Customer trust will always be a key component of any marketing strategy. And presently, one of the most effective ways to catch customers’ attentions to even begin to try and build trust is through videos, which is predicted to continue its reign as content marketing king in 2018.
Why customer trust matters
There’s a reason why brands are so big on creating meaningful interactions at every possible touchpoint. It’s one of the best ways to develop customer trust. Building customer trust begets customer loyalty. And in this hypercompetitive economy, customer loyalty is a highly valuable asset.
Not only does it cost businesses an estimated 5-10 times more to acquire new customers than to sell to existing ones, loyal customers have been found to spend more than the former. Equally important, once you reach a certain trust level with your customers, it can even lead to them spreading the good word about your brand for you.
Power of video marketing
In 2017, video laid claim to the throne as the undisputed king of content and will continue to do so in 2018. This is seen as more than a trend, as according to SmallBizTrends, by 2019, global consumer internet traffic will account for over 80 percent of all internet traffic. And that’s just the tip of the compelling stats iceberg.
YouTube claims that mobile video consumption has risen an average of 100 percent each year. And on Facebook, videos have 135 percent greater organic reach than photo posts. Apart from video having become the format of choice, it’s also been found that 64 percent are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it.
This is why if you haven’t yet, it’s crucial you begin to harness the power of video marketing.
How video builds customer trust
Basically, the power of videos to innately legitimize a company builds customer trust.
As noted by Crews Control, any untrustworthy brand can put up a website with some blogs. Creating a video, on the other hand, takes more time and effort. And while it’s important to note that creating quality videos does’t mean an end-all solution to guaranteeing customer trust, videos add an excellent way to relay the value in your business.
Speaking of quality and values…
Thoughtfully-crafted scenes and overall high-quality production speak about the standards you hold your company to. Videos not only tell your story, but the type of qualities your brand values.
For example, when you consistently put out simple, crisp, and clean shots of your products – it transmits signals to audiences that you are transparent and straightforward. When you partner with a young, entertaining personality – it relays that you’re a fun brand that values collaboration. Video makes a huge part of your overall messaging. So whatever approach you choose, align your videos with how your brand wants to position itself.
At the end of the day, however, it’s still the quality of your videos that shapes your customer’s opinions of your brand. As noted by VeracityColab, quality (a combination of competency and consistency) builds trust, which can ultimately turn your audience into loyal customers.
Types of videos customers trust
Behind-the-scenes
Be it minute or ephemeral videos, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look allows your brand to give off a sense of authenticity—a crucial part of developing customer trust. Whether you aim to give them behind-the-scenes access to a product launch, or a look at the actual work being done at your offices, these kinds of videos allow your customers to know your company on a more personal level, at the same time humanizing your brand.
Product/service demos
You can come up with the most compelling copy or put out stunning curated photos. But none of those are better than creating a video that shows exactly what kind of value your product/service brings. Video demos provide customers a closer look at how your product works, and can greatly help nudging them over to make a purchasing decision.
As noted by Swaay, another excellent way of cultivating trust, is by creating videos that show why it is you do what you do, especially if there’s a noble cause behind the business. This touches on their emotions, and further adds to the value your brand offers.
Reviews/testimonials
We’ve all done this—check a product offering, and immediately go to look at the reviews. Social proof is one of the best ways to get potential customers to trust your business, and videos showing real customers endorsing your brand take it to another level.
Similarly, product reviews are also excellent at giving potential customers a look at how your product works in the hands of others. Whether for a smartphone or a sneaker, there came a time when we all checked out video product reviews – and we all know how effective a positive one can be.
Just make sure to be as authentic as possible. People have become wise to see through scripted testimonies and reviews.
Explainer videos
In its simplest form, these kinds of videos are short, straightforward, and focus on providing useful information to audiences. Autoglass, for example, quickly and effectively answers these three questions: Can my windscreen be repaired? What will happen when you repair a chip? What will happen when you replace my windscreen?
Autoglass clearly and succinctly addresses these concerns, which goes a long way in making you a trusted brand.
But you can go beyond simple Q&A’s and how-to’s by creating a video that informs, educates, and empowers. You can produce videos that provide valuable insight into topics that can have a profound effect on the lives of audiences.
Say you’re in the fitness industry, explaining how a 10-minute morning stretch can add vitality to their day, and its health benefits, provides them with useful information they can start implementing right away. Taking it a step further, you can empower your customers to help them do something they didn’t think was possible. If you can inspire them to action by educating and empowering them, it will go a long way toward building customer trust.
Customer appreciation videos
Regular, short videos that express appreciation is a simple way to connect with your customers. And it doesn’t even have to be a special occasion like their birthdays or anniversaries. Any occasion – a long weekend, the arrival of summer – can be an opportunity for you to thank your customers.
Takeaway
Newly-developed platforms and innovative technologies may emerge, but developing trust will remain as a key component of marketing campaigns. As discussed above, videos provide a bevy of ways to build and nurture that trust.
What is your brand messaging for the coming year? How can you relay that into videos designed to develop trust? Even if you have an existing video marketing strategy, there will always be ways improve it. Communicate with your customers and find out how you can continually cultivate their relationship with your brand.
