In today’s digital marketing landscape, we tend to think of content in terms of smaller portions. We’re in an attention economy and our audience is constantly inundated with content.
When developing a video marketing strategy, this may lead you to opt for shorter videos in the hopes of capturing your audience’s highly divided attention.
There’s a strong argument to be made for long-form video, however. Creating longer videos — ones that are still packed with great content — can be just as effective at demonstrating your company’s unique selling point while engaging companies you want to be in business with.
Let’s take a closer look at the growing trend of long-form video content — the benefits of it, the best platforms for it, and how B2B and B2C long-form video content differ.
Benefits of Long-Form Content
With so many sources vying for your audience’s attention online, it may seem as though developing short-form video content is the way to go. On one hand, it makes sense as people consume more and more content on their smartphones. Endless scrolling leads viewers to consume a lot of content quickly. The real question is how much of that information do they retain?
Short videos may get a lot of views, but they’re also disposable. If you watch a viral video or ad that’s less than 30 seconds, you may watch the entire thing. You may also not remember it, as you’ve mentally discarded it for the next flavor-of-the-week viral clip you watch. People have also gotten better over the years at blocking out content they don’t have interest in.
Shorter videos can act like junk food for your mind. Sure, you viewed the entire thing, but it didn’t provide any nutritional value in the form of actionable content that stirs persuades you in any meaningful way.
Long-form videos focusing on something you’re actually interested in, however? That has a better chance to resonate.
Of course, this means you have to produce compelling, relevant long-form video content, which is no easy task (more on how to do that below). But asking viewers to commit to your longer video – and showing them that it’s worth it by giving them something of value will go farther than something that’s shorter and easier to forget. You’re giving your audience a better, more comprehensive viewing experience. They get more information out of your video about something they care about told in a compelling way.
Think of the last video you watched on Facebook or Instagram. Having a hard time remembering? You probably can’t because you’ve watched so many. But think about the last great film you watched in a movie theater or at home. That answer is no doubt a lot easier to come up with.
Well-produced, long-form video demands a greater commitment from your viewer, but it offers a higher return on its investment.
The Best Platforms for Long-Form Video Content
The very best platform for your long-form B2B video content is your website. You may not post every single long-form video you create on your main site, but including some of them will help to reinforce your company’s brand.
Video platforms like YouTube and Vimeo are also great options for long-form video content. Setting up a YouTube channel allows you to create videos you can embed and post on your site or social media. It’s also a great home for a long-form video series you produce. There are also fewer restrictions on longer content, unlike many social media platforms.
That’s not to say all your social networks are bad options for long-form video content. You can post long videos to your Facebook business page. While Instagram limits the length of videos in your feed, you can use Instagram TV to post longer ones. You may have to get creative in how you post and where you post, but your long-form B2B video content can actually stand out in a sea of bite-size short videos.
How B2B and B2C Long-Form Content Can Differ
The tone and tenor of your long-form content will vary depending on your audience. If you’re developing B2B content, that’s obviously going to differ from B2C videos. While the two types of content won’t be radically different, there are some important distinctions. Below are a few strategy ideas on how you can develop strong B2B long-form videos in ways that won’t necessarily apply to any B2C content:
Establish your authority
When you’re appealing to businesses, you want to develop videos that showcase your expertise in your profession. This can work for customers as well, but it’s a necessity for B2B content. Companies want to work with proven providers that function as authorities in their field. A web series where you explain various components of the work you do or you’re industry can help you accomplish this.
Let numbers tell the story
B2C content often focuses on your viewer’s emotional reaction to your product or service. While you can tap into this with B2B content, you should back everything up with numbers, statistics, and hard data to reinforce your points. Businesses want to know they’re getting a solid return on their investment when they give you their money (customers do too, but it’s especially important for companies). Make sure that you weave data into your stories and your longer videos.
Play the long game
One of the reasons long-form videos are a great option for B2B marketing? B2B relationships take a longer time to cultivate than B2C ones typically do. Companies tend to do more due diligence in researching the companies they plan to dedicate their resources to. Long-form videos give them plenty of great research material to use in their decision-making process.
Developing long-form video content seems antithetical to the modern-day digital marketing approach of creating quickly consumed content. But creating substantive, long-form content your audience can invest their time in can do a better job demonstrating your company’s unique selling point. It helps build a compelling case for your brand over a long haul, which is well-suited to the development of B2B relationships.
Want to learn more about how to produce great long-form videos that will attract businesses you want to work with? Consider hiring a digital marketing firm that knows the ins and outs of all things video marketing related. Your best option is Digivid360. For more on the many ways that we can help, contact us today!
