Why Video is Important in B2B Marketing

The current issue of Target Marketing (September 2011) features an article written by Flimp CEO Wayne Wall about the critical role video plays in business-to-business marketing, especially for sales lead generation.  In B-to-B:  Video, the Last Frontier, Wayne ponders why direct marketers are not embracing online video.  Not only is video ubiquitous, but the consumption of video content continues to grow.  Wayne lists four ways to successfully integrate video content into B2B marketing campaigns.

1. Invest in Engaging Content – marketers only have five to eight seconds to grab viewers’ attention.  Sales and marketing content needs to be engaging yet it also needs to communicate core competencies in a short amount of time.
2. Create Viewer Interactivity – standalone video is not an effective tool for sales lead generation.  Online video used for lead gen campaigns must be combined with additional elements including branding, messaging and calls-to-action (think interactive video brochure).
3. Make it Mobile – mobile video ads generate an 87 percent watch-to-completion rate.  The proliferation of mobile devices means video content must be viewable on both the Android and Apple platforms.  Marketing video solutions need to be fully automated so as not to disrupt the mobile viewing experience.
4. Have Actionable Tracking – direct marketers require good metrics in real-time to gauge the message’s effectiveness, while the sales team needs to be able to follow-up with qualified prospects immediately.

Online video will continue to play a pivotal role in B2B marketing, especially due in part to the ability to create, distribute and track sales messages.