Whether you’re selling homemade jewelry or creating enterprise software, you’ve probably heard or read that you need video content to market your brand.
Yet it’s overwhelming just thinking about the video creation process. It’s a challenge to get started, right?
You’re not alone.
More than half of marketing, business, and creative professionals are feeling the same way as you.
According to Contently’s 2019 Report Engaging Your Audience With Visual Content, 57 percent of respondents claim that custom video is still the hardest type of content to produce while only 17 percent of participants consider their video content to be “very good”.
In short, creating high-quality videos remains a challenge for many.
This article will provide you with a clear action plan on how to use infographic videos to deliver value to your audience across the buyer’s journey.
Let’s go!
What is an infographic video?
Before we go through the buyer’s journey, let’s take a closer look at infographic videos.
An infographic video is a type of video combining audio, visuals, and motion. Due to this powerful combination, viewers are more likely to relate to your video’s message, view it repeatedly, and share it with their network.
The Content Marketing Institute Team describes infographic videos perfectly:
It is a visual representation of data and knowledge in the form of an online video. It’s content marketing in a unique, high impact form. A video infographic hits the audience with morsels of high-value information, which, after viewing for as little as 90 seconds, could improve their perspective on the subject matter.
You can use infographic videos to educate your prospects, teach existing customers, or entertain your audience.
In a nutshell, infographics videos help you hit two birds with one stone — deliver value to your audience and connect with them on a more human level.
Some video marketing campaigns only accomplish one of these two – they provide value, but they can’t seem to connect with their viewers.
Meanwhile, others may be doing a wonderful job in building that connection yet the viewer is left wondering about the video’s message by the time they finish watching the video.
Adding motion and movement (yes, they don’t mean the same thing!) to your content also leverages what psychologists refer to as the predictive coding theory.
This theory of cognition suggests that your brain is actively predicting and constantly generating mental models of a particular sensory input.
When watching infographic videos, the viewer is actively anticipating what’s ahead instead of passively processing information (this is what happens when you’re reading texts).
By adding sequence and tempo to your visual content through animation, you’re likely to engage your audience from beginning to end!
Why choose infographic videos
So you’re probably wondering why you should consider infographic videos over other forms of content.
Here are 7 key reasons why infographic videos are essential in every stage of the buyer’s journey:
- You can make a big impact in just minutes
- You educate and delight your audience at the same time
- You can direct and demand attention where you want it
- An excellent alternative to boost website traffic, image SEO ranking, and engagement rates
- It enables you to tailor content for different segments in your audience
- It helps you transform complex ideas into digestible pieces of information
- You can promote infographic videos on a wide range of platforms
A Quick Look at the Buyer’s Journey
First off, when was the last time you bought an item online or off the shelf of a physical store? Did you make the purchase decision on the spot, or did you have to skim through Facebook reviews?
Perhaps you’ve watched some unboxing videos on YouTube. Or a friend may have mentioned a product or service that he swears was a godsend, and you decided to check it out.
If you can relate to any of the scenarios above, you just went through the buyer’s journey.
According to Hubspot, the buyer’s journey is the active research process someone goes through leading up to a purchase.
There are three main stages of the buyer’s journey:
1. Awareness – potential buyer perceives or realizes that there might be a problem
2. Consideration – potential buyer discovers the specific issue and seeks solutions through research
3. Decision – potential buyer makes a solution and becomes a customer
Now, let’s take a closer look at the different ways that you can use infographic videos as your prospect goes through the buyer’s journey.
Infographic video types to help customers in the awareness stage
At this point, prospects are just discovering their problem or realizing that they have a need or want that they’re looking to address.
When planning for infographic videos at this stage, your goals are to:
- Educate your prospects
- Leave a good first impression
- Get to know them better
The most appropriate infographic videos at this stage should answer your prospects’ common questions rather than push a product or service.
a. Educational and research videos for thought leadership
These educational infographic videos will show your prospects that you’re trustworthy and knowledgeable of their perceived need.
An educational infographic video can live many lives. It can be a mainstay in one of your site’s pages, blog, and social media platforms. FAQ videos, inspirational clips, and how-to videos are good examples.
The short clip about white space in infographic design below is a good example.
b. Short clip/commercial ad about your brand
A commercial infographic video is a simple yet effective way to raise brand awareness, drive traffic to your site, and stand out from the competition. At this point, avoid being too “sales-y.”
The infographic video by Headspace below is a good example.
When making videos for the awareness stage, ask yourself the following questions:
- How do potential buyers describe their problems? Learn their language.
- Where do these prospects look for information about these problems? Do they go online for help? If so, which platforms?
- What are the common misconceptions that buyers have about in addressing the issue? What’s stopping them from finding a solution?
Infographic video types to help customers in the consideration stage
Think of the consideration phase as your research phase.
During this stage, your prospects are already making the problem as one of their priorities. They are spending more time weighing their options.
When planning for infographic videos at this stage, your goals are to:
- Explain the value or main benefits of your suggested solutions including your products
- Highlight what happens if they skip your suggested solutions
- Help them compare solutions
- Share your brand story
a. Product overview videos
A well-designed product overview video highlights your value proposition while keeping your brand voice at the same time.
Besides using these videos on your website, it’s also an excellent medium that your sales and support teams can use. Take a look at the short video introducing the “new Dropbox” below.
b. Case study videos
Most of the time, these videos will highlight customer testimonials, allowing your prospects to feel confident or validated of their decision to purchase from you. When creating case study videos, make it a point to use testimonials from real customers.
RICOH, a Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company, did a great job with their animated case study video below.
If you’re planning to make videos for the consideration stage, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are your prospects price-sensitive?
- Do your prospects care about case studies (or social proof), or are they likely to purchase through word-of-mouth?
Infographic video types to help customers in the decision stage
Once your prospects get to the decision stage, they’ve already done their research. It’s decision time!
Hopefully, at this point, they’ve already recognized your product or service as the best solution to their problem or perceived need.
When creating infographic videos for the decision stage, your goals are to:
- Show real-life examples of how your customers are using your product or service
- Demonstrate how their lives would look like once they purchase from you
Consider the following infographic video ideas for the decision stage:
a. Success story videos
Highlight how people in real life are using your product or service, including the astounding results they’ve accomplished. Maerk’s containerisation video below is a gem.
b. Product demo and product update videos
These types of videos make your customers feel that they’re in the loop. It also improves product adoption and increase customer retention.
Slack’s infographic video explaining one of their new features is a stellar example!
When making infographic videos for the decision stage, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the prospects’ idea of success?
- What do your current customers really like about your brand? What is your edge over other competitors?
Bonus Video for the Delight Stage: Delight your prospects-turned-customers with a short Thank You video or a clip inviting them to join your community!
What is the ideal video length?
You’re probably wondering what’s the ideal length for your infographic videos.
Hubspot recommends the following length for videos:
- Instagram – 30 seconds
- Twitter – 45 seconds
- Facebook – 1 minute
- YouTube – 2 minutes
Download the infographic with the recommendations below or you can bookmark this link so you can use it the next time you’re about to get started with an infographic video project.
The long answer is it depends. While you can use the infographic above as a guide, there are always exceptions to the rule.
The most important thing to consider is to come up with an infographic video that will resonate with your audience and provide value at the same time.
Getting started with your infographic videos
Your compelling story, insight, or solution deserves a powerful medium like infographic videos.
By understanding your buyer’s journey, you can give your customers the information they need. If you haven’t looked at your buyer’s journey for a while now, take some time to spot opportunities in refining the type and quality of your visual content.
Need help in planning for infographic videos across your buyer’s journey? Say hello or learn more about our infographic video creation process here – Easelly infographic videos.