The way audiences seek information has transformed over the years. Gone are the days when we solely relied on recommendations from friends and store experts. Videos have now become the cornerstone of information consumption for product research, recommendations, and reviews. Social media videos play a pivotal role in shaping consumer perspectives.

According to research by Hubspot, 66% of consumers have watched video content (i.e. product demos, reviews, FAQs, unboxing, etc.) before buying a product. This is why video is a potent tool to effectively market your product and seamlessly navigate the audience through every stage of the funnel.

The power of video across the sales funnel

When incorporating a video marketing strategy, each video type addresses a specific stage of the marketing funnel, serving distinct objectives. Whether introducing your product, explaining its functionalities, or updating existing users on new features, you need to tailor your videos accordingly.

Different objectives require varied videos, but smartly refreshing existing content extends your investment, ensures evergreen engagement, and allows you to experiment with new mediums and channels. 

In this blog, we’ll be talking about the types of videos that you can use at each stage of the funnel and how you can repurpose those videos. 

1. Create Awareness

In the initial phase of a customer journey, the primary objective is to introduce your product, making potential customers aware of its existence and its potential to solve their specific problems. This is achieved by creating content that provides a high-level introduction to your product without asking too much of the audience. Optimal formats for this purpose include explainer videos, as well as short-form content such as stories or YouTube Shorts.

• Explainer videos: Explainer videos effectively communicate your company's purpose to those unfamiliar with your brand. A good explainer on the landing page or website should describe the problem the product solves, define your target audience, and how it works. This leaves viewers curious and wanting to know more.

Pro tip: You can repurpose explainer videos into social media ads and can repurpose 6 - 15 seconds non-skippable ads on YouTube

• Social Media Videos: Create short, powerful social media videos to build awareness. Share insightful content to establish credibility, making sure your brand is remembered when consumers are ready to buy. These educational content pieces foster trust, positioning your brand as a reliable and helpful resource, and boosting credibility.

Protip: Extract short clips or highlights for quick, attention-grabbing posts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn.

2. Generate Demand

Once your customer knows about your brand and understands your offerings, they are in the consideration stage. You can now facilitate informed decision-making of your potential customers by helping them understand how your product works and its specific features to solve a problem. This makes them visualize themselves doing the same thing.

• Product Demo Videos: Product demo videos for tech/SaaS products serve as powerful tools to showcase the functionality, features, and value proposition of the offering. These videos provide a hands-on, visual experience, allowing potential users to see the product in action.

Protip: Break down the demo video into a series of shorter tutorials focusing on specific features and use in paid advertising campaigns.

• Testimonials: Client testimonials act as powerful social proof to help ‘on the fence’ customers gain confidence about your product or service while increasing your brand’s credibility.

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Protip: Video testimonials are great for retargeting campaigns. 15-20 seconds of the video can be used as a YouTube non-skippable ad.

3. Drive Conversions

The decision stage is the point at which your goal is to turn prospects into customers. Customer testimonial videos show the real potential and payoff of your brand’s products and services. What makes these videos strong decision-stage content, is aspirational, yet authentic, “this could be you” feeling. Use this kind of video content to show potential customers the results and the real benefits that others have reaped and that they stand to gain from choosing your business.

• Case Study Video: A video case study, often just a few minutes long, shines a spotlight on a business's product, service, or feature. By narrating the success story from the customer's perspective, it adds an authentic and relatable touch to your marketing videos.

• Demo Videos: Whether it's a brief explainer video, teaching a solution, or a demo highlighting key functionalities, integrating video into your paid media strategy enhances your reach and resonates effectively with potential customers in the competitive market.

Protip: Video ads can be repurposed from explainer videos, demo videos, and even UGC content

4. Retain Customers

Once a prospect becomes a customer and enters the onboarding stage, educate them about how they can get the most out of your products and services. If there are features based on specific needs or there’s a learning curve that comes with them, lean into educational videos.

• Live Videos and Webinars: Webinars, a marketing classic, remain highly effective for educating your audience on crucial topics and seamlessly converting them from free trials to premium offers. An engaging presentation design can help you host an interactive webinar where you can also bring industry experts for discussion about any specific topic or product. 

Protip: You can convert the learnings from webinars and online events into blog posts and publish them along with the video for the website’s SEO

• Learning Series: Content that’s focused on hacks, tips, optimization, or special features keeps your audience engaged and also positions your brand as a reliable source of information, fostering a stronger connection with your customers. Airbnb, for example, has different videos on their YouTube channels for hosts to create welcoming homes and host guests for better listings. 

Conclusion

Video marketing is an indispensable tool for product marketers in today's digital landscape. By understanding the importance of video marketing you can integrate it at various stages of the customer journey.  Embark on a video marketing journey that transforms each stage of your funnel, from drawing in fresh leads with captivating video ads to converting them into loyal customers. Crafting these videos can be an exhilarating and creative process, so let your imagination run wild!