How To Implement Video Content To Upgrade Your Customer’s Journey

With its high conversion rate and ever-growing popularity, video content is overtaking written text as the preferred marketing medium. Today, 86% of businesses have begun taking advantage of the vast capabilities videos now have to offer, and 79% of businesses that don’t currently use video in content marketing expect to start in the coming year. 

Recent research by Google shows that 55% of shoppers globally say they use online video while shopping in-store, and more than half of shoppers say online videos have helped them decide on which brand or product to buy.  

A variety of video strategies can help you reach the right customers with the right message. Videos can be implemented in numerous ways, from promoting and bringing awareness to first-time customers to maintaining loyalty and retention post-purchase. Throughout this article, we will look at ways to enhance your customer journey and convert interest at every step.

Top Funnel: 

Identifying the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) in the early stages of the marketing funnel steers brands to target prospects who will deliver the best return. With a clear understanding of their ICPs' firmographic and behavioral characteristics, brands can create marketing content that fits their niche target audience with less time and resources.

In the initial phase of the customer journey, the aim is to capture the attention of the ICP and bring awareness to the product or service offered. Incorporating video into marketing communications can assist in evoking emotion and reminding customers of a need or desire.

Ideal content during the top funnel includes a variety of short-form videos that affiliate consumers with the brand through emotion, such as storytelling - showcasing the history, behind the scenes of product development, and the core values of the brand. 

Meet the team videos are another great strategy to help humanize a brand and bring the organization to life. Customers love to see the passion behind the products, showing them there's more than just a name and logo. This helps deepen the relationship and engages with the audience's emotions. 

A recent study discovered the average attention span of a human is 8 seconds, shorter than the notoriously ill-focused goldfish at 9 seconds. Therefore, we aim to engage our audience in those vital first few seconds. Hence, when initially promoting a product, the content needs to be quick, exciting, snackable videos to ensure customers do not continue to scroll away after the first few seconds.

In recent years, social media platforms have acquired tremendous power in gaining target audiences' attention. Across all platforms, short-form videos have dramatically changed how users interact and engage with brands and influencers.

Influencers can engage with a large portion of target audiences by using short-form video tutorials or testimonials to highlight the benefits and share real data with their customers. According to 70% of marketers, influencer-generated content generates more traffic than any other form of marketing. 

Middle Funnel: 

After sparking interest in potential customers, it's time to convert it into business. The key goal is to maintain the excitement, highlight the solution to their problem and stop them from bouncing when they go to purchase.  

Educational videos in the middle funnel are crucial for establishing trust in the brand and making customers more confident in their decision when it comes time to purchase. The right educational videos can make a brand site the go-to source for specific niches and establish a brand as a leader in their respective fields. 

Educational videos should provide practical value to the audience and a call-to-action after the video, guiding consumers to the product that addresses the issue. 

Videos can serve as an effective way to remind customers about the product's benefits. In addition to customer testimonials (as opposed to influencer testimonials), brands may include FAQs about finance, purchasing, and customer service information. 

Product demonstration videos can make compelling sales pitches by promoting the product in action and why it deserves their enthusiasm. The benefits of product demonstration videos are they can reach and be understood by many consumers. 

A great example of a product demonstration video is by the company Headspace. Their short video summarizes who the product can be used by, what it can offer, and how to get started. The simple cartoon graphics keep the video easy to follow without overloading the viewer with information.

End Funnel: 

Once you’ve turned a prospect into a customer, cultivating loyalty should start immediately. The final phase of the customer journey is about maintaining loyal customers and demonstrating the products and services included in their purchases. 

The onboarding process is one of the most crucial steps in the customer's journey to ensure the brand's commitment to the customer is bounded. An enjoyable experience from the start establishes the groundwork for a long-term relationship and signals to the customer that they have made the right decision. 

Customer onboarding videos can provide an entertaining and digestible way to communicate information but should also ensure the correct tone, terminology, and coverage are conveyed.  

Furthermore, it has a great opportunity to spotlight the brand's culture and people instead of just the products, ultimately building a stronger relationship with consumers while creating positive sentiment. When creating content during the onboarding stage that evokes emotional connection, we tap into the psychological human desire of belonging and long-term relationships, whether that's to a community, having a devoted customer service team, or a brand that shares the same objectives.  

Today's major brands are leveraging video-powered experiences during the end funnel to close engagement gaps, seize opportunities, and cement relationships more effectively than ever. 

Welcome videos are a great way to inform the customer about the inclusions by showcasing customer service, support, installation instructions, and product tutorials. 

To maintain the excitement and increase the chance of word of mouth, some video content can include sneak-peek videos, behind-the-scenes, events or competitions, or special promotions only for customers.

Great video content is only effective if it reaches the right audiences at the right time and on the right platform. That's why video management and distribution is a crucial component of the marketing funnel.

Empowering Brands Globally Through Voltax:

Our Video Management System (VMS) at Minute Media enables brands to manage and upload videos seamlessly while distributing at scale. The robust technology of Voltax Video facilitates the distribution of content to the right people at the right time, while our innovative content tools increase engagement by transforming editorial into engaging video experiences.

As a publisher ourselves, Minute Media understands the pain points many other publishers feel in this industry. Minute Media’s partners have access to our ad stack, advertisers, and direct Video demand thanks to our global AdOps and Commercial teams, ensuring high fill rates and CPMs across the entire network.

Conclusion: 

Different industries can use video content in various ways to promote their products or services. However, video content can upgrade and advance the customer experience to the next level regardless of the industry. 

Marketing possibilities are limitless in the constantly evolving world of social media and e-commerce. Brands are increasingly forced to look beyond traditional advertising methods. In order to capture the attention and take your customer journey to the next level, you cannot afford to overlook the power of video in e-commerce.