We recently published an eBook to help you get started with integrating video into your marketing strategy, and we can’t stress enough how powerful a tool video has become for marketers. According to a 2019 survey, 87% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool. Videos are a popular and persuasive way to learn how to do something online. How-to videos, also known as instructional or tutorial videos, are among the most widely watched on YouTube (and in all likelihood, if you’ve had a problem recently, you’ve looked up how to solve it on Google or YouTube). In North America alone, viewers watched more than 100 million hours of how-to content since 2015.

So, if you’re thinking of adding video content to your marketing strategy this year, why not make a how-to video? These videos are relatively easy to make and can be used by all types of businesses to demonstrate a product or to teach the viewer something new.

Planning Your How-To Video

Create buyer personas to segment your customers and provide valuable insight for your strategy. What questions or concerns do your customers or potential customers have about your products? What do they want to know about your industry or service? What solution does your product or service provide that you could demonstrate in a video?

Google Trends and Google Consumer Surveys can help you find answers to the aforementioned questions. A keyword finder, such as KeywordTool.io, can also help you learn about what your target customers are searching for online and what content you could create as a resource for them. Consider producing videos that:

• Explain how to use your products and describe their features and functionality.
• Demystify your services, especially if they are extremely technical.
• Showcase happy customers explaining how to use your products in action.
• Tell customers about your production process in a step-by-step format.

How-to videos can also be used for onboarding new employees, demonstrating new technology, or explaining new processes. Creating corporate tutorial videos that can be viewed multiple times saves time and effort—and videos are more engaging than traditional instruction methods. Studies show that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text.

Tips for Creating How-To Videos

Well-executed videos have the power to engage, entertain, and establish trust in a way unlike other content marketing channels. After you’ve determined your topic and outlined a plan, use the following tips to create an effective video:

• Keep your video short and to the point. According to Hubspot’s research, the recommended time for social videos are 2 minutes for YouTube, 1 minute for Facebook, and 45 seconds for Twitter.
• Avoid jargon and speak directly to your audience. Adding humor and sincerity will help make your video more personal, memorable, and entertaining.
• Apply your brand’s voice and tone to your video. Establish brand consistency throughout your marketing channels.
• Explain any technical terms or confusing subjects—don’t assume that your viewers have any prior knowledge.

Once you’ve created a dynamic and engaging video, feature it prominently on your website, share it on social media, and incorporate it into your email campaigns. You can also embed the video into your blog posts and product or service pages.

If you have any questions about creating a how-to video or want to learn more about how online video marketing can help your business, contact the video marketing team at Millennium Agency today.

About Millennium Agency

Millennium Agency is a national, award-winning, digital, creative, content/PR, and video marketing firm. With offices in Boston and New Hampshire, our team unites creative branding and data analytics to accelerate our clients’ growth, while combining our clients’ vision with our marketing expertise to increase sales opportunities and drive brand success. From video advertising and web design to social media and PR, Millennium can guide your marketing efforts every step of the way. Contact the professionals at Millennium Agency to learn more!

Linda Fanaras is the President and Founder of Millennium Agency (www.mill.agency) located in Manchester, NH, and Boston. She can be reached at 877-873-7445 or lfanaras@mill.agency.