In order to succeed in today’s business landscape, it is crucial for businesses of all sizes and niches to invest time into creating videos. There are many types of video that every business should consider using on their marketing channels to help promote and grow the company. Videos come in all lengths, styles, and formats so it's important for a business owner or marketing manager to think about what topics will be discussed within each piece before deciding which style is best suited. Below we listed 9 examples of videos you should look at creating.
1. Explainer Videos
Educating and informing your audience about the value of your product or service, generating leads from new prospects, nurturing potential customers—are all things that a compelling content strategy will do for you.
A product explainer video is a great way to help customers understand your products or services. They’re usually short, so they don’t need to show the actual service in order for it to be valuable and informative; instead, animation makes up most of these videos because this style allows viewers an easy-to-follow narrative that engages them on both entertainment and educational levels.
Product explainer videos make it easy to see what is in your products for potential customers. By answering "what's in it for me?". From the perspective of a customer, these videos can be an engaging and interesting way to advertise your business!
Below is a video we did for Coastline Interior Linings, explaining how their Timber Frame Dehumidification service works. We used animations on top of real footage to showcase the process.
2. How-To Videos
How-to videos are a very popular type of educational video. These step-by-step tutorials can be entertaining as well as informative, addressing questions that people often ask from search engines and making it more likely to show up on the results page when someone does a query related to what you're explaining on your channel or site.
If you're a business owner in an industry where your customers have questions, consider creating this type of video to answer those inquiries. You can end the video by prompting them to download some informative content that will help keep them moving through our buyer's journey.
Below is a tutorial from Andrea, Likuid Media's founder explaining how to create a carousel for LinkedIn.
3. Promo Videos (Teaser Videos)
Promotional videos work well with big events and virtual conferences that may be difficult otherwise reach an audience due to time constraints on social media platforms such as where it could take up hours worth of scrolling through posts in order to find them without prior knowledge.
Content pieces need to be wrapped up in a bigger story. When brainstorming new content, consider using the top-of-funnel video as an asset's promo or commercial so that it is engaging and informative for viewers who might not watch all of your videos.
Below is the launch video we filmed for Oxfam Trailwalker New Zealand. We used text overlay in order to send a clear message.
4. Talking Head Video
Talking head videos take a personal and intimate approach to storytelling that can make people feel more connected. The focus is on just one person, so you know they are an expert in their field or have something important to say.
Since the camera's attention focuses solely on them, it's easy for viewers to get really into what this person has to say - even if they're not looking directly at the lens!
Try shooting your video with multiple cameras and changing the camera perspectives every time you cut, like a close-up of the speaker followed by an establishing shot. This will keep viewers interested in what is going on at all times which also creates more variety for editing later! Below is an example from a video from Andrea the founder of Likuid Media.
5.Animated Video
Animation is a powerful and fun way to tell your story. The "story-telling" style has been used in everything from explainer videos, animated movies, video games, or comics; it's the perfect complement for any visual medium! Animation styles examples are:
2D animation videos
3D animation videos
Animated typography videos
Whiteboard animation videos
The animated graphics in motion graphic videos help to illustrate a concept with clarity. Animated typography is also popular for quotes and other content where text is the most important element of the video.
In the below video we combined real footage with animations in order to make it more relatable for the audience to watch.
6. Case Study Videos (Video Testimonials)
Case studies are one of the most important video types in your collection. Lots of B2B buyers will search for customer testimonials when they come to your website, so it's a good idea to have them ready and waiting on demand!
People want to see how others like themselves benefit from using our product or service- that’s why we invested heavily in creating case study videos featuring real customers who love us as much as we do
You don't need the budget for a high-production case study video. Never fear, powerful customer stories are still within your reach! Try asking happy customers to record a short testimonial video—answering some basic questions you send them—using their webcam.
Below is a customer testimonial we filmed for Oxfam Trailwalker NZ. John tells his story mentioning how this event has changed his life and the experiences he made along the way.
7. Text Overlay Video
Social media users often view videos without sound, and the 85% of Facebook video that is watched silently has led to a rise in this style of video. The text overlaid on these videos usually accompanies B-roll footage or still images with an interesting panning/zooming effect applied.
Many people use text overlay videos to tell stories. The new trend in these videos is using background music, which makes the story more interesting for those who turn on their speakers or headphones when they watch it.
This is a short text overlay video we did to promote a local networking event. No voiceover was used mainly text overlay to deliver the key details.
8. Live Video (a.k.a. Live Streaming Video)
Live streaming video is a live broadcast of videos that are happening right now, for viewers to watch in real-time. Facebook has been the main driver of this format so far because it offers an easy way to share your experience with others on social media!
Facebook Live Video is a whole new way for people to share their lives and interact with friends, family members, celebrities, and influencers. 6x more interactions than regular videos on Facebook means that live video gets the attention it deserves! Plus notifications prompt viewers about events they might not otherwise know are happening because they follow the page or person who's broadcasting at that moment: an exciting opportunity through which many can discover new content creators.
Instagram is one of the most popular platforms for live video, but YouTube and Twitch also offer a number of opportunities to broadcast videos in real-time. The type of content available varies from interviews with celebrities or public figures to tutorials teaching viewers new skills.
9. Short form Videos (e.g. TikToks and Instagram Reels)
Social short-form videos have become a powerful way to promote businesses and attract customers. Since 2016, this type of content has exploded in popularity.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have spawned a new generation of creatives who are using their mobile devices to shoot, edit, and post videos. Businesses can now take advantage of this technology without the need for any other equipment or resources.
Recently, two major social media platforms have been launched in the hopes of updating how we communicate and share experiences. Below is an example of an Instagram Reel we did.
Put It All Together
Experimenting with the different video styles can be a great way for you to see which best suits your brand and its tone. You should also try experimenting or combining some of these videos together as this will create an entirely new look that is sure to catch people's attention!