5 Tips for Making Your Financial Marketing Videos Stand Out
Using videos as part of your marketing strategy is a great way to make a real connection with your audience, evoke an emotional response, and most importantly, drive conversions. In fact, video is the highest-converting medium on social media, and more than half of marketing professionals worldwide say that video delivers the best ROI compared to other types of marketing.
Here are a few stats that show just how valuable video content can be to your bank or credit union:
- Companies that use video marketing generate 66% more qualified leads per year.
- Social media posts with videos generate 48% more views, and 12 times more shares.
- Embedding video in your marketing emails leads to a 200%–300% increase in click-through rates.
- Web pages with videos receive as much as three times the traffic compared to those without.
- Adding video to your landing page can increase conversions by 80%.
- Seventy-four percent of users who watch an explainer video buy the product or use the service after watching the video.
- Companies that use video marketing grow their revenue 49% faster than those who don’t.
(Sources: Brandwatch, WordStream, Insivia)
But with so many videos online, how do you make sure your videos are achieving your marketing goals? And how do you make them stand out? Here are a few tips:
1. WHEN CHOOSING YOUR VIDEO STYLE AND FORMAT, CONSIDER YOUR AUDIENCE, PLATFORM, AND PURPOSE
While you want to build a consistent brand identity across all the videos you make, the style of each video is going to depend on a number of factors, including who you are targeting, where it is being shown, and what your goals are. In some cases, you might decide to use animated words and characters; in other cases, you may want live action. Or, it might make sense to use a series of images with a voiceover and background music.
For example, live action videos are good for introducing your brand, or various products and services, while animated and kinetic videos might be better suited for an instructional video, or a more in-depth video that ties your products and services together with your brand promise.
2. KEEP YOUR MESSAGE SHORT AND SIMPLE
People are constantly being inundated with advertising, so your videos need to deliver a powerful message while being short and to the point. The average video watch time on Facebook, for example, is just 10 seconds. If your video is really creative and catches people’s attention, or if you reach people who are highly interested in what you have to offer, they may watch for longer, but your goal should be to get them to take action in that first 10 seconds, either by calling or visiting your landing page for more information.
For videos on your website, you have more time, but most of your videos should still be 45 to 90 seconds. This is enough time to deliver relevant, highly informative, “snackable” content in a succinct and easily understandable way without losing people’s attention. And, it can help push your videos to the top of people’s search results. If your content is longer than 90 seconds, see if you can shorten it, or consider creating a series of smaller videos.
3. THINK LIKE YOUR AUDIENCE
When planning the content for your videos, ask yourself what your audience wants to know. Try to anticipate the questions people may have, and answer them. Focus on the features and benefits that are most relevant to your audience, show them you understand their pain points, and offer them solutions. One way to do this is to survey current and prospective customers about what they are looking for in a bank or credit union, or in a particular product or service, and use that information to help figure out your message.
4. TELL A GREAT STORY
One of the biggest keys to creating a successful video is great storytelling. The more that people can relate to your message, the more engaged they become, and the more likely they are to take that next step. In most cases, you’re either helping solve a problem, or you’re giving them something to aspire to and showing them how you can help them reach their goals. You want to make sure you get them interested right away, and hold that interest throughout the video. Some of the techniques for doing this are using inspirational stories and messages, creating intrigue with an unexpected twist or situation, using humor, and hiring a good creative team.
5. AVOID SALES PITCHES
When people watch your videos, they are looking for information. And they may also appreciate being entertained or inspired. The last thing they want is a sales pitch. So, while you need to create a clear call to action that will drive people to pick up the phone or fill out an online application, you don’t want to turn people off by being too salesy. Focus on telling great stories, sharing your knowledge, and showing people what you can do for them. The increased brand affinity will lead to new business.
LOOKING FOR HELP PRODUCING PROFESSIONAL, CREATIVE, ENGAGING VIDEOS?
Our writers, designers, editors, and marketing strategists at LIGHTSTREAM are not only highly skilled at video production, but also specialize in working with banks and credit unions. We know what works, and we can help you grow your financial institution, and accomplish more with your marketing budget.
