Statistics show that users watch 50 million hours’ worth of YouTube videos every day and on Facebook that number reaches an incredible 100 million hours.
Moreover, by the end of 2021, over 80% of the content consumed by users around the world will be online videos. That poses a serious argument in favor of considering creating your own video content.
Now, today we’ll focus on the video clips themselves: how and why you should create them, what purpose they serve, and what types of videos you can produce. This post includes plenty of examples so enjoy reading and watching the information presented below.
Top 7 Main Types of Videos
There are many kinds of videos out there and it’s often hard to identify them. Overall, all such videos can be divided into 3 main categories:
Awareness – such content typically emphasizes entertainment value to attract the maximum number of viewers.
Engagement – such videos usually strive to provoke an emotional reaction from the viewer.
Education – such videos are created to teach people something.
We’ve prepared an overview of the main types that are used for video content marketing. By the way, you can use the examples given below as ideas for your future videos.
1. Vlog
Bloggers for inspiration: Daily, VeeWes McDowell, Reezy Resells, Kylie Jenner
This type deals with recording common, everyday situations. Vloggers spent the entire day filming events around them and then make a video montage. Creating and editing such content requires a lot of time, which is why this type is considered the hardest, but you can always use video editing services, that will edit 2.5 hours of RAW video footage, perform color correction, add music, and improve the sound quality for just $370.
YouTube content creators, athletes, and influencers have been using vlogging for years now since it has proven to be extremely efficient at establishing strong and long-lasting relationships with the viewers.
As an example, you can instruct an employee to take over the company’s YouTube channel for a day and have them show the viewers your office space, acquaint them with the rest of the team, etc.
2. Tutorial/How To
Bloggers for inspiration: Michelle Phan, dope2111, Michelle Phan
A universal option that can suit nearly everyone. It includes guides, workshops, and instructional videos. For instance, a hardware store can tell how to perform various tasks, use different tools, etc. Meanwhile, culinary workshops are a great choice for food companies.
The popularity of such videos is explained by the fact that people often use the internet to find information on something new they want to learn. Instructional content is a form of native advertising that evokes a lot more trust than direct ads.
Video ideas can be generated using search engine semantics that will hint you in on what interests your target audience the most. However, don’t go overboard with the length of the videos – it’s better to film short but highly informative clips.
3. Company Culture/Meet The Team Video
Bloggers for inspiration: Vistaprint, Eventbrite, HubSpot Life, Digistorm
Such videos provide immersive content that invites viewers and potential clients to establish a connection with your company.
Showing the faces responsible for creating your brand’s products as well the layout of your workspace, the dress code, the personalities of the employees, and how the teammates interact with each other will help strengthen the bond with your audience.
There are different types of videos you can record including office pranks, brainstorming meetings, and out-of-the-office events. Regardless of the type you go with, remember the main purpose is to show the personalities of the employees and the friendly office atmosphere.
A fantastic example of how to do culture videos was shown by Vistaprint. Even though there are tons of creative ideas related to cultural content, the video titled “Vistaprint Work Environment – What We Do for Fun” is a prime showcase of how to present everything engagingly while upholding a traditional style.
4. Interview
Bloggers for inspiration: Anthropologie, Y Combinator, British Vogue
Interview videos ordinarily feature one or more individuals responding to questions. Ideally, the person being interviewed is already known to your viewers (an influencer, acclaimed speaker, musician, and so on) or someone they would love listening to and learning more about.
Such content is a great choice for promoting your brand’s values and associating them with a captivating or inspiring individual. Additionally, this video format is rather easy to edit by yourself, as long as you master basic video editing tips for beginners. Such an option is ideal for start-up companies that have a limited advertising budget.
For instance, Anthropology with Hub Dot invited storytellers from different walks of life to discuss the topic of Redefining Womanhood. Online, they have created a stunning informative interview with a large number of speakers that will interest everyone.
5. Product Review
Bloggers for inspiration: JaaackJack, Think Media, James Hoffmann, Marques Brownlee
Nowadays, most people only purchase products after speaking with their friends or referring to online reviews, which is why this type of video content can be highly successful. The viewers trust the information they learn from the video while digesting it in a convenient format.
That said, reviewing your brand’s product or service is quite hard if you don’t want to come across as biased. Hence, why most companies reach out to influencers by offering them trials and freebies and then asking them to record their opinion.
For a better idea, look at this review of robotic dogs by Marques Brownlee, which was created exclusively for Boston Dynamics.
6. Live Talks/Presentations
Bloggers that lead by example: Slack, Visme, TEDx Talks
Over the last 10 years, TED Talks became increasingly more popular, allowing everyone to find something that interests them. Such a presentation combines the excitement of a live event with the practicality of a webinar, producing engaging, easily shareable content as a result. At their core, most TED speakers are just people that want to raise brand awareness, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do the same.
The most convenient way to implement this video content marketing strategy is making presentations at company or networking events since they allow you to reach a small and dedicated audience. Next, simply post the recorded footage online, and hopefully, it’ll generate positive buzz for your brand.
For example, Slack put out the “Frontiers by Slack 2017 – Meetings that Don’t Suck” conference video that features Ken Norton’s presentation on how to hold efficient meetings and it went viral in its niche.
7. Animation
Bloggers for inspiration: Ahrefs, Cisco, PlexVids
If you’re interested in experimenting with a more creative video type, consider working with animations.
Animated footage offers a terrific method for smaller companies to produce videos, as they can be put together on a laptop and you don’t even need to invest in premium software. You can also study this article on how to create animated infographics online by using specialized services
For larger companies, particularly those involved in technology, animated content allows breaking down complex topics and presenting them in a conveniently digestible format that is accessible to everyone.
Given the information above, it’s logical that animation is most commonly employed for explainer videos featured on product landing pages. Check out this video to see how they present SEO mastery as something simple.
