Marketing for small businesses can be challenging. You’re trying to run your business, yet a certain amount of time should be spent marketing your business to keep the pipeline of potential clients fresh. Savvy small business marketers are becoming aware of the importance of social media, public speaking and content marketing to improve their exposure, but few consider the power of video marketing, assuming the cost is prohibitive. Not only is this assumption false, but it’s a huge miss for small businesses looking to get their name out there, and several creative ways video can be used in your overall marketing efforts.

Video marketing puts a face to your business name

You’ve heard it said before: “People don’t buy from companies. People buy from people”. What better way for people to see the face behind the small business than an engaging video? Use video to highlight your company’s personality, how you’re different, and what makes your offering so special. The most important way to achieve video marketing success is to make a personal connection on camera.

There’s more than one way to make a video

If you have a smartphone, you can make a video. Period. But there are several ways to reach your audience via video marketing. Take advantage of the latest apps out there such as Snapchat, Periscope or Meerkat. Your video doesn’t have to be a perfect production; it needs to be authentic, real and helps make a connection to the audience.

Your video doesn’t need to go viral to be successful

Sure, it’d be nice to have a video that is shared thousands of times across the internet, but unless you’ve got Grumpy Cat for a spokesperson, chances are that won’t happen. That doesn’t mean your video isn’t effective! Remember, people consume information in different ways. Some people are readers, some people are watchers, and some people are listeners. Some people use desktops, others use tablets, and still others are on smartphones. Your content needs to be where your audience is, and in the format they prefer. Even a small video ad can hit big for small businesses. It’s about exposure, engagement, and connection. Forrester Research Group says “video is 53 times more likely than text pages to appear on the first page of a search engine.” Can you name another source that can give you that kind of exposure?

What kind of videos should a small business make?

Before you grab a camera and start shooting, take a moment to consider what your potential audience wants to see. If you have a marketing strategy for your small business, now’s a good time to go back and look at it. Who is your target audience? What’s your unique value proposition? What kind of keyword phrases and topics are your potential clients using online when searching? Get a handle on this first so you don’t end up with a bunch of video that isn’t usable because you have no direction.

As for video ideas, consider the following:

How to videos

Q & A series

Interviews

Behind the scenes

Explainer videos

Meet the team

Demo video

Testimonials

Product or service reviews

A few tips to make sure you get the most for your video marketing efforts

Keep a few thoughts in mind as you create your video, and map out your future video marketing efforts:

Keep it short – 30 seconds to a minute for most videos is ideal

Show some personality to make a personal connection

Mix up the video content with stills, images, graphics, etc. to keep it interesting

Make sure your video is branded – logo, contact info, website and social URLs, etc.

Tell the viewer what to do – also known as a call to action: “Call today”, or “contact us for a free consultation” are good examples.

Optimize your video – make sure the sound is good, the video clear, and that it’s SEO optimized with a good description to its searchable online.

Put it out there – Vimeo and YouTube are the standards, but there are lots of places to put your video. Share it!

Video marketing can easily become a small businesses’ most powerful marketing tool if used effectively. Understand your audience, keep it simple and make a connection to make your video valuable to your viewers.