Quick-form video is revolutionizing the best way that companies method main lead technology. However are you aware why — and the way to apply it to your advertising and marketing technique?
When HubSpot began rising again within the early 2000s, the core technique for main lead technology was natural search optimization. It labored extremely nicely for HubSpot (and lots of different companies), serving to us develop into the corporate we’re immediately. However occasions have modified.
AI developments and the ensuing shifts in Google’s algorithm have considerably disrupted web optimization, making the competitors for key phrases fiercer than ever — and making it tougher and costly to rank and drive site visitors. But many new companies nonetheless flip to this technique to drive progress in 2024, with out different avenues — which Kieran and I imagine is a big mistake.
As mentioned in a current episode of Advertising Towards the Grain, we see the way forward for main lead technology shifting to short-form video — and the info backs us up. Quick-form video was reported as having the best ROI of any social media advertising and marketing technique in 2024, with over 84% of entrepreneurs saying that video has helped them enhance site visitors to their web site.
However what are the benefits to short-form video and how will you combine it into your advertising and marketing plan?
Benefits of Quick-form Video as a Lead Era Software
Quick-form video — like YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram reels — provides corporations vital benefits over conventional lead-generation methods. Whereas the precise perks will differ relying in your product and enterprise mannequin, three that Kieran and I discover notably compelling are:
- Scaled distribution: video platforms give companies entry to large audiences, which is very priceless for newer corporations that wish to develop their buyer base. For instance, the variety of every day YouTube Shorts views reached 70 billion in 2023.
- AI defensibility: video content material is inherently extra persona-driven than data-driven, that means it’s tougher to duplicate with AI, guaranteeing your content material stays distinctive and fascinating
- Differentiation: with so many companies nonetheless counting on conventional web optimization, embracing short-form video units you other than the competitors and lets you rapidly acquire traction in less-crowded areas
Three Ideas for Utilizing Video for Lead Era
Learn to take a look at and incorporate video into your advertising and marketing workflow by accessing HubSpot’s Video Advertising Starter Pack and contemplating the concepts beneath:
1. Lean into storytelling.
“Most model advertising and marketing is boring,” says Kieran. “As an alternative, strive approaching your model such as you’re writing a TV collection.”
For instance, fairly than creating conventional, short-term video campaigns, think about long-term collection with recurring characters and plotlines. This storytelling method establishes a deeper reference to the viewers, making your model memorable.
Additionally, by no means underestimate the ability of humor. “One of many outlandish issues I believe somebody may do is rent a comedy author for creating an organization’s model marketing campaign,” Kieran says. Humor once more makes your video content material memorable whereas additional differentiating you from opponents.
2. Recycle current content material.
Particularly for groups with restricted budgets and assets, repurposing current video content material is an environment friendly approach to develop your short-form content material portfolio.
For instance, recycle long-form movies by slicing them into smaller, extra digestible clips. Flip webinars into video advertisements, or buyer interviews into testimonials. This method maximizes the shelf-life of your current content material and permits it to succeed in a broader viewers.
Additionally, don‘t be afraid to lean into AI. As Kieran explains throughout the episode: AI instruments now allow you to take the textual content from a weblog put up and generate a two-minute instructional video that completely summarizes the weblog’s key factors. Add AI-generated audio, embed the video again into the weblog, and distribute it on different platforms to drive site visitors. Immediately, you have created a multimodal weblog put up that engages readers in new methods.
3. Associate with influencers.
Collaborating with influencers permits manufacturers to succeed in focused demographics with much less effort. For instance, I’d search for individuals who have actually profitable YouTube channels and TikTok accounts with very particular audiences — after which accomplice with them for sponsored video content material or embed my product into their content material.
Associating your model movies with (fastidiously chosen) creators will increase your credibility, as they have already got established belief with their followers. Moreover, worth and brand-aligned influencers enhance authenticity and guarantee your message resonates with a receptive viewers.
To look at our whole dialogue about the way forward for lead technology, take a look at the total episode of Advertising Towards the Grain beneath:
This weblog collection is in partnership with Advertising Towards the Grain, the video podcast. It digs deeper into concepts shared by advertising and marketing leaders Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (SVP, Advertising at HubSpot) as they unpack progress methods and study from standout founders and friends.