Buffering… buffering… buffering….
Remember when this used to be a routine frustration while watching video online? Luckily, the dreaded starts and stops have faded in the age of speedier internet and cellular data, not to mention improved streaming functionality.
For the most part, web users no longer wait for their video content, and as such, their appetite for it is greater than ever before. This increased demand extends to business professionals as well, which is why B2B marketers and organizations cannot afford to wait before joining the movement.
If you’ve been holding out, let us assure you - the time for B2B video is now. Here’s why:
B2B Video by the Numbers
These B2B video statistics from various sources help establish the urgency of adding this format to your content marketing mix.
- Online videos will account for 80% of all consumer internet traffic by 2020 (source)
- 92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others (source)
- 90% of users say that product videos are helpful in the decision process (source)
- Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined (source)
- Including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 80% (source)
- 59% of senior executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic on the same page, they prefer to watch video (source)
- 65% of executives have visited a vendor’s site after watching a video (source)
- 73% of B2B marketers say video positively impacts marketing ROI (source)
- Companies that use video in their marketing grow revenue 49% faster than those that don’t (source)
- From 2014 to 2017, mobile video viewers in the US increased from 125 million to 161 million. By 2020, that figure is expected to exceed 220 million (source)
- Prospects who view video of a product are 85% more likely to buy (source)
- 54% of executives share videos with colleagues on at least a weekly basis (source)
B2B Video According to Experts
What are industry leaders and influencers saying about B2B video? Here’s a rundown of some compelling endorsements:
“Video’s power lies in the fact that it can attract and retain the attention of potential buyers by immersing them in a visual or interactive story. Our brains love storytelling; narratives engage us deeply and can make us relive them in our imagination.” - Alexander Kesler, CEO & President of InSegment, Inc. (via MarketingLand)
“Video is hands-down the best way to reach time-poor people with short attention spans as they scroll through their social feeds. Moving images grab hold of the caveman part of your brain telling you to pay attention and get emotionally invested.” - Jonathan English, Managing Director at Skeleton (via Business 2 Community)
“With social platforms being used on more mobile devices than desktops, decision makers want effortless access to information. Video marketing allows you to capture the attention of your audience quickly, and with a bit of keen design and careful planning, your conversions will turn over in record time.” - Will Williamson, Director of the JDR Group (via company blog)
“Increases in mobile usage have fueled much of this growth in video popularity. For content marketers, the takeaway here is simple. While text is still important, you may want to stop looking for that next blogger, and start looking for a video producer.” - Brian Halligan, CEO of HubSpot (via HubSpot)
“Whitepapers, canned presentations, and customer case studies are helpful tools but nothing beats video when it comes to educating buyers and building an emotional connection. Video is the next best thing to being there in person, and it’s proving itself to be a powerful and highly accessible weapon throughout the selling process.” - Vala Afshar, Chief Digital Evangelist at SalesForce (via Huffington Post)
Why B2B Video on LinkedIn?
It goes without saying that you’re more likely to reach a professional audience on the world’s largest professional network, and the context of a LinkedIn feed makes B2B video content more likely to resonate.
Research from Forbes found that “executives tend to watch work-related video on business-related websites (75%) far more often than they watch such content on YouTube (51%)," meaning your B2B video is much more likely to be seen by a decision maker when hosted on LinkedIn's professional network.
Plus, it’s now easier than ever. LinkedIn members have long had the ability to post third-party video content to their feeds, but now can add native video directly. Simply click the camcorder icon next to the “Write an article” and “Images” buttons beneath the composition field on a new post.
So what are you waiting for? Stop buffering and press record!
We’ll be continuing to focus on B2B video in the coming weeks, with plenty of tools, techniques, and tactics for maximizing its potential. Subscribe to the LinkedIn Marketing blog to ensure your marketing strategy stays in motion.
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