Businesses big or small run to social media for marketing their products and services. Big businesses would like to tap into social media’s potential on reaching the a wider market. As for smaller businesses, it’s a cheap (even FREE) platform to market themselves. One of the best way to do is video marketing.

For your startup or home business, video marketing would give you an equal footing with bigger companies. It might take a lot of time but we all know that video is one of the online marketing trends from the past year that made a huge impact on businesses.

We once wrote some tips on how to create an effective video marketing campaign before. One of our key points (pointed out by the end of the article) your video content should be worth their while. Meaning, your content should have value to whoever is watching it.

While you can’t create a full-blown video production due to either technological limitations or  budget and resources, you can still have a very meaningful and insightful video.

Creating a good video marketing campaign would mean focusing on content. If you’re running out of ideas, here are a few ideas that might help you conceptualize your first video ever.

Product Introduction and Reviews

Since you’re a newbie and, basically, only a few knows about your business, you can do product introductions. Let your audience know what you’re selling. Highlight what makes it unique that other products of the same kind. Give them enough information and never mislead them with features that has zero guarantees. Also, don’t get too technical. You can include this on your enclosed fine-print on your product’s packaging or just type it out on the description. Sometimes, very technical and specific details drives off viewers. Keep them focused with the important details of your product.

If you already sold a good bunch of your products, look for willing individuals to give an honest testimony or review. The more genuine, the better. Of course, do not force them into doing something that they’re not comfortable with. So let’s give importance on those who are WILLING. Let them speak out the truth. Unedited. Unscripted. You’ll surely gain the trust of your followers with that.

Tutorial Videos

If the products you’re selling would need some tutorial on how to use or operate, creating tutorial videos makes a lot of sense.

Don’t wait for your customers to ask how your products work or how best to use them. Take the initiative to create these tutorial videos for them. Also, showing your audiences how easy it is to use your products can encourage more to buy them. This would mean more sales for you!

Look for products which you think might seem complicated at sight. Break the notion that it is something “difficult”, “complicated”, or “confusing”. The best tutorial videos are those that would really show step-by-step instructions and not miss out one bit. If possible, don’t do it too fast. Make sure that your pace is the same as first time users.

Lastly, a good tutorial video would be honest. If it’s something that needs some tools, tell your audience about it. Make sure that the tools are something that could be commonly found at home. If there is indeed a but of difficulty (for example, turning a knob or opening a lid), then let your audience know that this is normal.

Set the expectations as they should be and never mislead your audience.

Product or Industry Tips

There might be some neat tips and tricks that you know that your audience would love you to share. Go ahead and record it. For some products, this would come really handy especially if it’s something that would save time or money (or both!).

For example, you’re selling some beauty products. You can make a video giving out beauty tips and incorporating or introducing some of your products. If you’re selling cooking equipment or ingredient, let them know how they can maximize the use of the product. Give their purchase (of your product) a leverage over others. That way, there’s a huge possibility that the engagement you’ll have from your video will convert to sales.

And if you’re selling more intangible (services and other investments), you can share your knowledge in the industry by creating videos on industry tips and hacks that you know. Help your audience understand the industry you’re in and build your trust with them that way.

How-To or Demo Videos

More specific on product or industry tips are some how-to or demo videos.

Just like tutorial and product tips videos, how-to or demo videos will show your audience how they can properly use your product. You can also show them great and varied ways to use them. It would also be nice that your audience could see that you know how to use your own products and not just sell or resell something for the sake of profit. Seeing you using the product first hand would also gain trust from your followers.

It would be more helpful if you show them how to create different kinds of things they could do with your products. For example you’re selling a multi-purpose blender. Don’t just show them how the blender works. Show them how to make different kinds of recipes using that blender. You see! There’s more to show them than just your product!

Live or Recorded Q&A Videos

Treat your audience with a glimpse of your know-how and wit with some question and answer videos. You can have it through a live Q&A via Facebook or IGTV, or record one with those frequently asked questions that your receive from customers.

Create a generic Q&A video on some simple guidelines like how to order, payment method, shipment schedule, and other basic concerns your customers might have. Because we all know that not everyone likes reading long instructions, right? A video is a great alternative and a more creative way of putting it out there.

You can answer questions your customers ask about specific products or about your business. There might be a few items on your online shop that sparked the curiosity of some customers but aren’t quite sure if they want to make a purchase. Answering their questions might give them the information they need to finally buy that product.

Or you can do something random like a Q&A session about yourself! If you’re an open book, go ahead and answer a few questions from your avid customers. Who knows? This is the start of a strong relationship with your customer where you’ll gain their trust and loyalty.

Business Announcements

Be it about any update about your business, promos, or special holiday schedules, it would be pretty special to do it via video.

Got upcoming promos? Announce it via video recording and set mechanics straight. That way, you can reduce the clutter in your inbox of the same questions.

Holidays coming up? Or probably a family trip? Let people know that you will be out for a few days and that you won’t be answer to queries or won’t be able to process orders.

And if you have any business announcements – price changes, shipping options, business expansion or, even (but God forbid!) closures, it would be more personal to announce it through video.

Other Fun, Creative Vlogs

Video marketing might sound intimidating but it shouldn’t be. Why? Because you can simply create fun and creative video blogs for your business.

From time to time, treat your audience with something out-of-the-box.

Going on a trip? Treat your audience with a few clips of where you were and what you did. Show them that you, too, are just human; someone who needs a break and chill from time to time. It may seem irrelevant but it would only be so if that’s the majority of your videos.

Remember that video marketing do not wholly focus on your business or products. Majority of it would, of course, but showing another side of you would shake things up in a good way.