How video can turn consumers into advocates

Before consumers buy from a brand, they often want to read a review or watch a testimonial.

Though the public’s perception of a successful promotional video might forever be linked to ShamWow, OxyClean or the Magic Bullet, marketers at VidYard say there’s a potentially better way to visually promote your brand.

Instead of using video to showcase your product, consider shining the spotlight on your customers.

Prioritizing your customers builds community, strengthens your relationships and boosts brand advocacy.

Here’s how:

It emphasizes humanized marketing.

For Truman Tang, a senior marketing manager for customer and advocacy at Influitive, using video content to spotlight your customers shows them—and potential buyers—how much you appreciate the people who use your product or service.

Tang’s approach emphasizes playing the long game. Although increased sales and customer conversion rates are important to an organization’s success, his primary focus is to sustain long-term relationships.

Tang told VidYard:

Long-term relationships are key, as everything revolves around advocacy. [We’ve] pioneered the concept that buyers trust their peers far more than sales people, so turning your most passionate customers into your most ardent advocates is the real key to success. The best way to do that is [through] video.

Relating to consumers on a human level is memorable. To showcase your brand values, feature costumers whom your target audience can relate to or who have a success story to share.

RELATED: Video is meant to be seen and not feared. Attend our one-day video workshop, held in locations across the country.

From Tang:

[Today’s] buyers have the attention span of a fly. If you really want to capture their attention, use video to succinctly tell the market what you offer in an emotional and engaging way. Content [that uses] customers’ faces does a lot better than content that’s only of you speaking about yourself.

It counters buyer skepticism.

Where’s the first place consumers go before making a purchasing decision? Your website.

To improve the chances of their clicking “buy,” Internet Marketing Center’s Derek Gehl says to post a few customer testimonials on your site. Video is one option, he says, but it isn’t your only choice:

By using testimonials (reviews and comments from your satisfied customers) in text, audio or video format on your website, you not only answer [an interested buyer’s] question, but you also transform your sales pitch into a credible, unbiased recommendation.

Here how Gehl thinks testimonials can ease customer skepticism:

• Testimonials build trust. Whether your customers are raving about your product or the great service you gave, they're telling your visitors about a positive experience.

• Testimonials aren't salesy. Most testimonials aren't written in your brand voice. Because of that, they stand out as candid and unbiased accounts of how well your product works.

• Testimonials overcome concerns. A strong testimonial has the power to convince even your toughest sells. If they can see that your product or service really made a difference in a customer's life, maybe they’ll realize you can help them, too.

Featuring real customers in videos varies your content and gives you new batch of authentic leads to pursue.

If you’re interested in letting your customers speak on behalf of your brand, make sure you’ve got a video camera handy. (Hint: There’s one in your smartphone.)

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