Top 10 B2B Video Marketing Mistakes That Can Harm Your Strategy in 2022
Undoubtedly, it’s the year of videos. That’s because every other marketing campaign is proving to be just that, especially for B2B industries. One of the best ways to boil down complex ideas or products is by producing videos that feature your own subject matter experts. But there are a few B2B video marketing mistakes that can harm your strategy and hence you need to avoid them.
According to the stats, more than 89% of marketers say video gives them an increased ROI and they’re happy with it.
Meanwhile, 96% of marketers say that they plan to increase or maintain their video marketing campaigns.
The staggering numbers are enough to show you that videos are the engaging format you need to add to your content marketing mix.
That being said, only well-crafted video content can bring you the best results.
After all, video marketing is just like any other type of marketing out there. It needs to be carefully planned and produced to ensure that it performs well.
B2B Video Marketing Mistakes You Should Avoid
The key here is to understand how video marketing is working. And the best way to do it is by learning some common but harmful B2B video marketing mistakes most marketers make.
Here are some B2B Video Marketing mistakes to avoid while you’re planning for your next video marketing campaign:
#1 Undefined Goals and Plans
A successful video marketing campaign starts with defined, clear goals.
If you understand your video marketing campaign and how it is supposed to help your business, it would be much easier for you to focus on your strategy and see how well it is performing.
After you have well-defined goals, you need to create a proper plan to ensure that every process, from video production to distribution, runs smoothly.
A solid video marketing plan also makes it much easier for you to understand what equipment and budget you need to be prepared for the campaign.
#2 Not Understanding Target Audience
Another video marketing mistake that can harm your conversion rate is the lack of audience research, that further means you do not understand your target audience and their needs.
You don’t know who you create the video for.
This, in turn, will make your content irrelevant and fail to connect your audience with your brand.
Therefore, you need to do deep research about your audience. Discover their demographics, locations, behaviors, values, and more.
It’s also always better to find out what type of content they care about and want to watch.
The most important aspect of a compelling marketing video isn’t technical — it’s personal.
It means that you have to understand your audiences on an emotional level to run an effective campaign.
The more you understand your audiences, the more chances you have to create relatable and effective video content.
#3 Creating One Video For Various Purposes
No marketing video is created the same. All of them have their own way of helping you achieve specific goals. For example:
- Explainer videos are best for explaining what your brand is all about and showing your unique selling points.
- Customer testimonial videos are ideal for generating potential customers’ trust.
- Behind-the-scene videos should be your go-to if you want to add a more personal touch to your brand’s image.
- Product demo videos are for showcasing your product and how it really looks in real life.
- How-to video guides show your target customers how your products work.
In other words, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all videos in a successful video marketing campaign.
Some marketers create one, single video to achieve different marketing goals.
And that’s why it’s pretty hard for them actually to see the visible results of their video marketing efforts.
So, make sure you only create a marketing video to help you achieve one specific goal.
Establishing a single video goal will help you track your video marketing campaigns’ return on investment.
#4 Leaving an End CTA Out
Your CTA, or call-to-action, is the part of the video where you’re guiding people towards an action that you want them to take. This could be as simple as visiting your website.
For every video that you make, you should have a clear goal in mind and indicate that through your CTA. If you’re running a contest and you want to use a video to promote it, your CTA would be encouraging people to sign up or participate in the giveaway.
If you have a product demo video for an item that you want to sell more of, you can make the end CTA a call to visit the product page or make a purchase.
Whatever the purpose of the video is, it should be clear to the viewer what action you want them to take at the end of the video
#5 Avoiding Closed Captions
Compared to the other B2B video marketing mistakes, this one might seem minor. But it’s not so. On average, more than 60 percent of online videos are watched without sound. That means a video without captions is instantly losing more than half the potential audience.
More importantly, closed captions are required for accessibility online. Just as you would never invite a client to an office only accessible by stairs, don’t invite your prospects to watch a video that requires hearing.
#6 Creating Videos That Are Too Long
Videos are well-known for their ability to deliver brand messages in a matter of seconds seamlessly.
In addition, it can break down even complex topics into smaller chunks so your target customers can easily digest the information you offer to them.
That being said, it doesn’t mean that you have to create long videos just to make sure you get all of your brand messages delivered at once.
No one has time (and energy!) just to watch 10 minutes of videos from a brand.
A study from Wistia shows that the sweet spot for a marketing video is 2 minutes. After the two-minute mark, potential audiences will most likely get distracted and move their attention to other things.
So, the shorter the video is, the better results it can deliver.
#7 Not Using Video Analytics
If you do not use video analytics, you have only done half of the job.
You have put all of your time and effort into creating an amazing video, as well as marketing it across the web, however, if you do not use analytics, how are you supposed to know if your efforts were worth it?
Analytics are a necessity so you can see how your video is performing and where improvements can be made going forward so that you can achieve more.
#8 Using Videos Incorrectly With Social Media
Videos have great SEO potential and they are highly shareable, which makes them perfect for social media. However, all social media networks are different, so you need to make sure you accurately approach videos based on the platform.
Let’s start with Twitter videos, which are limited to 30 seconds and are ideal for brands that want to engage their customers more. One of the main benefits of Twitter is that it offers live video with Periscope. On the other side, content on Twitter has a short shelf-life, and it can be a challenge to target specific demographics.
- Snapchat
With Snapchat, you can post videos that consist of six consecutive 10-second snaps that play at once. One of the great things about Snapchat is that it has a young audience, and so it is ideal for businesses targeting customers aged between 16 and 25-years-old. On the downside, content only lasts for 24 hours, and it does not include hashtags or anything else that can help people to find your brand. Snapchat is, therefore, ideal for brands that are targeting younger audiences and what to give them a behind-the-scenes peek, yet, like Twitter, it is not good for brands that want deeper insights into their audience.
Another option is to get your marketing team to put together a video for Instagram – reel being the most popular type, which can last up to 60 seconds. Instagram also attracts a young audience, and it is owned by Facebook, which means you can utilize a lot of the same paid ad data and segmentation options that are available on Facebook. On the bad side, Instagram does not have a lot of room for links and ‘next steps,’ and it is hard to direct viewers away from the app and to your website. Therefore, it is not suitable for brands creating long-form content, but it is perfect for brands that want to target millennials and show the human side of their company.
Last but not least, we have Facebook, which is an excellent place for consumer engagement, and it is ideal for posting awareness videos. The cons of Facebook are that there is no easy way to embed CTAs and if something is posted on Facebook it is virtually invisible to the outside world. It is, therefore, not suited to those looking for more engagement and to build a fan base, but it is ideal for brands looking to boost their reach or make the most of live videos.
#9 Setting the wrong tone — align with your brand
Knowing your brand values and the product or service you’re showcasing is extremely important for coming up with the concept for your video. From wardrobes and background music to scripting and lighting, these elements can all impact how your audience will feel after watching your content.
For example, if your product is a fun social app, make sure your video matches the fun and social aspect of your brand. You wouldn’t want to mistakenly use a somber tone and solitary voice-over in your video because it wouldn’t align with the essence of your product. If the style of the video doesn’t match your overall brand, you could easily confuse your viewers.
#10 Not using examples — tell a story
One of the best things about video is that it gives people the opportunity to tell stories about their products or ideas without losing any of the information they want to get across. That’s why you should consider using examples or storytelling in your content. Not only do examples and stories make videos more interesting, but they also make content easier to follow and understand.
Case studies and customer testimonials are fantastic ways to tell stories authentically. By asking the right questions, you can clearly highlight the specific ways your product or service has helped your customers. With this format, your audience can hear how your product might be able to solve their problems, too. Additionally, customer testimonials add credibility. If a viewer recognizes the company who uses your product, they might be more inclined to choose you over a competitor.
Bonus: Video production and execution mistakes
Now that you’ve considered the purpose and tone for your video and have a creative idea in mind, it’s time to follow through with your plans.
Here are some production mistakes that often occur during the execution stage and a few tactical tips that’ll help you craft a high-quality video without a full-scale production crew.
- Bad lighting — look critically at your shot
Is your lighting looking dull or shadowy? To get great lighting for your video, you don’t need expensive or professional-grade equipment. The best light to use for a shot is often the most convenient! Effective lighting for your video is all a matter of taste and being able to look critically at your shot to indicate the areas that could use some supplemental lighting.
- Poor sound quality — make sure your message is crystal clear
Audio also plays a major role in the way viewers experience your video. If people can’t understand your message, it can lead to poor engagement and a negative overall experience.
There are three main variables you should consider when recording sound for your video: the environment you’re recording in, how far your microphone is from the sound source, and what kind of microphone you are using