When it comes to customer retention, video marketing reigns supreme
Video is all over the marketing scene. It's a warranted rise to prominence considering that video yields a positive ROI on pretty much all fronts.
Trying to drawing the eye of new customers? Vimeo reports that 64% of consumers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a product video.
How about keeping those customers satisfied and building brand loyalty? Video is your key there too. Capterra's 2019 buyer behavior and preference survey shows that more than 55% of customers name video as their preferred way to engage with information about the product they just purchased.
Earlier this year, we took a deep dive into the different types of marketing videos businesses commonly produce. Check out the full article here and take the quiz at the end to determine if a brand story video, a product demo, or a customer testimonial is the best fit for your marketing goals.
There is one other type of video content we did not mention the previous article, however: live video. Specifically, live video on social media. A staggering 82% of consumers prefer live video over other types of social marketing posts.
With that in mind, let's answer two key questions: Why use live video, and how do you make a social media live video?
Why use live video in social media?
Whether you're a mom-and-pop ice cream parlor or a booming retail chain, a live video strategy can empower you to interact with new and returning customers in an immediate and engaging way.
Not only do consumers prefer live video on their social feeds, but it keeps them tuned in longer as well. Social Media Today reports that people spend three times longer watching live versus video that is no longer live.
Lastly, live video is a super effective way to fight trends of declining organic reach on social media platforms. Live videos on your company's Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter encourages a boost in social interactions, which is the secret sauce when you're trying to be picked up and promoted by those social media algorithms.
Use live videos to let your followers meet your team, tease them with upcoming events, or announce new products/services to a live and enthusiastic audience.
As our survey showed, consumers are especially interested in video content once they've become customers. Live video is a great way to foster a relationship with new buyers and turn them into loyal customers. A great first step is to produce a seasonal live video welcoming new customers, introducing your team, and highlighting any new or upcoming products.
How do you make a live social media video?
Here's the best part: You do not need professional camera equipment or video editing experience to create compelling live videos for your social media campaigns.
Here are four things you can do to make an attention-grabbing, quality live video today:
Shoot horizontally. This may seem like a silly or arbitrary suggestion, but consider for a moment the orientation of your laptop screen. Most viewing devices are best suited for horizontal video.
Use a tripod. This goes for filming on a phone as well. Leave the selfie stick at home. A tripod is a modest investment that goes a long way towards making your videos feel clean and professional.
Light and noise control. Whether you're filming in a shop, a worksite, or a conference room, do your best to control for light and noise pollution. If you are able, redirect office traffic away from your filming location.
Call to action. You've done the work and captured the attention of all these potential customers on social media—make sure you leave them with a clearly defined next step.
Lights, camera, action!
Ready to get out there and film some live videos on your company's social media platforms? Make sure to use social media monitoring software to track your interactions and impressions.
Let us know how your company is using live video to interact with customers in the comments below.