We get it. For a small business, local video marketing can be scary. If you’ve never tried video marketing before, it’s hard to know where to begin.
In fact, many local businesses are reluctant to invest in video because they think it’s too expensive and because they don’t know how to distribute video content effectively to build an audience.
But don’t worry, we’re here to demystify local video marketing and show you cost-effective strategies to win new customers with video content.
The truth is, the majority of consumers prefer watching a video as opposed to reading about a product. Local video marketing can help you increase conversions and give your prospective customers the kind of content they actually want to see.
If you’re not utilizing video marketing for your business than to put it simply, you’re leaving money on the table.
So, the big question. How do you do it? Well, that’s what we’re going to show you.
Viddyoze built a successful business using video marketing. Now, we want to show you how to do the same.
1. Actively Post In Local Facebook Groups
Local Facebook groups (or any online forum used locally, for that matter) are a goldmine for local businesses. Simply because they’re built to attract the people in your service area and they allow you to speak to your audience directly.
Posting videos in these groups is a great strategy to target local customers.
Because while organic reach has dropped for general Facebook posts, studies show that group posts still connect with potential customers. After all, 1.8 billion people use Facebook Groups every month.
So, how do you tap into this marketing resource? First, look for groups that relate to your local area. Here are some real examples of groups based in Chicago:
- Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend
- Moving To/Living In Chicago
- Your Chicago Guide
Of course, you don’t have to stop at the city level. You can search for groups relevant to your neighborhood, too.
Now you’ve found your groups, what kind of videos should you post?
When posting to a local community group, it’s important to share content that promotes your business with a human face. The reason for this is simple: potential clients engage with people.
To capitalize on this trend, create video content with a figurehead or presenter, such as a CEO or host. And provide a personal touch about what the community means to you and how your business incorporates those values.
The other key takeaway small businesses must remember when posting content in local groups is relevancy. If you post overly corporate video content not relevant to the group, you won’t grab your audience’s attention, and even worse, you’ll probably annoy them.
Instead, post videos that are entertaining and educational, and don’t just promote your brand. Remember, your video marketing should always be useful to the viewer.
2. Start Your Own Specialist Community
If you can’t find the right online group for your video content, do the next best thing: create your own.
This is a super effective way to build relationships with the local community and re-engage existing customers through videos. It doesn’t take long, here’s how you can create a group on Facebook.
Again, group posts have greater organic reach, due to Facebook prioritizing users’ group posts over general posts in people’s newsfeeds – meaning you’ll be in a stronger position to get eyes on your posts.
But the main benefit of creating your own group is being in control of the content. You shape the discussions, you decide the talking points, and you can steer members into your own marketing funnel.
Just like posting in an existing group, the key to setting up your own local business group is relevancy. The group must also be accessible to a broad audience, meaning it shouldn’t be overly promotional, and your business’s name shouldn’t appear in the group title.
We’ve put together a couple of examples to give you an idea of what you could name your group depending on your business model and overall strategy:
- If you own a restaurant: Foodies in Chicago
- Hardware store: DIY Projects in Chicago
- Real estate agent: Apartments in Chicago
As your local business group grows, you’ll begin to learn more about your target audience and customers. With this data, you can create tons of new content. Ask them direct questions, track the insights, and use them to inform your video marketing strategy.
The more you interact with the group, the more you’ll begin to understand the type of video content your customers respond to.
3. Paid Social Media Ads
When it comes to getting your local marketing videos in front of the right people, few methods can compete with paid video advertising.
Not only do paid ads have an ROI of 200%, but they increase brand awareness by at least 80%.
Every major social platform, from TikTok to Facebook, has an advanced advertising tool built in, allowing small businesses to target new customers by factors such as location, age, household income, and likes and interests.
The most important factor for local businesses to target is location. Clearly, if you operate in Brooklyn, you don’t want to be targeting consumers in Downtown Los Angeles.
After location, interests and likes are the next important area to target. Remember, the key to profitable ads is targeting the right people with the right message.
But what is the best way to deliver that message? The answer is video content.
Video advertising has a much higher ROI than traditional static image advertising. 92% of marketers claim that video is the format that offers the best ROI on their marketing campaigns.
The kind of video content you can use will depend on the social media platforms you’re using.
For example, Facebook allows for all kinds of ads, from short, snappy videos to longer ads (think TV commercials). The same goes for YouTube. Instagram, on the other hand, favors shorter content that resembles user-generated content.
One of the most successful types of video ad is the product video. For more advice on how to make one, check out this expert guide.
4. Google Business Listings
Over the last few years, searches containing the words “near me” have exploded by 200%, according to Google.
A major reason for this is the way people use the internet to find online businesses. Whether it’s looking for a restaurant, a store, or a gym, one of the first things the modern consumer does is search for it online
When a person makes a search like this, for example, “restaurants near me”, it triggers the map pack. This overview highlights all suitable businesses within a geographic area, with the top 3 pulled out and highlighted in the sidebar next to the map.
If you can get your business into one of these three slots, you’ll greatly improve your brand’s reach – in fact, these slots have a click-through rate of 44% and drive traffic. To set up your profile, you’ll need to input info such as your business name, address, opening hours, photos, and a short bio.
To give yourself even more chance of appearing in the Google Business Listings, add video marketing to your profile.
This is a huge opportunity for brands to stand out on Google, as there aren’t many businesses currently doing this. It’s only a matter of time before marketers catch on, so get ahead of the game and start using video now.
There are two main benefits of video marketing efforts on Google Business:
- Video marketing improves the brand visibility of your profile
- Videos generate hype by providing a glimpse into their business and help small local companies to promote their services and win over new consumers
5. Local Influencer Reviews
A good local video marketing strategy isn’t just about creating your own videos – others can help out, too!
One of the best kinds of small business video marketing is local influencer marketing. The theory behind this is pretty simple: find an influencer who operates in your area (aim for a minimum of 10,000 followers or YouTube channel subscribers), and propose a sponsored post or review.
Typically, a video review can be acquired in exchange for free samples of your product or service, although some influencers also charge a fee. This will widen your audience, and increase your brand awareness.
How do you find an influencer that fits your niche? Well, with the influencer marketing sector booming (it’s set to be worth $16.4B in 2022, according to Influencer Marketing Hub), the good news is, there’s an influencer for pretty much every sector these days.
Look on social media sites, such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, using local hashtags, and search engines for Influencers from your area. Buzzsumo is another great resource. The platform connects you directly with influencers for all types of niches.
6. Local Content Sponsorships
Just like influencer partnerships, local content sponsorships are integral to an effective small business video marketing strategy.
In this case, you search for a content creator or influencer and offer to sponsor their content.
Once again, this kind of video marketing strategy allows a small business to tap into someone else’s audience, and generate sales leads, without you having to spend any time or resources making videos or promoting them.
Think of popular local YouTube channels, local sports teams, or influencers. The content can be made by anyone, as long as it meets two criteria:
- Their audience overlaps with the demographic you’re targeting
- The audience is local
Sticking with Chicago (it is an awesome city, after all), here are a few content channels and the business they could work for:
- Chicago Gardener: garden supplies, plant store, landscape gardeners
- Chicago Golf Tour: golf store, golf teacher, local golf course, local driving range
- Chicago’s Best: restaurants, catering businesses, microbreweries
- Chicago Reacts: a general one, this could work for pretty much any business
The key takeaway here is to put your business out there and start trying to forge relationships with local creators, influencers, and groups. Small business video marketing strategy depends on making connections within your local community.
7. Host And Live Stream Local Events
Combine networking, PR, and video marketing by live-streaming local events via social media.
This video marketing strategy follows the same principles as creating your own Facebook Groups. The main goal is to forge a community around your small business. If you own a physical store, it’s also a great way to attract shoppers to your premises.
Whether it’s a series of product demos, workshops, flash sales, product launches, or talks, in-person events help establish businesses within a community. It also brings you face-to-face with your audience, allowing you to ask questions and gain vital insight about your products or services.
In terms of video marketing strategy, live events are great for content creation.
Film the entire event and use the footage to create videos to post on social media and website landing pages, and you’ll have marketing content for years to come.
You can repurpose this content into different kinds of video marketing, depending on your event. Here are a few examples of those videos:
- Educational videos: talks, conferences, product or services demonstrations
- Video ads: any kind of event
- Video testimonials: these can be made at any event, just be sure to ask an existing customer
- Promo videos: product or service demonstrations
- Team bios
For those who can’t make it in person, it’s also a good idea to stream the whole event live on social media. Video streaming on mobile devices has become the preferred way of watching content for millions of people around the world. As a result, most major social platforms have live stream tools, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
How To Create Expert Marketing Videos On A Budget
When it comes to video marketing, the biggest blockers for local businesses are cost and time, or so they think.
Viddyoze empowers local businesses to make high-quality videos at scale for the low price of USD$67 per month.
Our market-leading software allows any business to create videos that improve brand awareness, drive traffic, and improve sales. And the best part? You can do this in a matter of minutes with no specialist skills needed, thanks to our easy-to-use software.
To harness the power of video marketing, all you have to do is:
- Sign up for Viddyoze
- Select the type of video you’d like to create (Facebook ad, testimonial video, product explainer video, etc.)
- Customize it with your branding
- Then download and post!
Creating content for a successful video marketing strategy really is that simple.
The main goal of Viddyoze is to bring video marketing to any business that needs it. With more videos, you’ll drive tons of local consumers to your doorstep, and, ultimately, build your standing within the local community.
Unlock the many benefits of video marketing today with Viddyoze.
Final Thoughts On Video Marketing And Video Strategy For Local Businesses
As we’ve outlined in this article, the benefits of video marketing are clear for local businesses. Eye-catching, engaging and entertaining, video marketing is a proven way to stand out from the crowd and pull in new customers.
Video marketing has become increasingly important for small businesses, with 87% of consumers wanting to see more video from brands. On top of this, a massive 90% of consumers now saying that video helps them to make a decision, according to Hubspot.
From local businesses, video strategy isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a must have. No matter what your product or service, video is the most effective way to win more users, connect with your audience, and drive sales.
Using the 7 techniques above to support your video strategy, you’ll be able to drive growth and take your local business to the next level. Combine these tips with Viddyoze, and you’ll be able to create super engaging videos in a matter of minutes.
