Here’s a painful truth for us blog writers:

When faced with a choice between a block of text and an interesting looking video, people are usually going to click on the video. And there’s a whole lot of data to back that claim up.

On social media, videos get 12x more shares than text and graphics combined. And increased engagement translates to increased sales.

Video marketing isn’t just a tool…it’s a movement. If you aren’t already a part of it, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity.

So the question is, how can you turn a video into sales leads and brand awareness? With so many types of videos for marketing out there, it can be overwhelming to find the right genre for you.

That’s where we come in!

In this article, we’ll break down ten of the most effective types of videos for marketing. By the end of it, you will feel empowered to manage your video marketing goals…with confidence!

So why is video content marketing so powerful?

  • Video is entertaining and easy to watch, which means people are more likely to click on it, and more likely to stay engaged compared to other mediums. Of course, the higher the production quality, the more aesthetically pleasing it will be. But even amateur videos can receive a TON of engagement. For this reason, an article written out in text will probably receive less engagement than the same script read out loud and transformed into an engaging video.
  • Video is easy to share across various platforms. The same video can be shared on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, through direct messages and more, without ever sacrificing quality or messaging.
  • Increasingly, videos are preferred by the Google algorithm over articles and web pages, especially for certain searches, such as tutorials. A well-optimized video can get you on the envied first page of Google, sometimes better than an article can.
  • Consumers (especially young ones) aren’t interested in hearing your pitch in the form of an old fashioned advertisement. A quick Google search will show them which is the best product for their needs. Today, internet users want to be engaged! Not sold to. Changes like these have given much more power to content marketers, and much less to ad agencies. More and more, it’s about trust, value, and education, as opposed to direct sales. An informative video will increase consumers’ trust in your brand, enhance the internet with useful content, and drive up your sales over the long haul.

Key Video Marketing Benefits

Videos boost conversion rates

A super relevant and well-made video on your landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 80%.

There are a lot of options for the types of videos for marketing you should include on your website and social media channels. These can include “flagship” animations, testimonials, tutorials and more. And, here again — the same video will translate very well to various mediums. It doesn’t need to be confined to a single website or platform.

Videos are very shareable

In today’s digital world, most types of videos for marketing aren’t simple advertisements. They are interesting, informative and sometimes humor-driven communication tools. If your videos provide value or entertainment, people are more likely to share them with friends. Shareability is one of the greatest video marketing benefits.

Video content marketing increases brand trust

Great video content marketing creates connections with viewers. They don’t even have to outwardly promote your brand. When authoritative content is associated with your company, your entire brand benefits. This forges trust with your audience, and almost if by osmosis, your audience and overall network will grow.

Animated Video vs. Live Action Video: Which is better?

Both animated video and live action video have unique benefits. Which you ultimately choose will depend on your budget, your purpose, your goals, and your broader video marketing strategy. So, which is best for your needs?

Animated Video

  • Animation is excellent at explaining abstract concepts. Anything that might be difficult for people to understand without visual assistance can be animated — leading viewers towards a much more thorough grasp of what you want to communicate.
  • Animation is more flexible and allows more visual options. An animated video isn’t limited by real-world rules. With an animated video, you can use caricatures, text, charts, graphics, symbols, and more; all within the framework and theme of the video, and your company’s visual brand.
  • You save on paying for actors and a set. Animated videos are usually more affordable than professional live action videos (but not more affordable than low budget, organic live action videos).
  • If key details about your product or message changes later, animation is much easier to go back and edit
  • Animation can take longer, which is why it’s important to hire an expert agency who knows how to structure projects effectively and efficiently.

Live Action Video

  • When it comes to creating a personal feel, live action takes the cake. Watching a live action video feels like having a face-to-face conversation with someone, like meeting someone for the first time.
  • Live action can be useful for physical tutorials and how-tos. Teaching someone how to apply wallpaper is best accomplished with a video.
  • Depending on how in-depth you want to go , a live video can take less time to record, and it can be much simpler to pull off. For example, if you need a video in a jiffy, you can record a video of an employee offering a tip, or a client offering a quick testimonial. With some light editing, it’s already done. Of course, If you’re looking for a professionally produced video — it’s going to cost you.

The 10 Most Effective Types of Videos for Marketing

Animated Videos

It is easy to get sucked into an animated video. Normally, learning about a complex, nuanced, or philosophical topic requires a whole lot of focus. Put those same ideas into a quality, story driven animated video, and wala…your viewers will be entranced without even realizing it. That’s the magic of animation.

Landing Page Videos

A landing page video is the first thing viewers will see when they end up on your home page. It’s your shot at making a phenomenal first impression. If done right, it can be an extremely effective tool.

For more complex products like software, a landing page video is essential. It makes your product less intimidating, and can serve as a preliminary demo. Videos like these are extremely valuable for synthesizing complex products.

Landing page videos can also serve to entertain and engage, setting an early tone for the rest of the user’s experience with your brand.

Product (or Service) Explainer Videos

Sharing useful content increases trust in your brand, and it helps your clients optimize their use of your products and services. When consumers leverage your services correctly, they are more likely to recommend them to others, and have a positive experience with your company.

And don’t forget — you will need these types of videos for software and websites, because even if your software is very user friendly, there will still be many people who don’t want to dedicate significant time to learning about your interface. Do them – and yourself – a favor by creating a concise explainer video.

Educational Videos

If it sounds like we’re beating a dead horse…it’s only because we are!

Your videos don’t always need to overtly promote your services. In fact, in many cases it’s better if they don’t. The golden rule for social media marketing is 80/20. That means 20% of your content is explicit advertisement, 80% is engaging content that can stand on its own feet. Think about it — no one would ever tune into a TV channel that is exclusively commercials. Make sure most of your content is useful and engaging.

In fact, fill the internet with useful information. Once users believe your brand offers them true value, they will keep coming back for more. Becoming educated about your product and brand creates better experiences, and gets you shared with like minded consumers.

Brand Videos

A brand video made with love will make your organization more personal.

Under the wrong conditions, a brand video can seem like a corporation run by a nameless bureaucracy.

But if done correctly, a brand video will give your clients a face to associate with you. It will share information about your mission and ideals. Brand videos give you lots of creative freedom, and you can use that freedom to define your brand in ways that tell your story and create a connection with your target audience.

You don’t need to be a million-dollar corporation to make an effective brand video. In your earliest days, it is a good idea to think about what sorts of values you want people to associate with your brand, and what kind of image you want to uphold. Then, define those ideas in a clear and attractive “flagship” video.

Testimonial Videos

Testimonial videos are great for your website and social media. They are like word-of-mouth recommendations, only they are entirely within your control. When someone comes to your website and sees ten customers sharing an excellent experience with your brand, it’s only natural that they’ll be more likely to engage with your products and services.

Make a video of your best clients, and work with a production team to put it together. Over time, you will see the results in increased conversion rates!

Elevator Pitch Videos

Imagine you have just 90 seconds to hook a potential client. That’s the elevator pitch, and it is far more common than in depth-sales conversation. In just 60-90 seconds, videos like these are designed to describe what your business has to offer. At the end of it, include a call to action – inviting your potential buyers to partake in the next step. This could mean visiting your website, your products page, or calling a sales rep. Elevator pitches are quick, effective, and personal. They cut off the fat and offer a razor sharp pitch.

Case Study Videos

A case study video can demonstrate exactly what problem your company or organization is capable of solving. By taking an example of an excellent experience a client had with you, you can tell the story of how you made it happen. Case study videos are also an excellent opportunity to let your employees share their stories, and get testimonials from clients. This will show your potential clients exactly what you have to offer, and what they can expect when working with you. For these reasons, case studies are one of the most effective types of videos for marketing.

Social Media Videos

Social media videos are made for sharing! Popular apps like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok have a huge incentive to make sharing videos and other types of content easy. In fact, it’s their entire business model! By posting video content that is funny, engaging, entertaining, or otherwise valuable, users will like and comment on it. They may even share it — promoting your content and spreading your brand far and wide.

Social media marketing has the added benefit of making video content feel more personal. Your video will be on your followers’ news feeds, among photos of their friends and family.

Videos for Email

Various studies have shown that including the word “video” in the subject line of a mass email makes users more likely to open the email, and less likely to unsubscribe.

Think about when you receive an email as part of an email marketing campaign.

You weren’t expecting it, and you might have even forgotten that you signed up to receive these things. So, how can you convince people to click in and hear you out? Video is a great motivator for click ins. Compared to reading, watching a video is easy. Furthermore, by clicking through to a video, your audience member will visit your website — entering the top of your engagement funnel. No doubt about it, videos are a welcome distraction from work emails.

Leveraging Video Marketing Strategies

Creating the perfect video for your needs is a (giant) first step. But you’ve still got to release that video into the wild, provided you aren’t using it for internal purposes.

Here are some of the best methods for getting views on your video, and turning it into a video marketing campaign.

Social Media

Ready to release your new video? Share it across Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and more. People aren’t likely to close the app. They are much more likely to re-share the content on the app itself, or send it to an acquaintance via direct message within the app.

Make the sharing process as simple as possible by posting your video everywhere it makes sense to. You can even use extensions like CrowdTangle, Sprout Social or Hootsuite to follow where your video has been shared across social media, and what kind of engagement it’s getting.

Your Website

On average, embedding videos on your webpages creates a 157% increase in organic traffic. 157%! Likewise, people spend more than two-times the amount of time on a page with a video than without. Landing pages benefit tremendously from having videos. Case study videos attract interested consumers, product overview videos drive sales, and testimonial videos create trust.

Google SEO

The first thing someone does when they are looking for a new product or service is a quick Google search. An engaging video that tells them exactly what they need to know, and it’s the fastest path from curiosity to contact.

By engaging in search engine optimization, and carefully integrating SEO keywords into the body of your video (as well as in the video’s title itself) you will maximize your chances of being discovered by web searchers. Another very important topic to explore in this space is video link building. In short, if you can get reputable websites to link directly to your video, search engines like Google will rank it higher over time!

So if it seems like Google is moving in the direction of promoting videos in their search results, that’s because it is! This means you can attract organic traffic to your brand via SEO optimizing your video in ways never possible before. Jump on this train early!

Youtube SEO

Search engine optimization doesn’t just apply to Google searches. A keyword tool will also keep you in the loop about what people are searching for on YouTube. Artfully place those keywords into your title, and over time, you’ll start getting traction. What’s the best thing about organic traffic from YouTube and Google? It’s free!

Email Campaigns

Including a link to a video in an email will improves open and click through rates dramatically. It can be difficult to persuade people to open your emails when conducting an email marketing campaign, but including videos (and making it clear in the title) makes emails far more effective.

Conclusion: The 10 Most Effective Types of Videos for Marketing

In the 2020’s, video marketing strategies will continue to prove their value far beyond traditional ads and commercials. There are many other types of videos you can take advantage of — making the benefits of video marketing an undeniable part of the future.

Consider brand videos, testimonials, educational videos, and brand videos, all of which increase your brand’s authority in the field. Think about where you want to share these videos, and how they fit into your marketing plan.

Doing the research and ensuring your videos are high quality will almost guarantee you more conversions in the future. If you aren’t sure if you’re doing it right, look for resources on common video marketing pitfalls.

Have questions, or ideas? Motifmotion can help! Drop us a line, anytime.