The annual survey of B2B marketers from the Content Marketing Institute, presents terrific insight on video marketing usage, challenges, and effective strategies. We highlight five of the most helpful insights for marketing professionals looking to improve their use of video in their campaigns.
An impressive 67% of marketers report that video has become more critical for their businesses over the past year. This underscores the growing reliance on video content within B2B marketing strategies.
However, industry experts stress the importance of a strategic approach. Keynote speaker Andrew Davis emphasizes that video is a “show-me” medium that thrives on a well-documented content marketing strategy. Without a clear plan detailing the intended outcomes and necessary resources, video efforts are often less fruitful than they could be.
Explainer videos have become a staple in the digital marketing toolbox, with 59% of organizations surveyed using them to simplify complex topics and convey their products or services succinctly. These videos are particularly effective for several reasons:
While video holds great promise, maximizing its potential is often easier said than done. Marketers face numerous challenges, from lack of time to produce videos to generating video consistently, to human resources required to produce videos.
Resource allocation is a critical area of concern. One of the primary hurdles is the amount of time and staff resources it takes to produce video content. 69% said they don’t have enough time and 43% say they lack human resources.
The largest segment of video marketers focuses on the brand awareness stage, with 48% of video content created to introduce and familiarize audiences with the brand. Twenty-two percent of videos are produced for the consideration stage, where the goal is to provide more in-depth information and differentiate the brand from competitors.
Our experience tells us that more sophisticated marketing teams are learning to use video in later stages of the buying journey. Using video content marketing in the later stages of the buyer’s journey can offer several significant benefits:
While there is a trend towards increasing video marketing budgets, many companies still spend relatively modest amounts on video production. A significant portion of marketers—many from smaller or medium-sized businesses—report spending less than $10,000 annually on video creation.
Smaller budgets typically mean fewer resources available for production, which can affect the quality and variety of content that can be produced. Marketers with lower budgets often need to be more creative with their strategies, leveraging cost-effective methods like user-generated content or simpler video formats such as animations for explainer videos.
If you’re looking to elevate your B2B content marketing efforts with compelling video but aren’t sure where to start, our agency is here to help. At StoryAZ Studio, we specialize in crafting bespoke explainer video marketing solutions that resonate with B2B audiences and drive measurable results. Schedule a meeting with us today.