If you’re a small business, video marketing may be a frightening prospect to you. Video is one of the most effective ways to engage customers in 2021.
Video marketing was the number one way customers discovered brands they later purchased from, and 85% of marketers agree that video is an effective way to get attention from consumers online.
But video isn’t as easy a content format to create like blog posts or social media graphics.
This leaves many small businesses and solo entrepreneurs unsure of how to get started without enlisting the help of a video production company.
We’re here to tell you that there’s no need to miss out on this opportunity. Small businesses can adopt video marketing strategies to grow their audience effectively. In this post, we’ll discuss how.
The Benefits of Video Marketing for Small Businesses
We probably don’t need to tell you that the advantages of video marketing can be plentiful. But we’ll do so anyway! After all, it’s easy to get daunted by the effort of creating brand new content you might not have attempted before. But it’s essential to keep your sight sets on the fantastic things you could achieve.
- Video lets you share your personality with your audience. With a consumer base that is craving the authenticity of small, honest brands, this could give you a significant selling point.
- Video increases your traffic. You can host video content directly on your website and pull traffic there. Highly shareable videos could also create backlinks once they pick up on social media.
- You can convert new customers using video.
- Answer questions about your product and highlight its benefits. Got a fantastic product? There’s no better way to show it off than through video, where you can take a shot from every angle and even show it in action!
Making Videos on a Budget
You need to spend money to make money. This is true for many aspects of your business, but small companies or sole traders are often held back from making full use of that concept. We get it – if you’re not a large corporation, taking any amount out of your budget feels like a significant risk.
But in the case of video marketing, it has every potential to pay off. And it doesn’t have to cost you too dearly, either.
Small businesses already benefit from product videos, Q&As, interviews and introductions. All of these video formats can be shot with only a few crucial pieces of equipment.
You just need to be able to provide:
- A studio space. This is where you can set up a professional room either decorated to suit your brand or provide a simple, neutral background. When picking an area, it’s crucial you can control the lighting and noise as best as possible.
- Lighting. Lighting is the single element that can turn up your production value massively. If you shoot your videos in a controlled studio space, all you need is to invest in a lighting kit to make sure your product or actors are displayed most professionally. Lighting kits are available for under £100. Not too bad, right?
- Camera. Believe it or not – if any person on your team has a modern iPhone at hand, you likely already have a decent camera on hand to shoot product videos and Q&As with.
- Audio. A good microphone is a must-have, but you don’t have to splurge more than £200 for a pretty decent microphone.
Voila – you might not be shooting movies anytime soon, but with basic equipment and a lot of creativity, you can create your own small video production company in London.
Working Around Your Limitations
If budget is a primary concern, just remember that video is a great way to get creative. There is plenty of stock footage online that you could convert for your own needs, and many video editing tools are available for free, even on your mobile.
Don’t have a great microphone? Overlay your video with music instead, and use text to get your point across on screen.
Scale Production As You Go
Having a presence on YouTube can be a great way to get started with video marketing for your small business. Upload product videos and let your customers get to know you in interviews and Q&As. You might find that your personality is far more critical than perfect production quality.
Once the benefits of video marketing become noticeable to your business, you can scale your production without hiring an in-house team. Relying on a video production company can be a great way to work within your budget and get high-quality advertising footage sorted.
ZAK is a video production company in London that works closely with small Businesses to create budget-friendly creative solutions. We deliver ground-breaking creative ideas to elevate businesses and let their brands speak for themselves. Get in touch today to learn more!
