Video marketing in B2B has never been more lucrative or exciting thanks to enhanced technology and a greater understanding of audience habits, reports Victoria Clarke
Video marketing in B2B is no longer a new concept, yet it continues to prove itself an industry disruptor. According to recent research from software provider HighQ, 80 per cent of senior execs watch more online video than they did a year ago and 75 per cent of B2B audiences watch work-related videos at least once a week.
In the B2B arena, the channel has come a long way from the days of the conservative ‘talking head’ approach where measurability was very much a hit and miss affair and ROI uncertain due to high production costs. Today, video marketing is more lucrative than ever with trail-blazing B2B brands demonstrating how great content combined with an intelligent and well-planned strategy can reap huge rewards.
So, where exactly are we with video marketing in 2015? Which B2B brands are pushing the boundaries in terms of content and execution? And how are we seeing the channel evolve?
A broadcasting evolution
Video marketing has slowly gathered pace in the B2B arena, particularly in recent years where content marketing has become top of the agenda for many brands. An emphasis on visual storytelling has meant a shift away from producing interview or commentary-led footage, corporate in tone and often with an overt sales message, to much more engaging and interactive videos indicative of the immersive experience of B2C offerings.
“While traditional TV advertising was literally just broadcasting at someone, video marketing is more akin to a conversation – [viewers] can comment, reply and share the video with others, which creates an interactive experience for all,” explains Nick Leech, digital director, 123-reg.
Video marketing in 2015 is less about telling the facts – although the use of research and stats in animated infographics is popular – and increasingly about selling a story. But it’s not just the content of B2B videos that has evolved. The growing number of video publishing platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, Vine and Periscope to name a few), including live streaming, has enabled more B2B organisations to exploit video marketing, which was previously the domain of large enterprises with deep enough pockets to invest in TV advertising.
“Video’s focus from mass audience exposure to a more targeted approach reflects the general shift we’ve seen across the entire industry. Previously, video was exclusively for TV and consumer brands aiming for mass audiences. Now eyeballs have shifted, and the data we have access to means there is a real opportunity for B2B marketers looking for targeted video placement,” argues Justin Taylor, UK MD of Teads.
In addition, Taylor suggests that as targeted video placement is key, brands would be short-sighted to just consider the big social media giants and their video platforms.
“Thinking Facebook and YouTube are the only two players in a battle for video advertising share is a common misconception. Particularly to the benefit of B2B marketers, premium publishers have now joined the fight against the tech behemoths. By using outstream – video ads that appear within editorial content – publishers are opening up vast amounts of inventory and offering a competitive alternative to YouTube or Facebook.”
Creating connected experiences
It’s not just about new video platforms. The rise of mobile and tablet adoption among B2B professionals means video consumption on multi-screen devices is now highly prolific. Add to this emerging trends in virtual reality (think Google Cardboard) and the transition in content, delivery model and viewer habits are all leading to B2B video becoming far more about a connected experience – rather like in B2C.
“The industry is now witnessing an enhanced integration of YouTube and web content, leading to better performance and more community-led activity. [It is] also observing improved creative media journeys and connected brand storytelling to capture the increase in video consumption and multi-screen usage,” contends Fiona Smith, UK country manager, Wywy.
Brendan McCaul, director of creative services at MCM Creative Group, reiterates how the strength of video marketing in 2015 lies in helping to create connected communities. He says: “Video has the ability to connect audiences across multiple delivery platforms. It is an easily consumed and ubiquitously understood medium.”
Video marketing champions
In terms of which B2B organisations stand out from the crowd for their video marketing efforts, Intel, Cisco, Adobe, SAP and Hubspot repeatedly draw industry recognition.
McCaul reveals why some of these brands stand out for him. He says: “Hubspot uses multi-format realisation techniques ranging from 30-second ‘How to’ guides to 30-minute documentary-style case studies. It has chosen to create videos to drive conversations rather than views, which in turn creates an ‘appointment to view’. This ‘appointment to view’ strategy relies heavily on freshening up content regularly, a point recognised by Cisco which has an enviable catalogue of 3000 videos on its YouTube channel. It has chosen to build a video encyclopedia – a database of information to create an invaluable archive of problem-solving, sales funnel-targeted content.”
Emulating B2C video marketing techniques and tactics is also helping to showcase a number of B2B brands as industry trailblazers in the current video marketing landscape. Bite-size videos, branded series, slicker integration with social and mobile, and the exploitation of interactive and programmatic technologies are just a few examples of what some of the bolder B2B brands are leveraging.
“Increased uptake of programmatic technologies means that marketers can now leverage data to better target video content to their audiences. Programmatic can align content with people and environments most interested in it, so relevancy is boosted and user engagement lifted,” explains Mark Murrin, director, business and publisher development for mobile at RhythmOne.
Greater personalisation and increased targeting is a key focus across all marketing channels and video marketing is now no exception. Simon Baker, head of branded content at ITN Productions, explains how he is seeing a growing number of brands create video series that are adaptable to specific market verticals in order to drive higher engagement levels. This, combined with greater use of a consumer-style approach to video marketing, is helping B2B brands achieve significant cut-through.
In the case of Avios, Baker explains ITN Productions created a video about the company’s reward card, which looked to the future in the year 2020 – exploring the possible links between wearable technology and proximity marketing. He reveals: “The film had great production values but retained the flexibility to swap out certain scenes to make it more specific to target industries,” Baker explains. “We also produced a fully animated cartoon that provided clear technical information but used animated characters to make it more memorable. It’s great to see brands such as Avios looking at what works outside B2B and having the faith in their agency to make great content that really advances the traction they get from clients.”
Video marketing in B2B is fast emerging from the shadows of B2C brands and demonstrating itself to be a highly lucrative channel. Good storytelling and tighter integration across multiple video platforms – as in consumer marketing – is helping business brands get the viewing stats they crave. But it’s the use of marketing automation and programmatic marketing technology, with a greater emphasis on personalised video marketing, which has the power to propel B2B videos to the next level.
