The Power Of Case Study Videos For Your Business

Right now, 86% of marketers are using video to promote their brand and 92% are happy with its return on investment.

The secret is out, video converts; more and more people are figuring this out. As a leading video-making software provider, our team at Viddyoze has witnessed these kinds of results up close.

In this article, we’re going to talk about arguably one of the best types of video when it comes to making conversions: case study videos.

Read on and we’ll explain how video case studies work and how you can use them to improve your marketing. We’ll also teach you vital case study best practices, and show you some of the best case study examples.

 

1. Eliminate Consumer Doubts Around Purchasing Your Products

People buy products to solve problems, and case study videos are the perfect way to impress potential buyers. After all, 78% of video marketers say that video has helped increase sales directly.

The truth is, if you can convince and show your target audience that your product will deliver exactly what they want, you’ll have a much higher chance of conversion.

Case study videos allow you to go into far more granular detail than testimonials, which allows you to eliminate any pre-purchase doubts your customers may have. Hence, within your case study video, it’s important to explain every step around how to use your product.

Essentially, a case study video can answer the important questions your potential buyers will be looking for.

2. Humanize Your Brand With Authentic Word-Of-Mouth Advertising

Using real customer stories adds a human element to your marketing, helping others relate to your brand and understand why they need to buy your products.

This “human-to-human” approach taps into the buyer’s feelings, creating an emotional connection with your audience. In most cases, when you create case study videos with a real customer story, you get a better response.

Aside from showcasing the problems your business solves, it also shows that you really care about your customers. Instead of just showing what your product does as a “salesy” advert or promo video would, a case study video shows how your business helps people achieve their goals.

Think of it as a promoted word-of-mouth recommendation. It’s the reason online reviews have become so popular.

3. Video Case Studies Utilize Storytelling To Make Your Message More Memorable To Customers

A good story arc is a powerful selling tool. So powerful it can boost conversions by up to 30% (Search Engine Watch).

The reason is simple. Good stories take the viewer on a journey, solving their pain points along the way. At the end of your story should be a clear solution to the viewer’s problem. This creates a positive emotional response to your marketing videos.

A creative case study video is the perfect vessel to tell your customer’s story. Not only does it improve your conversion chances, but it makes your content more memorable. Harvard researchers found that people are 22x more likely to remember a message in story form.

4. Shareable Video Content That Can Be Posted To Every Marketing Channel

A case study video is a versatile piece of content. It can be used at multiple different stages of the customer journey, and it works on every type of marketing channel.

This is great news for businesses on a budget – that one-time investment can be used to generate conversions in a whole range of circumstances, giving you more bang for your buck.

In terms of marketing channels, a case study video works as content for social media marketing, email marketing, or as SEO marketing (hosted on a landing page). You can also use a case study video to target different kinds of customers.

For example, it’s just as effective at getting a customer over the line (the bottom of the sales funnel where they are introduced to your product or services) as it is at keeping someone interested until they’re ready to buy (the middle of the sales funnel where they are already aware of your product or services and perhaps interested).

5. A Video Case Study Is Cost-Effective To Make

One of the biggest benefits of this kind of video is its affordability. Case studies are essentially on-camera interviews, where the customer story is the focus.

On-camera interviews can be overlaid with live-action shots of your product in action and simple animations to make the content more engaging. With the right editing software, you could shoot the whole thing on a decent smartphone.

Compared to traditional marketing methods, such as print or TV advertising, digital case studies are much more cost-effective.

 

 

 

How To Create An Effective Case Study Video

Okay, so now you know the benefits and you know what a case study video looks like. You’re probably asking the obvious question: “How do I make one?”

Well, the truth is the case study video examples above can be challenging to make. They can take time, money, and effort; and if you’ve never made a video before, it can be a little overwhelming.

The good news? There’s a simpler way to create case study videos. Viddyoze has built an easy-to-use tool that allows you to create epic case study videos in a matter of minutes.

Want some even better news? You can try it now for FREE.

For a limited time only, Viddyoze is offering a 7-day free trial. You can sign up and if you don’t like it, you can cancel before the trial ends and you’ll pay absolutely nothing.

Tap this link to start your free trial now and start making case study videos that convert potential customers into hard sales.

Federal Trade Commission Rules On Case Study Videos 

With any content that uses a customer testimonial, there are strict rules from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that must be followed. Fall foul of the FTC, and you’re looking at a fine that could be in the thousands range. For a small business, it really isn’t worth it; here are the two main areas you need to focus on:

1. Truthful and accurate claims: anything you include in your case study videos should be true and accurate. Any claims you make will need to be backed up by evidence. Put simply, don’t make anything up to promote your products.
2. Disclosure of material connections: if you’re paying someone to endorse your products, you need to make this clear in the video. The same goes for freebies in exchange for testimonials. Be open and transparent about your content.

We’ve simplified these points to give you an idea of FTC rules. For a more detailed understanding, you should read the body’s full guidance here.

1. Use a Three-Act Storytelling Structure

We’ve already explained how important video storytelling is for case study content. The “three-act” structure is a tried-and-tested method for bringing that story to life.

This simplifies the process, allowing you to break down your case study into three distinctive sections. Here’s how to do it.

• Act 1 – Establish pain points: try to draw some empathy from your intended audience and point out your case study’s problems.
• Act 2 – Introduce the solution: get your case study subject to explain how your product fixed their issues.
• Act 3 – The ending and the CTA: show how much better your case study subject’s situation is now that they have your product. Prompt viewers to buy with a strong CTA.

2. Present Real End-Of-Project Numbers, Facts, And Statistics

Include any data, facts, and statistics to give your video testimonial case study credibility. Whether it helps the viewer save time or drive revenue, this is proof that your product works.

If you can share hard numbers (for example, “we helped Business X earn $7,000 per day in two weeks”), that’s great. Alternatively, you can use percentages to show improvement. However your display success, it must be easy to understand and genuine. Very few companies publish case studies without any metrics (as few as 2%, according to Up Lift Content).

Numbers also help make content memorable. What’s more, a number stands out more written as a numeral than a word. For example, “91” is better than “ninety-one”.

3. All Case Study Participants Should Have The Same Characteristics As Your Target Audience

The end goal of a case study is to attract new customers to your business. While any new business is good business, you’ll have a bigger chance of success if you aim your content at your target market.

This means using case study subjects that match the profile of your ideal customer. So if you’re targeting small businesses in the construction industry, you’re not going to want to feature a huge multinational tech company in your case study.

When putting your content together, use these 2 cheats to make sure you get the right results:

1. Match the profile of your target audiences: ensure the subject is from the same (or a similar) industry, sits in a decision-maker role, and has the same problems.
2. Use an authentic subject: a genuine, real individual will humanize your marketing and help the viewer relate. For this reason, never use actors.

4. Consider Giving A Free Product To Relevant Brands In Exchange For Featuring In A Case Study

Ideally, your happy customers will want to feature in your case study. However, if you’re struggling to attract interest, consider offering your product for free in exchange for a case study.

There are two caveats to this marketing strategy. First, you have to declare this agreement (remember the FTC rules we mentioned earlier). Second, there’s no guarantee the customer will get the results you’re after.

Still, this is a solid way to attract people that match your ideal customer profile.

1. Spend Time Getting To Know Your Participants Ahead Of Filming

Being in front of the camera can be a nerve-racking experience for some people. Before you start filming, spend time getting to know your participant and help them relax. Make sure a friendly face (whoever reaches out in the first place) meets the subject on the day and explains the interview process in advance.

2. Send Participants Your Question List In Advance

Make sure your subject has been sent a copy of your questions before the interview. This gives them a chance to prepare, and will not only help them relax, but it will also likely craft better answers. Finally, let the participant talk in their own words. Don’t try to force an outcome that isn’t there.

3. Practice Active Listening

Pay close attention to the participant’s responses, and use active listening techniques throughout the interview. Try summarizing or repeating back the subject’s responses to demonstrate that you understand and value their input.

1. Retargeting PPC Campaigns

Retargeting ads are a powerful way to promote your case studies, particularly to your target audience.

Research from SKAI found that consumers are 70% more likely to convert through this kind of advertising.

The reason retargeting ads are so successful is that they remind interested people about your product. A retargeted ad is only shown to someone who visited your website and left without taking action.

Because case studies are BOFU (bottom-of-the-funnel content), they’re perfect for getting a potential customer over the finish line and finally making that purchase.

2. Video SEO – YouTube And Your Website

For the most part, the modern buyer cycle begins with a Google search. In fact, more than 40% say that this is their main reason for using the internet, period (Data Reportal).

Before making a purchase, an online buyer wants to see reviews, case studies, or testimonials that will support your product’s credentials. As a result, you need to be ranking for keywords that feature your brand name. For example, “[brand-name] case studies.”

To get the best results, you need to target SEO on your website and on YouTube. We’ve written an entire blog post on how to search engine optimize your YouTube videos and boost rankings. In simple terms, that means creating a dedicated landing page on your website for all case study content and uploading it to YouTube.

If you don’t, other brands could hijack your keywords and trash your credibility.

3. Email Automation And Lead Nurturing

If you’re not doing this already, today is the day to start collecting email addresses. The easiest way to do this is through a newsletter.

An email address is a green light to begin marketing to someone. Most companies have an automated email chain set up so that once they acquire an email address, that person begins to receive a steady stream of content from them. The ideal outcome is a sale somewhere down the line.

One such email should be a case study. You don’t want to begin with this. Warm up with a welcome email, and some soft promos. Later down the line, when your lead has become familiar with your product and is further along the marketing sales funnel, that’s when you send the case study video.

Don’t forget to mention the word “video” in your subject line. Studies have shown that open rates increase when this is used.

For more advice on how to use video content in your email campaigns, follow this link.

4. Repurpose Your Case Study Video As Short-Form Social Media Posts

Social media platforms don’t like it when users publish content that links away from the platform itself. As a result, they actually penalize social media accounts that do this by burying the content.

It’s social media marketing 101 to post your video content directly to the platform, using that platform’s dashboard. So, if you’re posting on Facebook, don’t use a YouTube link.

For the best results, create short, snappy case studies that will work for social media. If you have a longer piece of content, consider splitting it up into multiple 30-second sound bites.