3 reasons short-form video is one of the best — and cheapest — marketing tools small businesses can use
Courtesy of K. Allen Consulting and Lauren Anzevino
- Short-form videos can be produced easily and inexpensively and offer high levels of engagement.
- Small-business owners use short videos to build brand awareness and connect with potential clients.
- The videos resonate most when they offer a glimpse at a brand's authenticity.
- This article is part of "Marketing for Small Business," a series exploring the basics of marketing strategy for SBOs to earn new customers and grow their business.
When Krystal Allen surprised her employees with Beyoncé concert tickets this summer, she posted a minute-long video about it on Instagram reels. The video racked up thousands of views and likes and even garnered media attention.
The video "demonstrates what's possible for a brand that started from scratch," Allen, the founder and CEO of K. Allen Consulting, told Insider. "It motivates and inspires leaders to be more intentional about how you show love and appreciation for those who work so hard in your venture every day."
This is just one example of how the New Orleans education and management firm uses short-form videos. Allen said they help her show off the company culture and build brand awareness, among other things.
Short-form videos are typically between five and 90 seconds and are often used as Instagram reels and stories, TikTok videos, and YouTube shorts. A Sprout Social survey found that three in five consumers consider short-form videos the most engaging type of social content.
"Some of the videos give motivational, inspirational messages to followers to foster a positive rapport with our online community," Allen said of the consulting firm's videos, which are posted weekly. "It's really important to us that people feel a deep sense of connectivity."
Short-form videos are easy to produce with a smartphone, making them an inexpensive way for small businesses to reach social-media audiences. Two founders shared with Insider how they use short-form videos to increase brand awareness, capture new audiences, and more.
Showcase authenticity
Culina Health, a virtual nutrition platform, posts short-form videos on its Instagram page about three times a week, the company's cofounder and CEO Vanessa Rissetto said
The videos feature healthy recipe demos, debunk nutrition myths, and discuss trends. Most of them are created using an iPhone.
"When we're posting videos, it's just, 'Hey, Vanessa is in her house, it's 5 o'clock, and she's making whatever she can for her kids,'" she said. "People like that you're showing your real life."
This approach boosts the brand's authenticity. The simple, 60-second videos resonate most with followers, whereas professionally produced recipe videos can often feel too intimidating, Rissetto said.
Allen also prefers creating most of her brand's videos herself, though she sometimes uses professional videographers and photographers. Her videos are usually less than 90 seconds long.
"If people are scrolling quickly through their social-media platforms, they may have limited time, so if you can express a point really succinctly or visually convey a message, you've achieved something pretty great," Allen said.
Build brand awareness
Allen's company creates videos showcasing a behind-the-scenes look at her team, their expertise, and the services they offer.
"The videos sometimes push people to critically think about and examine issues that they might not have seen in that light before," such as the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizational leadership and management, she said. "They're for prospecting and marketing the work that we do."
Short-form videos can also help companies stand apart from competitors, but be mindful to "stay true to your business," Rissetto said. For instance, Culina Health's videos focus on food and nutrition without veering into other areas of health and wellness, such as fitness.
Having a strategy and consistent posting schedule for video content is important for reaching and engaging audiences. But more importantly, every video should be intentional. "They should connect in some way that compels people to act," Allen said.
Demonstrate what you can do
Small businesses often have limited marketing budgets, but short-form social-media videos can show that a company is "legit," Rissetto said. They're a cost-effective way to capture new audiences and bring in new business, she added.
Allen said short-form videos help demonstrate that her consulting firm and its employees have the capacity to support organizations of all sizes. The videos also present the company as a thought leader, and that's helped attract invitations for speaking engagements and media inquiries, she said.
"They're seeing evidence of our effectiveness," Allen said. "So it's a constant, walking billboard for us."
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