5 Types of Video You Need to Consider

When I was a kid, my parents had two big rules about food: firstly, you had to eat all the vegetables that were put on your plate. And second: if there’s something new at the table you haven’t tried before, you have to take at least one bite before you decide that you don’t like it. Surely I wasn’t only person who grew up hearing, “Try it. You might like it.”

Vegetables and videos may be pretty different, but today we’d like to introduce you to five new items on the menu.

So at the risk of echoing everyone’s parents, we’re here to say: “Try it. You might like it.”

1. Video Voicemail

We’ve mentioned this type of video before, but we keep coming back to it. In fact, it’s become one of our favorite new tools of video marketing. Video voicemail is all about maintaining that face-to-face interactive experience, rather than resorting to the usual phone message or bland email.

We record short video messages for our clients and send the clips as a follow-up after important meetings, and the results have been spectacular.

Thanks to our digital hosting platform, we have the ability to see if and when the message was received, and watched. That makes it a fantastic tactic to include in your workflow in order to generate leads – way better than cold calls for sales enablement! Not only is it a great way to get in front of someone you’re struggling to reach, but also those analytics do a great job of letting you know if that prospect is actually engaged with the messages and content you’re sending them.

2. 360º Video

360º video is all about immersion. Tons of organizations use this type of video to deliver an incredible experience: from major corporations showing their inner workings to Broadway shows giving everyone a taste of front-row seats. 360º photos are even considered a standard feature on programs like Google Maps now.

360º video is engaging, novel, and a key component of virtual reality, which is fast becoming a new branch of storytelling all its own.

You can also use 360º as a tool to take prospects, clients, and loyal followers on tours of your facilities. Bring them directly to the trade show floor. Or take them on the road…

3. Personalized Video

Out of all the options on the ‘menu,’ personalized video is sometimes the hardest to grasp until you get to have a sample for yourself. However, once explained, it’s always a big hit – and it’s even consistently doubled our email opens in the past – to say nothing of its incredible boost to our click-through rates.

Personalized video plugs the data of recipients into the video so that each person who views it is seeing their own name on the screen.

You can draw on the contact information at your disposal to, for example, send someone best birthday or holiday wishes; to invite them to a corporate event; or to ask them how they liked their latest purchase with your company; and so much more.

4. Pre-Recorded Webinars

Another popular video trend in digital marketing is the pre-recorded webinar: an educational or thought leadership tutorial that instructs viewers on detailed processes like product installations or company policy. Whether it’s for internal use within your business or for customers visiting your website, every company can employ video to engage the viewers far better than a standard manual.

If you’ve ever had to give a presentation more than once, webinar packages are a great way to capture the information in one sitting and then condense it for future use.

5. Culture Videos

If video voicemail and personalized video haven’t made it sink in yet, the truth is that being personable and human is one of the best ways to reach your prospects.

Filming videos that portray your company culture is a valuable way to foster a relationship with viewers, because they’ll feel like they’re really getting to know you.

Cultural videos can run the gamut from cheesy recruiter videos to fully-fledged identity portfolios. And while some video projects might require extra planning and bandwidth to accomplish, there is another option for those of you who enjoy the exchange of minimum effort for maximum impact.

Behind-the-scenes content, be it photos, videos, or even live-streaming, is an added bonus to any event you were already planning.

I mean, you were going show up to that film shoot anyway, right? Might as well snap some photos from the makeup chair, or grab some footage of yourself on the set. This way you can include the people who might otherwise feel left out. Now when they see the final product, you’ll have the materials to answer their questions, “What was it like? How did you do it?”

And let’s be honest – who doesn’t love a good gag reel!?

In a nutshell, video can now to enhance virtually any form of communication that you’re already trying to have. All you have to do is decide which kind you want to try, and find a professional video marketing agency that can help you implement it in your own business.

“Try it. You might like it.”