5 ways video content improves inbound marketing for B2B brands

Inbound marketing for B2B brands isn't easy to do, let alone perfect. You face the challenge of simultaneously engaging leads on a personal level, educating them on complex services and scaling these efforts to reach a wide audience. Most importantly, you need to tackle the apathy that consumers may feel towards your brand to build a genuine and meaningful connection.

As consumers grow increasingly attached to their smart devices, B2B marketing professionals need to find a way to use this to their benefit. We think video content could be the answer to many of their problems. Interested? Read on to discover five benefits...

1. Convenience - Reach your leads where they spend their time 

Short form video content represents a compelling medium that can be used on social channels to reach leads where they naturally spend their time and capture their short attention spans.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the average person spends plenty of time on their phone, scrolling through various social feeds. Place interesting content amongst this stream of media, and you stand a fair chance of catching their eye.

Video is also an incredibly convenient form of content to consume. In fact, a survey by Animoto discovered that four times as many consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. For new leads at the very top of the sales funnel, engaging short form video content can offer the perfect introduction to your brand.

2. Individuality - Stand out from the noise

Video marketing can combine this convenience with unique content that adds personality to any brand, but particularly in the case of traditionally dry sectors.

When you think about inbound marketing for B2B brands, does your heart rate increase? No? If your company isn’t positioned in a particularly sexy market, it’s down to you to engage leads by offering something a little out of the ordinary. Building a strong brand story doesn’t require a huge budget for cinematic special effects, or an Oscar-winning script – you just need to find a way to stand out from the often snooze-worthy market.

One way to add coherence and value to your video content offering is by showcasing in-house experts who can provide a real face to your brand offering.

3. Engagement – Communication is a two-way street

A fantastic way to mobilise these in-house experts is by ditching the traditional scripted videos and embracing live streaming. Share the voices of your expert employees in the context of an academic seminar, public event or industry conference.

Live video streaming is inherently engaging, transparent and unique. If you’re looking for a compelling way to build trust with your audience, viewers can interact with in-house experts in real time through conversations and Q&A sessions, without having to spend time and money travelling to hear from your financial experts in person.

Research by Forrester also shows that live streamed videos on Facebook Live get viewed 3 times longer than pre-recorded video content. Perfect for explaining more complex offerings!

4. Education - Go into detail around complex products

Video content is great for breaking down complicated concepts using language that your typical consumer will understand. Essentially, this is what inbound marketing for B2B brands is all about. When it comes to in-depth discussions around your core offering, though, we advise moving away from live video in favour of webinars.

Webinars are a perfect fit for B2B sectors, offering virtual learning environments that can attract and engage a highly relevant and in-market audience. According to ON24, the average time spent watching a webinar is 57 minutes, providing plenty of time to get across your value proposition and offer a helpful educational service. Remember, B2B brands need to build strong reputations, and sharing industry knowledge is a great way of doing this.

Long-form video content such as webinars can also be offered to leads as value-added content, sharing knowledge whilst leading them through the marketing funnel.

5. Nurturing - Use marketing automation to make leads feel special

Last but not least, video content can play a huge part in the lead nurturing process once an individual has already engaged with your brand. Short video introductions, explainers and behind-the-scenes clips can all add character and interest to email communications, giving your brand a real personality.

Marketing automation workflows can even send leads timely video content that’s relevant to their buyer’s journey. Five star service with minimal effort on your part.

Implementing inbound marketing for B2B brands

So there we have it, five key reasons why B2B brands should be embracing video content within their marketing efforts. If you need any help, or have more questions, get in touch with Six & Flow. We'd love to help.