The New Era of Video Marketing: 4 Types of Videos that Can Boost Sales (+ Examples)

Nearly 40 years ago, MTV broadcast its very first music video.

Fittingly, that video was a hit song by the Buggles called “Video Killed the Radio Star,” where a strange man in a silver sportscoat and “futuristic” sunglasses sang:

 “In my mind and in my car. We can’t rewind, we’ve gone too far”

Yes, video is disruptive technology. This was true in 1981, and it remains true today. With 4k technology in our cell phones and the growth of live video on Facebook and other platforms, human beings are capturing everything from behind-the-scenes content to political upheaval—and sharing it with the world.

Simply put, video changes everything. Today’s most successful marketers are using video to connect with potential customers in ways that weren’t possible until recently. And now that streaming speeds have grown and production costs have dropped, there’s never been a better time to use video to market your brand.

What is video marketing?

Video marketing is the use of videos to sell products, raise brand awareness, increase audience engagement, and educate potential customers. There are a number of different ways you can use video to accomplish these goals, and this article will introduce you to four of them.

But before I dive in, you may be wondering…

Is video marketing effective?

A 2019 study by the Aberdeen Group found that marketers get 68% more qualified leads through video marketing, and they can increase brand awareness by 54% when combining video with traditional methods.

What’s more? People love video. A 2018 study by Statista found that 85% of U.S. internet users watch video on their computers and mobile devices regularly (at least once per month, usually more).

The advantages of video are obvious. It’s engaging. It’s easier to explain things using visuals. And unfortunately, many people just don’t really like to read. Sad, but true! Video killed the radio star in 1981, and it’s starting to crush the written word in 2020. All we can do as marketers is adapt. 

4 Ways to Use Video in Your Marketing Efforts 

Explainer Videos

Marketers use explainer videos to answer one all-important question—what does your company (or what do your products) actually do? 

That question is simple for some companies, but it’s more complicated for others, especially for industry pioneers offering products or services that few have heard of. In any case, a good explainer video provides a short (usually less than 3-minute) overview of the problem your company solves, how you solve it, and why you do it better than everyone else.

Example #1: This animated Crazy Egg video explains how their software works to help marketers understand which webpage elements visitors are interacting with and how to convert more customers. Animated videos typically have the advantage of being easier and less costly to produce, although doing-it-yourself is impossible unless you’ve got an in-house illustrator/animator. Fortunately, you can outsource the task at a good price.

Example #2: This TripCase video explains how the company’s travel app works to help frequent travelers organize their travel arrangements.

Demo Videos

Demo videos are similar to explainer videos, but they dive deeper into a specific product or service, covering features on a granular level. Sometimes they’re just short and sweet, like an explainer video, and other times they dive deep and explain how to use a product on a granular level.

Example #1: This short, high-quality demo video from Nike is only one minute long, but it does its job of showcasing the latest technology in the “Nike Free” product line.

Example #2: This 13-minute video from Adobe explains how videographers can create a reel (which is essentially a video portfolio) using Adobe’s Premier Pro software. Watch 30-seconds or so to get a feel for how to do longer, more explanatory content.

Educational Videos

Educational videos are a type of content marketing, and as is the case with all good content marketing (like blogs, newsletters, or eBooks), they should not focus specifically on selling your products or services.

Instead, educational videos are all about providing information that is valuable to your target market. By doing so, you can attract quality traffic to your website, raise brand awareness, and position your company as an authority in your field.

You can format educational videos in all sorts of ways, from animations to interviews with experts. These videos can range in length depending on what you want to cover (see examples).

Example #1: This short video from Hubspot explains how to use Instagram stories for marketing purposes.

Example #2: This 10-minute video from Moz, an SEO analytics platform, features Moz founder Rand Fishkin explaining the customer journey and the path to purchase—something marketers (their target audience) will find very helpful.

Branding Videos

Branding videos let people know what’s going on within your company, and they can include things like:

• Convention/meeting highlights (including keynote speeches)
• Behind-the-scenes footage of day-to-day life at your workplace
• Teasers about new products
• Charitable projects your company is involved with

Example #1: This video from Zappos Adaptative, a division of Zappos that offers fashionable, functional clothing options for people with disabilities, is an amazing example of a branding video. It demonstrates Zappos’ inclusive values and their commitment to creating quality products for everyone. What’s more? It’s actually fun to watch.

Example #2: This video from Lyft is a behind-the-scenes look at the popular ridesharing company. Specifically, it tells the story of the creative team that designed an animated short film about a day-in-the-life of a Lyft driver.

Example #3: This keynote speech from Adobe Max takes you into a high-production-value convention and gives viewers a memorable impression of the brand—even if they couldn’t attend the event itself.

Customer Case Studies 

Case studies allow you to showcase how your products or services help improve the lives of your customers. Case studies often appear in writing, but seeing a customer on video talking about the benefits of your product can really drive the message home. 

Example #1: This video case study from Purple, a company that provides Wifi networks to brick-and-mortar retail shops (along with data analytics for marketing purposes), highlights what they did for a McDonald’s branch in Belgium.

Example #2: Arkadin Cloud Communications created this video case study covering their work with advertising giant Ogilvy & Mather.

Taking the First Step

Your first step into the world of video marketing doesn’t need to be a grand gesture with an enormous budget. Sure, video marketing can run $10,000 per minute of video, but it doesn’t need to cost that much. In fact, you’ll notice there’s a wide range of production values in the examples I’ve included here, from simple animations to serious, high-budget videos.

Video marketing isn’t like downloading a Netflix show or going to a movie, where you expect to see only high-budget scenes. Explainer videos frequently use simple animations and drawings to explain how a product works, and part of the charm of many behind-the-scenes videos is their “lo-fi” style. In fact, the super lo-fi stuff, shot on an iPhone in the CEO’s office, works great for Facebook and Instagram stories because they give the audience a sense of “hanging out at the office.”

In other words, work with the budget you’ve got, and focus on producing content that your market actually wants to consume. If you can do that? You’re off to a great start.