The importance of video to modern internet users cannot be understated. Indeed, visitors from around the world watch over a billion hours of YouTube videos every day. Video is not just an entertainment medium but is also a valuable marketing tool. Research indicates that 92% of marketers use them in promotions and that they are very effective at engaging customers. Integrating video with other marketing content gives brands an edge over their competitors.

Video Is More Engaging Than Static Content

A quality video with crisp, clear images and a compelling storyline and transition is more appealing than images or textual content. It gives visitors to your website a real-life impression of your brand at work. Consumers are also likely to relate to visual content because it transcends language, cultural, and skill barriers.

Further, 60% of business decision-makers reach out to marketers and vendors after watching a video demonstration. Internet users are ten times more likely to share, comment on, and embed video than textual content. Video works because customers are more likely to recall a brand if they watched a video than if they just read about it. Video also is more likely to evoke emotional appeal than other types of content.

Video Has a High Return on Investment

Video content comes with the advantage that it has a higher return on investment (ROI) than other marketing strategies. Videos are effective in generating conversions with 74% of the respondents in the Wyzowl survey, indicating that they decide to buy a product after watching an explainer. Most marketers rank it as the most effective form of marketing in terms of leads and purchases. Indeed, customers prefer learning about a product through video rather than textual content and other forms of marketing.

Video content increases the time visitors spend on company websites. Moreover, video content is twice as likely to go viral than other types of content. However, video content is most effective when it offers empowering content to the audience rather than just pushing a sale. Marketers can create videos that compare different products showcasing their various features or a case study of a customer’s purchasing journey.

Video conversions are most effective when they feature on landing pages. This makes a strong case for integrating videos into the company website. The most effective videos employ storytelling techniques accompanied by illustrations. Marketers can use video to give customers a close look at a product or an application and help them understand it better. Of course, videos rank high if they are SEO optimized and contain relevant content. Click here for a detailed discussion of how different brands integrate videos into their websites.

Summing It Up

Videos are a great way of promoting a brand, but businesses need to use them in the right way to be effective. Video is effective in demonstrating the features and benefits of a product and also evokes emotion and recall more easily than textual content. Marketers should create videos that engage and empower customers rather than just selling products.

Getting a business off the ground isn’t a small task.  In fact, many people with fabulous ideas never do much of anything with their creative concepts because of the uncertainty involved in getting the ball rolling.  The “where to start” often stops people in their tracks and their amazing business idea remains just that…an idea. For those that do decide to take the leap and transform their idea into a business, there still are a lot of questions.  While every industry and product and business will be approached a little differently, sometimes having a place to start is key.

Once you have the “bones” of business development in place, it can be much easier to come back and fill in from there.  If there is one “bone” in the business model body that needs to be carefully considered and built around, it is the brand of the business.  Branding is developing the personality of the company, so to speak, as well as images, symbols, or other design elements that help establish recognition of the business and set it apart from others like it.  Branding is such a vital part of business that a survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institution showed that 89% of marketers in the business to business space felt that brand awareness was the most important goal.

So what does it take to build a great brand?  Here are a few key concepts to help you get started!

#1 – Consistency & Frequency

First and foremost, consistency is key to having a brand that is effective and remembered.  Whether you are talking about website design, a logo, social media accounts, promotional videos, or a business card…be sure that all your marketing areas are sending the same brand message and using the same branding images / tagline / colors / etc.  This helps minimize confusion and build recognition over time.

Having the same message across all platforms also makes building up frequency easier.  Marketing guru, Pam Moore, says that it takes approximately 5-7 “brand impressions” before someone will really remember your business.  This means that in order to be successfully memorable, you have to be in a variety of places, being seen over and over, with the same branding message each and every time.

ACTION ITEM: To get started, begin with a basic logo design for your business!  Think about what message you want to send and build it into a logo for the world to get to know you with!  If you need a little creative help, consider utilizing an expert logo creation tool, like Logo Maker, from Renderforest.

#2 – Color & Variety

While seeing the same consistent branding, and seeing it often is going to be crucial to business development, WHAT a person sees within the branding also makes a difference.  In fact, the University of Loyola, Maryland, found in a study that “color increases brand recognition by up to 80%”.  Whether you opt for bold colors that demand attention or choose a softer palette that soothes and calms, colors have a way of describing your business to a consumer, without ever using any words.  Choose colors that are visually appealing, but that also support the brand identity you want to create.

Variety of content and branding presentation is also extremely significant.  People are just wired differently and in order to most effectively get your message across to as many people in your target market as possible, you have to package your brand in unique ways.  Including an engaging promotional video on your business landing page, for example, can add a valuable visual element that text and photos alone might lack. Remember to maintain consistency, even with video and image content for maximum branding benefits!

ACTION ITEM: Take your fabulous logo and add color elements that speak to your audience and reinforce your brand.  Then, using those same colors & your logo, design a promotional video. Keep in mind that video content doesn’t have to be overwhelming or exhausting.  In fact, Renderforest makes it beautiful and keeps it simple with templates and their fast, easy to use video making tool!

#3 – Value & Interest

A final concept that is mention-worthy in the area of branding is knowing how to use brand strategy to express value and convey interest.  Consumers often need to know “what’s in it for me?” or “why does this matter to me?” before they buy in. Small things like taglines can be used to accomplish this, as well as larger bodies of content, often found on places like a business webpage or blog.

Take time to create unique content that catches the attention of those viewing it and explains the value add of associating with your company.  Whether you sell a product that will meet a need they have, offer a service that makes their life more manageable, or simply produce excellent content that they can use to develop and grow their life or work skills, be sure and communicate this to them.  Tone of voice and formality of text should match your brand identity as much as possible, keeping with consistency.

ACTION ITEM:  With your logo and promotional video now ready to go, start creating a good website to be the “home base” of your business’ online presence.  A website can truly create visibility for your brand online and become a place of value for potential customers. Whether you choose an easy to use expert template, or create a site totally from the ground up yourself, having a well designed website will be key to branding your business.

Now that you have some ideas on HOW to start, consider WHERE to start.  There are a lot of companies out there that can assist you in your content creation, website design, and branding strategies, but one that is a tried and true favorite is Renderforest.  From their affordable pricing structure to their fast & easy to use tools, Renderforest is a great resource to check out for many of your branding needs!

Bio: I am the Chief Marketing Officer at Renderforest, a Content Marketing Specialist and an Expert in SEO, Social Media Marketing, and Link Building who enjoys sharing the experiences gained along working as a marketer and helping other entrepreneurs succeed. My works have been published on different blogs and mediums like Crazy Egg, Forbes, Upwork, ShareThis, etc.