By Sofia Kuhn
TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts — these aren’t just playgrounds for influencers anymore. They’ve become tools businesses are leveraging to make real connections with customers and prospects. As marketers and content consumers, we’ve all enjoyed and experienced the value of what interactive, humanized content can do for a brand. In fact, watching “silly little videos” has almost become the new national past time.
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With the growth of TikTok and the adoption of short-form video across other social media platforms, short-form videos have become an increasingly important part of many marketing team’s strategies. These videos are relatively easy to make and don’t take as much time to plan as other marketing initiatives.
B2B marketing loosens up
This typically business-to-consumer, or B2C, style of marketing is making its way into the business-to-business, or B2B, world. With our decreasing attention spans and media overload, companies increasingly need to catch their buyer’s attention and leave an impression on them. B2B marketing used to be strictly rigid and professional, with little emphasis on engagement.
Today, companies recognize the importance of storytelling, relatability, and capturing the attention of the viewer on the other side of the screen. You can find these short-form videos on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, where many people also consume their media.
The following statistics from the video commerce company Firework reveal the true power of these videos:
• Short-form videos get 2.5 times more engagement than long-form videos.
• More than half (56%) of videos created by businesses are now less than 2 minutes.
• Nearly three-quarters (72%) of consumers prefer watching videos rather than reading text when learning about new products.
Rising above the noise
The parking industry is at an inflection point in terms of technology adoption and complexity. Companies are introducing new innovations and services to solve problems at a faster rate than ever before. Challenging the status quo has become the new normal, and the concept of “adapt or die” has never been truer. But how do vendors rise above the noise as the appetite for customers to digest the influx of tech is finite?
Short-form videos provide a key tool to simplify this complex process and reach your customers in a humanized, quick, digestible manner.
Companies can engage and educate their potential customers at the same time. Embracing this approach can result in stronger connections with target audiences. Some examples include quick explainer videos, customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes footage, and product demos in action.
Tips and metrics
Be sure to consider the following tips when making content:
• Keep it simple and engaging: Just get to the point. Don’t overcomplicate it; make it so that everyone can understand.
• Use storytelling: Everyone loves a happy ending, but the journey to get there is what truly captivates an audience. Use storytelling to showcase real challenges, the struggles along the way, and the solution that made a difference.
• Repurpose footage: Most of us parketing teams are small but mighty! Re-mixing, re-using, and recycling footage is the best way to maximize your return on investment. No one cares if you use the same bits twice, as long as they are relevant.
• Consistency over perfection: Perfection is the enemy of progress. There’s always something you can improve or re-film. Don’t let your quest for perfection prevent you from publishing great content. It’s more important to provide consistent value.
• Next steps and more: Always provide viewers with a clear next step to learn more or explore additional content.
To measure success, key metrics to follow include views, engagement, shares, and website traffic from video links. Are your videos being sent? Who’s commenting? Make sure that decision-makers can see the value added.
As technology evolves, the parking industry follows, and so should the way we tell our stories. Short-form video is a powerful tool for brand awareness and engagement that any company can take advantage of. You don’t need to be a master content creator. Just experiment with different forms of videos and see what works best for your company.
Shake up the parking industry, one “silly little video" at a time!
SOFIA KUHN is the marketing coordinator at Survision and a key member and contributor of the Parketing Collective. She can be reached at sku@survisiongroup.com, while the collective can be reached at hello@parketingcollective.org.
