We've written a few times now about the importance of marketing with video. However, as social distancing continues to impact all of our lives on so many levels, the importance of video marketing for your design business has grown significantly. (And, perhaps, exponentially.)
As we mentioned in a previous post, it's already true that remote conferencing and video chat apps make "social distancing" the norm for many of us. Video conferencing has now become true for many interior designers who more commonly work with clients face-to-face. This newly enforced need to work remotely has likely led you to reimagine how you can build relationships with prospects (and current clients) when you are unable to appeal to them in person. (Or, perhaps more accurately, not allowed to do so.)
Even as many of us wonder if the craziness will ever end, you should take steps to preserve your business for the future..
The Value of Video Marketing as a Social Distancing Tool
The good news from all of this is: People who've never before attended an online meeting are becoming familiar with using video conferencing apps. They're also becoming ever more comfortable grabbing information that matters to them from platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and other video sites. (Of course, they're also getting plenty of sketchy dis-information; but hey, we'll just leave that subject for another time and place!)
As a way to limit the spread of contagious diseases, keeping social distancing involves the simple tactic of keeping extra space between yourself and others in typical situations where you might interact. Grocery shopping, working in an office, and going to school have all become a bit scary, as has sitting in a prospect's home, and sharing your design ideas.
This begs the question then of how all of this could enhance the value of video marketing. Well, as the fear of personal interaction has grown, so has the importance of video for promoting your marketing message!
According to online video production sites like Animoto and Biteable.com, video drives traffic to your website. This increases the odds of visitors being comfortable interacting with you remotely.
Online marketing has always been about one thing – making connections. Yet, people are feeling isolated right now, which is why viewing online videos has jumped exponentially in the past few months. Knowing this, a sharp interior designer can put this valuable information to use in their interest – as well as in the interest of their clients and prospects.
Which Types of Video Work Best During Social Distancing
According to NBCNews.com, "YouTube says its data show more than 500 percent increases in views on March 15, compared to the daily average for rest of the year, for personal activity videos with the terms "at home" or #withme. Videos on meditation (55 percent), cooking (100 percent), and working out (200 percent) also increased in mid-March compared to the same time last year, the platform said." (emphasis added)
While we're recommending you use video conferencing to meet with clients and prospects, it's also important to mention how valuable it can be to share videos on social media and your website.
Why? Because videos get attention and increase interest in you and your business! According to Biteable.com, there are 11 types of videos that are getting the most attention right now:
Interview/Q&A
Behind-the-Scenes
Feature/Product Video
Live Videos/Live Streams
Promos and Deals
Giveaways and Contests
User-Generated Content
Announcements/Reveals
Events
Breaking News/Trending
Tutorials/How-To Videos (these have always been a great idea!)
These subjects are hugely popular during lockdowns, as so many folks are looking for new types of entertainment or quality information. If you can use a variety of video presentations to present your services in a positive, informative fashion – and offer real value in them – you're far more likely to see substantial results!
How to Make it Happen!
The most effective videos have some common characteristics:
Entertain, inspire, or educate: Rule number one is to make your video valuable! Aim to either educate, entertain, or inspire.
Be attention-grabbing: If your video's not engaging in the first few seconds, your fans are likely to keep right on scrolling. Add an eye-catching title card and aim to grab viewers' attention in the first 3 seconds.
You may not need sound: Make sure your video works well without sound (most videos on social media are on mute until the user chooses to turn on the sound). If you want people to listen, encourage viewers to tap for sound in the video description or captions.
Use captions: Lots of pages have success with completely wordless or text-only videos. But if the dialogue is a must, add captions so viewers can follow along.
Keep it brief: Short videos tend to perform best on social media. We're talking 2-3 minutes tops on Facebook and Twitter. Instagram only allows videos of up to one minute, though the old upper limit of 15 seconds is still often a good length to aim for.
Try interesting angles: Bird' s-eye or drone videos, 360° views, Go-Pro action shots…try making videos that offer viewers a seldom-seen view.
Let 'em repeat: Videos on Instagram loop automatically, as do short videos on Facebook and Twitter. Take that into account when you're creating them — you might even want to try a seamless loop that viewers won't notice.
Be creative: There are so many fun apps that make it easy to create professional, visually appealing videos, especially for Instagram, though you may want to post on other networks too.
If this doesn't answer all your questions about how and why the value of marketing with video has increased as a result of the pandemic and social distancing – or how you can use it to promote your interior design business, then Get in touch with TD Fall today.
Trying something new is nearly always daunting. When it comes to marketing your business online, that can be even more true. After all, your business is your baby and you don’t want to do anything to hurt it, right?Then again, most of us would do anything, endure any hardship and spare no expense, to protect and nurture our baby. That’s why the three objections to marketing with video above make little sense. If you truly wish to nurture your business with your online marketing strategy, then marketing with video simply must become a part of that effort; and we’ve explained why in the various posts in this series: 
Interior designers, especially those working in the largely impersonal world of internet marketing, need to focus on content that tells a story and video is a great way to do that. In fact, video excels at quickly grabbing the attention of your audience, and enables strong storytelling in a short but memorable format that viewers can enjoy – and which you can measure.In today’s crowded online marketplace, you need to cut through the background noise if you hope to engage your prospects; using video content that entertains, inspires, and educates them about what you do and who you are, including the culture of your company. Doing this not only helps prospective clients get to know you but, by allowing them to learn more about who you are, you will also increase interest and build loyalty.But, there are even more important reasons to use video as part of your marketing strategy:
Best types of marketing videosOnce you’ve accepted that marketing with video has value for you and your design business, you need to determine the best type of video for reaching your client base. Of course, this will largely be determined by the nature of your business, and your target audience. The more technical your advice, the more you’ll need to create “explainer” videos. The more luxurious your product line, the more seductive your approach should be. The more useful your services, the more benefits-based you’ll need to be in your video.Here are some of the different types of video you can use to promote your business: