Business-to-consumer (B2C) companies around the world are using video marketing campaigns to reach their audience. Since video is the next best thing to the real experience, those campaigns are often quite successful. On the other hand, business-to-business (B2B) companies seem to have always strayed away from this kind of advertising.
Why is that?
Well, the products in the B2B lines of work aren't considered as attractive enough to generate sales through videos. But the power of video goes beyond that and your business should make the most of it.
These statistics drive home this point:
- Revenue for companies that use video marketing increases by 49% in comparison to those that don't incorporate video into their campaigns.
- 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
- Syndacast assumes that by 2017, 74% of all Internet traffic will be video.
- 65% of executives visit the marketer’s website and 39% call a vendor after viewing a video, according to Forbes.
- 90% of users say that product videos are helpful in the decision process.
Let's look at 5 B2B companies which went against the established marketing tendencies and succeeded with their video marketing campaigns.
1. HubSpot
HubSpot is an expert when it comes to customer success stories. The video below shows a testimonial from ShoreTel, a communications vendor from California. They explain how their business improved after they started using HubSpot's managing platform.
Highlighting beneficial outcomes in first-hand customer experience is an efficient tactic for gathering new customers. Focusing on conversions rather than views, HubSpot manages to offer quality content that puts the value on authenticity. That's the main reason their B2B video marketing campaigns have had positive results repeatedly.
Viewers tend to have more faith in real success stories. They then recognize the true worth of your business.
2. Squarespace
A customer interview doesn't have to be real if it has something else that makes the viewers want to take action. Squarespace proved just that. Their video is a perfect example of a fictitious story with a humorous spin on it.
The video, for which they cast Jeff Bridges as a protagonist, tells the story of his sleeping tapes. The splendid acting, and simple, but engaging narrative makes it worth watching.
This video owes its major success to the process of defamiliarization used in it. Defamiliarization is more known in literary circles as a method for presenting familiar things in strange ways in order to intensify the awareness for the familiar. Exclusion of the music until the very end and the use of predominantly night scenes are the factors that brought this video such a staggering number of views.
3. FedEx (video no longer available)
Another great video campaign comes from FedEx. They merged the idea of a dream to visually present how their service functions.
This marketing video shows how FedEx delivers packages all around the world, always on time. It's sometimes worth taking a step back and thinking what the service or product provides to the consumer, even if the company you're dealing with is B2B.
4. Schneider Electric (video no longer available)
A video from Schneider Electric is probably the best example of how to tackle the audience's emotions the right way. Their captivating storytelling extends from the corporate headquarters in one part of the world to the llama breeders in another.
If they can relate, they will convert. That principle applies well to this particular commercial. When you can engage the viewer with a compelling story that can transfer the whole idea behind your business to someone, it forms a bond between your brand and the person that's watching.
5. Slack
Case studies seem to be a popular choice for B2B video marketing campaigns and can yield great results. Social media is all about telling an interesting story and showcasing your customer success is one way to go about it. What's fun about the video is its presentation - Sandwich Inc., a video production company, actually made this for Slack, instead of Slack asking them to create it (at least that's what the description tells us).
The video shows the story of overcomplicated communication methods between teams as employees describe how they work day-to-day. Through explaining, they come to a realization that they need to improve their communication methods. The video compels us to use Slack even if your company is "just fine" with the tools that it has at the moment.
Conclusion
B2B companies often fear that no one will watch their video or worse, no one will care about what they have made. Truth is, marketers hold the power to create engaging video content that resonates with its viewers and delivers results. Video can be a powerful tool in helping your company grow and reach your business goals. The key to success, therefore, is a first-hand experience, reality garnished by humor and special effects and a little fiction.
