B2B video content marketing has transformed over the past few years. Gone are the days when a simple product explanation video would suffice. Today, your target audience is looking for more engaging, informative, and personalized video experiences.
Technology plays a pivotal role in this evolution. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and personalized video messages offers viewers a more immersive experience. And this isn’t just enhancing the buyer’s side of the journey—it’s reshaping how B2B marketers strategize, create, and disseminate the content. Let’s take a closer look.
The State of B2B Video Content Marketing
The use of video among B2B marketers is on the rise (59%), according to the B2B Marketing Benchmark. And video content has proven to be effective, with 90% of marketers saying that it has helped them generate leads, according to data from Wyzowl.
The increasing interest in photography among B2B marketers has created a need for greater variety and quality, which highlights the importance of constantly changing and adjusting your video marketing strategy to capture your audience.
How B2B customers experience video
Today’s B2B customers have different expectations than they did a few years ago. When they look to video for information, they also want to interact and even engage.
Why is video content so popular among consumers? Because they trust it to make decisions. In fact, 79% of people say video played a significant role in convincing them to buy a software product or app.
Videos also drive more business engagement; LinkedIn data shows that videos are shared 20 times more than other types of ads.
The impact on metrics
These changes in consumer behavior mean you need to rethink the metrics you use to measure success. Traditional metrics like views and click-through rates (CTR) don’t show the full picture.
Advanced analytics tools now provide deep insight into customer behavior with metrics such as:
- Watch time: This metric offers an understanding of how long customers are actually staying to watch your video.
- Interaction rate: Beyond just clicks, this shows how viewers are interacting with calls-to-action, clickable links, or embedded forms within the video.
- Engagement over time: This helps you identify the specific moments in the video that either capture attention or see a drop-off, allowing you to fine-tune your content accordingly.
- Pipeline metrics: These track how video content is influencing leads and sales opportunities, particularly for long sales cycles that are common in B2B.
Armed with these advanced metrics, you’re in a stronger position to evaluate the ROI of your video content, as well as understand your audience’s preferences and behaviors at a granular level.
How Video Is Changing Events
Integrating video into B2B hybrid events fundamentally changes the way these events are run, providing added value to attendees and organizers.
One significant impact is the greater reach and accessibility video affords. B2B hybrid events can now expand to a global audience, broaden their potential customers, and provide businesses with opportunities to connect with global customers and partners.
The widespread use of video at events also adds to the value of the content. Videos can be shared and remixed in new contexts after the event, bringing out the impact of the event. From a cost perspective, using video in this way can increase the ROI of video and event production.
Emerging Technologies in B2B Video Content Marketing
Technological innovations are changing the way B2B video content marketing works. Artificial intelligence and AR are two technologies worth paying attention to.
The impact of AI
Content personalization
AI’s data analysis capabilities can help marketers create personalized video content targeted to specific customers and even individual decision-makers. These personalized videos can be highly effective in engaging target audiences.
Quality enhancement
With AI taking over most of the editing and post-production work, filmmakers can focus on storytelling and other creative aspects. For B2B marketers, this means better videos that can better engage decision-makers and communicate more effectively.
Accelerated production cycles
The automation capabilities of AI speed up the production cycle, allowing B2B organizations to respond more quickly to changing business or customer needs. Timely content can provide significant benefits, especially when addressing rapid changes or emerging issues.
The impact of AR
Enhanced user engagement
AR takes user engagement to new heights by providing interactive experiences. Users can instantly interact with video content, making it more memorable and relevant.
Improved product demonstrations
Traditional videos can only go so far in promoting a product. With AR, potential customers can try on a product or view it in a real-life setting, adding depth and authenticity to product demonstrations.
Remote collaboration and training
Especially useful for complex B2B products and services, AR can facilitate remote collaboration and training sessions, effectively transforming how businesses educate their clients and staff about products or services.
How to successfully integrate these new technologies
- Start small: Don’t try to do everything at once. Choose a technology and be smart before integrating it.
- Test and analyze: A/B testing can provide critical insights into what’s working and what’s not.
- Upskill your team: Ensure your team has the skills to manage and optimize these technologies, whether it’s through internal training or hiring specialists.
Using this new technology can put you ahead of the rest.
Prepare for What’s Coming Next
It’s important to start investing in emerging technologies that are about to become important. This will allow you to quickly integrate these tools into your strategy when the time comes.
Investing in ongoing professional development is another key to staying ahead of the curve. Make it a priority to update your team’s skills to take advantage of new technologies. This will allow you to optimize your video marketing.
