Use video to show customers:

• What is your identity? How does this translate into your business?

• Why are you so enthusiastic about the company? Why should they be enthusiastic?

• What can they anticipate from you?

Allow them to see and feel how much you enjoy what you do. There is simply no better way to accomplish this than through video!

Now it's time to get recording!

So, what are you holding out for? While diving into video can be intimidating, there is no better time to start than now. Video is preferred by your customers over other mediums. And you can gain a significant advantage over your competitors by creating the type of content they desire! So pull out your iPhone, press record, and begin having more meaningful interactions with your potential customers.

We want to help you with video creation for your marketing! Click here to sign up to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. We will provide you with a free video recording of you sharing knowledge about your business! You can also receive pre-edited short clips for social media.

Short Videos Are The Key To Driving Traffic And Sales For Your Business

Short Videos Are The Key To Driving Traffic And Sales For Your Business

Jul 22, 2022 | Video Marketing

Are you looking to increase how much traffic your business is getting online? You’ve come to the right place. People are constantly on the move. In today’s world people no longer want to sit through long videos that take up their time. Instead, they prefer short, bite size content that is easy to consume on-the-go.

If you’re a business looking to boost sales and get more people clicking on your site, it’s time to ditch the long videos. Give short-form content a go!

Whether it’s 6 seconds or 3 minutes, changing your video content will give your business the results it’s been looking for.

Firstly, what are short videos?

Most commonly defined as anything under 60 seconds (with some platforms now taking that up to 3 minutes). Short videos are the new marketing go-to.

TikTok and as Instagram’s Reel feature short videos have become commonplace in society. These short videos are exciting and make it easy for customers to engage! This type of content is still on the rise and showing no signs of slowing down.

We all feel more accomplished and satisfied when we achieve more in a day. People want to consume multiple videos in the time it used to take to consume one. Short videos are a great way to keep people moving. Also, to get the information you want as a business across.

Short form content isn’t targeted to one area of business. Short videos can enhance different areas of your site, including brand promotion and product showcasing. They can also be used to announce offers. You will grab, hook, and convert with short videos.

But why are short videos better than traditional long-form content?

We have all seen a blog post that catches our attention. But, even if you’re intrigued by the content topic, you probably won’t read the entire article. This may be due to time constraints or just a lack of focus. Consumers need MORE than lengthy paragraphs to grab and keep their attention. That’s where visual content comes in. Visuals help prospective buyers or clients without trying too hard to keep their focus.

However, long-form video content just doesn’t cut it anymore. Why? There’s no immediacy. People want interest, value, and results- immediately. To do this, you’ve got to be prepared to make the switch to short videos.

Now you know exactly what short-form content is and why it’s such a successful strategy. It’s time to get into how you can use it to increase site traffic.

How can your business drive traffic and sales with short videos?

Add Short Video Testimonials to Your Website

This is a marketing strategy we CAN’T stress enough!

Did you know 93% of customers read online views before buying a product? Yes, you heard us right, a whopping 93% of people look at feedback from others when making their own purchases. So, mix testimonial with short-form video content, and you’re onto a winner.

Having these on your website will provide users with a sense of comfort. They are already familiar with short-form content on their social media platforms. Short videos are also great for answering FAQs without losing the potential customer’s attention.

Hop on the Latest Trends

Thanks to platforms like TikTok, the internet sees a new viral trend or challenge daily that seemingly appear overnight. Take advantage of this! You will be capitalizing on something popular. Also, because you are creating short videos, there’s more chance of people actually watching it. Hopping on trends is a great way to get your brand out there and immerse your business in what’s hot online.

Want to participate in an easy trend? You can find all the latest trends and sounds on the discover page on TikTok.

I have testimonials and trendy ads. What else can I do?

Repurpose Your Content and Repost it on all Social Media Platforms

Posted your short videos to TikTok? Great. Now post it as a reel on Instagram or a short on YouTube. Content is made to be distributed and if you want to increase site traffic it needs to be seen.

And if you want to go even further to achieve a higher conversion rate, slice up your video into smaller clips and use it as an ad creative. Repurposing content is the king of successful marketing.

Hire Influencers for your Ad Marketing or Incorporate Customers into Your Content

Influencers have been involved with business content for a long time now, with this marketing strategy getting popular and staying popular ever since. And short videos are the perfect way to get involved with this.

Having an influencer on a quickly consumed piece of media isn’t just going to get conversations started but get them started about your brand and what you do.

As a local business, you might not be able to reach the perfect influencer for you. If not, don’t worry! Showing works better than telling. Get creative and film your product or service being enjoyed by real-time customers! This is a really effective way of adding testimonial at the same time as advertising and will still give the effect that an influencer would. Content like this works great if your service/product involves a before and after too so that the audience can see a real transition.

How do I get TikTok marketing right?

If there’s one thing your business needs to do, it’s adding value. 10/10 purchases are made because of the product or service’s value-adding properties. Whether it adds aesthetic or makes life easier, adding value is important. This goes for your online content too. Making education a priority in your marketing will improve lead generation and build stronger brand loyalty, as well as increasing that all-important site traffic.

Now you know the best ways to drive forward traffic, it’s time to think about making it happen. And what better way than to take a look at a local business doing exactly that!

Carpet Repair Guys, a business located in Bay Area, found success on TikTok at the start of 2021 and have over 23 million likes and 800k+ followers today.

What’s their secret?

Well, its’s simple. They are authentic and don’t try too hard to be something they’re not. Which is something that’s super important for smaller businesses looking to grow organically online. Keeping it real is really valuable in today’s climate.

Let’s face it, do the internet actively seek TikTok’s about carpet repair? Probably not, which is why their marketing is incredible!

The founder uses light and humorous commentary to show the company’s processes in a satisfying way. By using time lapses of real-time business life, their videos have gone viral on more occasions than we can count on one hand.

Where do I start?

As a local business yourself, you’ll need to find your niche and play around with TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to find your flow. But all it takes is a few seconds and you’ve got yourself a good start.

Whether you decide to add commentary over business processes like the Carpet Repair Guys or you use trending sounds to bring your videos to life, there are so many different ways you can make short videos work.

And don’t forget, short-form video content is great for starting conversations, and Carpet Repair Guys utilise this activity to respond to online comments in the form of videos and strengthen the relationship they share with the community on the platform.

Keep this in mind as short videos really do open the door to more audiences than you might think!

Be sure to check out the Carpet Repair Guys on TikTok to get some ideas of how you could get started.

Conclusion

If you’re a local business looking for new ways to improve your marketing strategies and create content that sells, it’s time to shift to short-form content and watch your traffic soar.

There is no ‘one shoe fits all’ method of leveraging short video content to drive more traffic for your business. Instead, there are a whole load of strategies ready for you to play around with and find out which one works best for you and your audience!

For more tips, tricks, and bits of advice on everything marketing and more, head over to our website and check out our other digital marketing resources designed for local business.

For more tips and short video inspiration, follow us on TikTok! Also, check us out on Instagram. Keep an eye our for our Marketing Minutes and Tutorial Tuesday short videos!

Are you looking for a unique way to get evergreen video content? Schedule a time to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. You can use the FREE video you will receive to make short videos to share on your small business website and social media platforms!

Small Business Marketing Strategies Guaranteed to Work

Small Business Marketing Strategies Guaranteed to Work

Jun 11, 2021 | Content Marketing, Facebook Advertising, Reputation Management, SEO, Video Marketing

Small Business Marketing Strategies

Small business owners are busy people. You’re running your own company, and you’re also a jack of all trades for the employees that do not have a specific skill set. Your time is valuable, and we know how difficult it can be to find the time to market your small business, or develop  small business marketing strategies. That’s where JVI Mobile Marketing comes in!

We provide professional marketing services for small businesses of all shapes and sizes. From social media management to traditional advertising, our team has experience with every industry under the sun. We work with clients from coast-to-coast who need help to get their message out in front of their target audience. When it comes to smaller companies promoting their business, it can help to understand where you can compete with the “big guys”.

Small Business Marketing Strategies #1 – Paid Ads

No one has a traffic problem. As long as you are willing to pay for the traffic. Facebook and Google are two of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to get your marketing message out. These networks have a lot of features that small businesses need for their campaigns.

In order to run a paid campaign, you need a combination of 3 elements:

Target Audience – Be crystal clear on whom you want to get in front of with your message.

– Make sure to include their demographic, age group, and location.

– You can also target by interest or behavior with Facebook Ads Manager Predefined Audiences, Custom Audiences from your email list on Gmail or Google Analytics data in Adwords.

Pro Tip: Use the Facebook suggestions for other targeting options you might not have thought of while selecting your audience

Landing Page (Destination) – This is where you want the person to go when they click on your ad.

It can be a website, Facebook page or another type of social media site.

– Choose the landing page wisely because it will have an impact on conversion rates and your return on investment for the campaign.

Pro Tip: If using a website for a landing page, it should not be your home page. Instead, create a landing page with one focused “Call-to-action” (CTA).

There are several great landing page builders out there. Some of the ones we use are:

  • SwipePages
  • Brizy
  • ClickFunnels
  • Landingi
  • Instapages

## Offer – What valuable chunk of content can you offer in exchange for the user’s contact information?

This is called a lead magnet. Some great examples of lead magnets are :

– an e-book

– a free trial of your SaaS product with no credit card required and full cancellation rights

– video training course on how to use the software or service you offer in exchange for their contact information. This is also called “content marketing” or “inbound marketing”. It’s all about providing valuable content that educates people, so they will reach out to you when they need help.

Small Business Marketing Strategies #2 – Business Reviews

Write a paragraph about the importance of getting your customers to leave a review or feedback for your business and making it public on Google.

Business reviews are crucial for small businesses. Reviews have the power to make or break your reputation, which is why you need to make sure that they’re good ones! The best part about hosting a review system on Google is that it’s so easy and accessible. It’s as simple as opening up the Maps app on any internet-connected device in order to leave your feedback of a local business – and then sharing with all your social media followers at once.

There are also plenty of websites out there where customers can read others’ reviews before deciding who to buy from – these sites include Yelp, TripAdvisor, Glassdoor and Angie’s List just to name a few! Nowadays even big banks like Wells Fargo will ask their clients for reviews. We feel that reputation management is a cornerstone small business marketing strategy!

There are also software solutions that can help you collect reviews from your customers, share them with Google, and build up a library of feedback you can use on your website.

Pro Tip: Use a software program instead of doing this manually.

In all transparency, we built our own software to accomplish this for you. For more information, check out our brand new SaaS (Software as a Service) called Local 5 Stars. www.local5stars.com

Small Business Marketing Strategies #3 – Live (and recorded) Video

Video marketing is more important than ever. Take a look at the Facebook Live feeds of brands like Red Bull, GoPro, and other companies to see what we mean.

Here are some ways you can get in on the trend:

– Create Newsletters with Videos

– Shoot Short Video Ads for Your Website or Social Media Pages

– Host a Webinar

– Be Creative! People love original content that they’ve never seen before!

Use video to solve you audiences problems. Don’t talk all about your products and services. Instead, show people how your services can solve their issue and speak to them.

Pro Tip: Host a webinar or use video where you are answering questions that people are already asking about online. Two great places to find out what people are asking are Quora and Answer the Public.

– Host your videos on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and other platforms that will help them rank high in search engines like Google.

Don’t forget about newsletters! Use videos for an installment series where they get notified every time the next one is released. And don’t forget to use calls to action at the end telling people how they can contact you if they have any further questions. It’s important not only to show information but also give viewers a way to interact with it as well.

In conclusion, there are a ton of small business marketing strategies out there. Use what you are comfortable with. This is not anywhere near a complete list.

For more tips and strategies to market your small business, follow our sister website, HowTo.Agency.

Video Marketing Continues to Dominate Into 2018 — Trends You Need to Know

Video Marketing Continues to Dominate Into 2018 — Trends You Need to Know

Nov 27, 2017 | General, Uncategorized, Video Marketing

business video marketing content online concept

When you go online, chances are that a lot of the content you see is in video format – and for good reason. Every day, approximately 100 million people watch at least one video online. So videos are an incredibly effective way of marketing your product and/or service.

If you have been avoiding making videos because you think they will be too expensive or difficult to make, it is time to rethink your marketing strategy.

61% of all businesses now use video content in their digital marketing plans. Two out of every three of these businesses are newcomers to video.

Additionally, video consumption continues to rise online. Estimates from this summer predict that overall video consumption via mobile will increase by 35% by the end of this year.

These developments foretell a new year where digital video will be more important than ever for business owners’ success. Those who take advantage of the following four video marketing trends in 2018 will likely be in for a great year ahead.

 

Video Content Marketing Becomes a Must-Have for Small Businesses

For one, people complete video content more frequently than the average non-visual, text-based blog article. According to Vidyard, over a third of all video viewers (37%) make it to the end of the video’s run time.

Nearly all mobile users who watch video (92%) have a tendency to share video content with others. Simply Measured also says that video gets shared around 12x more frequently than content links or text.

Other studies show that audiences retain video in messaging better than text.

With these advantages, businesses putting video content out there will see higher levels of engagement. They will also see higher levels of shares and conversions into their marketing funnel. Having a video component to your digital marketing strategy will become a competitive differentiator in months ahead.

Business owners looking to get into video can start by transforming existing content assets into a short (around 2.5 minutes or less) summary. Look to the assets with the most views and shares for inspiration.

 

Video Becomes an Integral Part of the Sales Pipeline

Video not only generates awareness, it can help nurture sales in both B2C and B2B industries. 65% of business decision-makers will visit a startup’s website, claims ComScore.

Offering video content helps turn what could be a pushy and person-intensive sales process into a self-service nurturing pipeline. Interested prospects can view video content hosted on websites or shared via social to learn more about products and features. As they educate themselves, they move towards the end of the sales funnel with minimal person-to-person contact.

video app on smartphone screen. watch and share digital content. flat design vector illustration

Self-guided lead nurturing not only reduces employee overhead, it also results in a more pleasant experience for leads. 19% of prospects claim they only want to hear from a company rep when they are actively considering a purchase. 40% of prospects want to be able to buy without talking to anyone at all.

Meeting this need involves considering how video assets can provide value at every stage of the sales/marketing funnel.

For instance, business owners can cultivate awareness by creating emotional or intriguing video advertising assets.

Video content marketing assets provided on their website next to text content can help buyers at the nurturing stage. In-depth explainer videos can help lay out different buying options. It can also lay out the final steps in the procurement process for those ready to close the deal.

“When you incorporate video into your sales processes, customers get what they want: a friction less, self-serve experience on their time, and on their terms,” says WireBuzz.

Think about buyer needs that were once traditionally met with person-to-person interactions. Imagine how video can replace these needs with a self-service, video-heavy customer journey.

 

Live Video, 360° Video, Slideshows and Other Video Formats Gain Traction

live video streaming from cell phone

Like everything else online, the world of video marketing is evolving. While you can still upload videos to your YouTube channel and share them online, there’s also a new kid in town – live video.

One of the most accessible options, which allows companies to fully integrate video marketing into their Facebook marketing, is Facebook Live.

Live video presents an easy, low-budget and low-concept way to create more video content for audiences. Brands can engage with audiences in a way that feels authentic and like a 1:1 conversation.

Preparing live video into your content marketing and social engagement strategy can quickly round out your assets without a massive up-front investment.

There are a lot of reasons that doing live is a good way to gain more followers. This is something that you should be investing in.

We could go into a lot of detail now about why Live might well be the ‘future’ of social media in many ways. For now, though, suffice to say that for you, it offers a unique way to communicate with your audience. This takes away the limitations of having to wait for a post or a message to be delivered.

Your audience will feel as though they’re getting real insight into your lifestyle, your business and your personality. You will be able to answer their question directly.

This is a fantastic format for a whole range of types of media. From AMAs (Ask Me Anything), to interviews and to product reviews.

young woman with virtual reality goggles in cinema

 

On the other end of the spectrum is 360° video. These assets use a special camera setup to capture a full spherical range of images. Audiences can then use a smartphone headset like the Google Daydream to tilt and move their head as the video plays, changing their viewpoint as one might in real life.

360° video results in a truly immersive and memorable experience. However, the high cost of equipment and production means businesses require an airtight strategy for converting 360° videos into measurable returns.

Formats like these lower production costs for video — especially video ads. They still provide higher levels of engagement. Best of all, they can communicate well even without sound.

Since 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound, slideshow and short-form video assets provide substantial returns with a relatively minimal investment.

 

In 2018, Video Marketing Trends Will Define Small Business Success

If 2017 was a year of pioneering growth for video, 2018 will be the year people expect business owners to give their video marketing campaigns some structure.

Business owners can bring in bigger audiences than ever before. Simply by  using the above trends in combination with intelligent strategy and dutiful measurement of KPIs.

 

 


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