The Tech Marketer's Guide To B2B Video
The Tech Marketer's Guide To B2B Video
Marketer’s Guide
to B2B Video
REC
A letter
As B2B tech marketers, we know that our most important
audiences are watching online video – because everyone
is watching online video. The challenge is finding a way to
make video work for our products and propositions.
from a tech The chatter around branded video doesn’t always help. We’re
told that it has to be incredibly short to keep people’s attention.
marketer
It’s easy to assume it needs to be funny, dramatic and have a
Hollywood-style production budget as well. It can be difficult
to imagine a role for video when you need to explain technical
products to a very specific target audience. Is B2B tech just
to tech
too complicated and boring for effective video content?
marketers
creative-minded marketers are deploying video throughout
the tech buying journey. Our role is to communicate solutions
to our audiences’ most frustrating problems – and video is the
perfect format for bringing those solutions to life. It’s not just
possible to make video work for B2B tech – it’s essential.
Enjoy!
Preethi
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1 2 3
Analyse your Set out your Establish your
customer journey marketing strategy metrics
What content do your Which medium is best How will you know
customers want from you suited to delivering that if your content has
at each stage? What do content at each stage? succeeded?
you want them to do next?
4 5 6
Create your content Target your content Optimise your
When video is the right Combine your campaign
choice, what sort of understanding of your Watch the data,
video should it be? audience with the see what’s working,
targeting capabilities tweak what’s not.
of the delivery platform
to make sure the right
people see the right
content at the right time.
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Table of
contents
Stage 1: Myth-busting 05
Stage 2: Awareness 09
Stage 3: Consideration 13
Stage 4: Decision 15
Stage 5: Planning 18
Stage 6: Feedback 19
Glossary 21
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Stage 1: Myth-busting
“”
marketers as it is for those in B2C.
According to Forbes, three-quarters of
executives watch work-related videos
every week. Just over half share work- Don’t think of video in a silo,
related videos with colleagues every
week, and 59% prefer to watch a video
but as part of an integrated
on a topic rather than reading about it. campaign. Creating a video
But because there’s so much video out is just the tip of the iceberg.
Tessa Barron
Senior Director, Brand & Communications, ON24
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Myth #1:
“Our product is complicated
and we can’t do it justice
in a short video”
“”
Identify your message and decide
on the best way of getting it across. If
that’s a video, it only needs to convey
We always start with the audience one message, so no single video
and the company’s goals, and has to explain everything you do.
tackle those goals one at a
time. Then we look at what
channels the audience is active
in, and discuss video ideas as
part of an overall campaign.
Jordan Hagan
Video Strategist, StoryMe
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Myth #2:
“Video is expensive”
“”
succeeds at nothing. It’s not focused
– and is probably too long.
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Myth #3:
“There's too much video
for us to cut through”
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Stage 2: Awareness
The set-up
Video is particularly powerful in the In the awareness phase your videos
awareness phase, when you want to tell a should present viewers with a scenario
story or evoke an emotional response. But that evokes a strong reaction. Create
for video to do its job properly, the story a connection with the audience
must be right too. The best brand videos – with a shared frustration or problem,
the ones made by Gillette, Airbnb or Nike, and address it in a light-hearted,
for example – don’t talk about products entertaining way. These videos should
“”
or services. They talk about how those be short enough to get your point
products and services make you feel. across, without demanding too much
of the audience's attention. They can
Top-of-the-funnel awareness videos should be
Adobe is a great example of a B2B be edits from your main video, or
short and to the point. Most will be discovered
tech brand with a number of complex bespoke trailers. The main goal in the
off-site, so you want to quickly evoke emotion,
propositions. But its top-of-the-funnel awareness phase is to drive viewers to
educate or entertain, doing everything you
videos are celebrated for being funny your site to watch your main video or
can to draw them in and influence their next
and clever illustrations of the problems to find out more about your solution.
action. You might even need to inform them
its products solve for clients. Then,
of pain points they don’t know they have.
further down the funnel, it uses targeted
videos to talk to engaged prospects Amber Long
VP, Content, PR & Social, gyro
about what its products actually do.
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“”
argues that building a strong brand LinkedIn allows you to target by
has never been more important for location, and then by attributes
success. And if you already have a based on company (sector, size,
brand people are likely to recognise, Businesses using social to reach their
connections etc.), demographics
make sure they see the video is from audience need to realise they are in
(age and gender), education,
you right from the start. This can be the moments business. You only have
experience and interests.
addressed by how you frame the a moment to capture the audience’s
Because it’s very important to
video in a feed when you’re using attention before they scroll past you
LinkedIn users that their profiles
Sponsored Content on LinkedIn. and onto the next thing. So you need
are up to date, our targeting
to produce content that is succinct and
data is the richest and most
The second weapon is targeting. This highly emotive, and the most powerful
reliable there is when it comes
is where the platform really comes emotional trigger is your brand.
to professional audiences.
into play. Use your understanding Nathan Haines Overlay that with the depth of
of your customers to inform the MD, Element 26
behavioural data that comes
platform’s ability to target. Then from users’ frequent interaction
your video will reach people it’s with their feed, and you can be
aimed at, increasing the likelihood sure your video is hitting exactly
they’ll watch it and click through the audience you want to reach.
to the next step. Then your other
messages – in whatever channel or
medium – can fill in the details.
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“”
to engage with their potential
customers through longer videos.
Working with clients, we ask ourselves, ‘What value does What you measure will change at
this business or product bring to the world, and how can each stage of the customer journey.
we deliver that as a feeling people can take away?’ It goes In the awareness phase, you need
back to that old saying, ‘People won’t remember what to know how many times your video
you say, and they won’t necessarily remember what you was viewed, how much of the video
do, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.’ was watched, and how many viewers
Jonathon Palmer responded to your call to action.
Global Head of Strategy, Omobono
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EXAMPLES
“”
A great example
of a top-of-funnel
video is HPE’s recent
cybersecurity campaign. HPE Adobe Experience Cloud Adobe Experience Cloud Zendesk
Enterprise Information Tech Integrated Marketing & Web Analytics Integrated Marketing & Web Analytics Customer Service Software
It’s a seven-minute
A short video series about cybersecurity After saving the world again, Secret Agent Analytics show a spike in ad clicks, and A light-hearted riff on the all-too-common
piece of story-telling for business, told through the lens of Hunter has a bad check-in experience a huge increase in production ensues to lovers’ argument over what to watch online.
and entertainment authorities trying to stop The Wolf. when his hotel booking is lost. meet demand. But all is not as it seems.
that conveys a feeling
of exposure and Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage
Top of Funnel, Awareness Top of Funnel, Awareness Top of Funnel, Awareness Top of Funnel, Awareness
vulnerability, and
also lands some key Our review Our review Our review Our review
product messages. Christian Slater gets his teeth into the role of
The Wolf, black-hat hacker extraordinaire.
Big-budget thrills with a comic twist are Adobe takes another familiar scenario – in High concept, low budget. Zendesk is
all about streamlining and improving
Adobe’s take on the problems of delivering this case an unexpected jump in ad clicks
Jonathon Palmer Cybersecurity isn’t the sexiest topic but great customer experience when your – and turns it into a quick-cutting, perfectly the relationships between business and
Global Head of Strategy, Omobono HP’s video series engages the audience systems don’t talk to each other. We all cast cautionary tale. The whole thing is given customers. Fifteen seconds, two costumes
and identifies big threats in a dramatic and know what it feels like to experience the a frantic sense of energy by great use of and a nice piece of sound design are all
unforgettable way. It’s detailed enough indignities heaped on poor Agent Hunter, music (Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Fantasia it takes for them to show they understand
to be be unsettling, but still broad-brush but the look on his face when he pulls out fans), and amid all the fun and excitement relationships are complicated. We hope
enough to be widely relevant. This is a classic the voucher he printed off is priceless. Sean there’s also a loving attention to detail. whoever came up with the spacesuit/diving
example of concentrating on how you want Connery would never have stood for it. suit gag saw a little something extra in their
viewers to feel – in this case, nervous. pay packet at the end of that month.
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Stage 3: Consideration
“”
give a sense of what it’s like to work engagement rate. This is the number
with your company (for management of interactions your videos get
types). Formats that work here include (comments, likes, clicks, shares etc.)
Video is a huge element in building explainers, case studies, webinars, compared to the number of views.
trust. Seeing a real person – a how-to videos and virtual tours. The And look at your estimated cost per
real customer – in a case study challenge is to be authentic. If you use view (eCPV) to keep track of how
really builds trust in your brand. testimonials, for example, they need to hard your video budget is working.
Christoffer Larsen overcome viewers’ inbuilt cynicism about
VP of Marketing, TwentyThree why someone is praising your product.
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EXAMPLES
Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage
Mid-funnel, Client Case Study Mid-funnel, product features, Mid-funnel, Product Feature & Integration Mid-funnel, Product Explainer Mid-funnel, Consideration
humanising the brand
Our review Our review Our review Our review
A classic of the genre, this has it all. A real- Our review Casting and script hold the key to this A relaxed, stylish explainer video, as slick as A serious subject gets a light, playful,
life customer talking about the product gives If anyone tells you B2B videos have to be low-budget gem. Getting your message you’d expect from Slack. It takes you through audience-friendly treatment in this monster
it authenticity. The resolution of a difficult under two minutes, just show them this (and across right at the start is crucial, but Drift the features of the product and shows their movie from HPE. The monster-as-metaphor
business situation with the help of that maybe give them a sandwich). Less a movie concentrates on what users want, rather than benefits. Just quirky enough to be memorable, puts the point across, but what’s really
product gives it drama. The explanation and more a mini-series, One, Ten, One what the company’s selling. And by using a but not so much that it’s distracting. smart is the way the monster behaves –
of how the product has improved business Hundred demonstrates that if the idea is real employee to do so, they give a sense of we’ve all worked with that guy. You’ve got
processes makes it compelling. And the strong enough, you can make something epic. what they’re like to work with as a company. to love the closing leaf-blower gag too.
big picture around social media gives And if the whole thing feels a bit meta at times
it relevance. This is how it’s done. – you’re watching a Wistia video showing a
company making three videos to promote a
Wistia video management product – it does
a great job of introducing the Wistia team.
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Stage 4: Decision
“”
customers they’re making the right using lead generation forms with
decision through testimonials from your videos, you should be keeping
existing customers. Welcome videos track of which ones generate the most People always think about video as top-of-
can introduce the company, give it a leads, and the quality of those leads. the-funnel awareness ads, in the traditional TV
human face and demonstrate customer If not, then measure click-through sense, but that’s not where the power of video is
service. FAQ sessions and webinars rates, and use that to understand your today. The customer journey has totally flipped
can establish the expertise of the sales estimated cost per click (eCPC). and marketing is going all the way down to
people who’ll conclude the deal. And the decision phase. Customers are getting so
full-length product demonstrations much information on the web, so marketing is
can begin the onboarding process having to do a lot more to help sales and that’s
for potential end users. why deeper funnel content is so important.
Jordan Hagan
Video Strategist, StoryMe
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EXAMPLES
Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage Funnel stage
Bottom of the Funnel, Product Update Bottom of the Funnel, Features Bottom of the Funnel, Success Stories Bottom of the Funnel, Success Stories Bottom of the Funnel, New Features
Our review Our review Our review Our review Our review
This bright and breezy animation is heavy Workday turns up the wattage in this smartly- Proof that you don’t need a big budget if On the other hand, if you do have a big Sometimes the simplest ideas are the
on graphics and light on words. In fact, it scripted buddy comedy starring golf legend you’ve got a happy client. All you have to do budget… T-Mobile gets the rock-star treatment best. Take some well-known video fails,
uses a grand total of 17 in its 45-second Phil Mickelson and actor Andy Buckley from is stay out of the way and let them tell their in this video: all brand colours, logos and show how they’d have been saved by your
runtime, and three of those are 'Objective- the US version of The Office. The Business story. They talk about the great things your pounding soundtrack. Salesforce keeps its new background blurring feature, then
Based Advertising'. All of this makes it Caddie concept gets across what Workday products let them do, they look good and distance and lets people from across the sit back and watch the plaudits roll in.
simple to follow, with the added bonus of does, while the leads’ easy-going charm they make you look good. Everybody wins. client company tell their stories, which are
being easy to localise for multiple markets. gives the business a human face, and then really strong. The whole thing feels authentic,
Et voila, we produced versions in French, puts a big smile on it. It also ties in with not just in terms of the people, but also the
German, Spanish and Mandarin. Workday’s sponsorship of the Ryder Cup. T-Mobile brand. Once again, it’s a win-win.
And, as a bonus, Mickelson’s international
fame helped this clip work in French,
German, Spanish and Japanese versions.
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“”
guidelines are essential. Some
companies have installed video
booths where salespeople can create
There are certain times when branding makes their own videos that still maintain
sense, but it can make your videos start to feel the brand identity, while others
like ads. People don’t want to be marketed provide branded intros and outros.
to, and they’ll tune out. Our product launches But once again, think about who your
should feel like Drift, but a video of someone audience is and what they want.
talking – it’s okay to do that from anywhere.
Dave Gerhardt
VP of Marketing, Drift
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Stage 5: Planning
“”
that produces one very expensive
video, and one that produces several You should also plan for a silent
different, more cost-effective videos. experience. Some 80% of videos on
LinkedIn are watched with the sound Having a clear plan is a must. What are your
Planning should also take account off, so unless your video is a homage objectives? Who do you want to reach? What is
of whether your videos will need to to the pre-talkie days, you’re going your budget? How will you measure success? My
be localised for specific markets. to need subtitles or captions. Proper best piece of advice would be not to proceed
Animation, for example, is popular captioning is also important because unless you can answer all those questions and
for multi-language campaigns, since it makes your videos accessible to more – you definitely need a solid plan in place.
it’s easier – and cheaper – to change people with hearing disabilities. Rob Coyne
GM EMEA, Hootsuite
voice-overs, subtitles and on-screen
text than it is to reshoot videos in
multiple languages. Or you might follow
Workday’s example and cast your video
on the basis of international appeal.
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Stage 6: Feedback
Test screenings
Just as every Hollywood studio test-
screens its movies – and changes
them if necessary before release
“”
– you should be using audience
feedback to make sure your audience
is doing what you want them to do.
You always need to start with quality – that’s
what leads to revenue – but traditional key The best way to do this is by A/B
performance indicators in video are about testing different versions of your
quantity. It’s not 'Did someone click?’, it’s videos. Viewers not getting to
‘What behaviour resulted from that click?' the end of the clip? Think about
making it shorter, or making the
Tessa Barron
Senior Director, Brand & Communications, ON24 story clearer. If they’re not getting
beyond the first few seconds, make
sure you’re leading with a problem
they can relate too. Or maybe your
targeting needs a rethink? Change
one thing at a time, measure what
happens, compare, repeat.
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Stage 7:
“”
1) It’s not about starting with video –
start with your customers and your
goals. When you know what your
prospective customers want at each The possibilities with video are endless, especially as social
touchpoint, you can decide whether networks constantly evolve their video capabilities. LinkedIn
video is the best tool for the job, and recently changed the way it displays video on the platform.
which type of video will work best. Sponsored Content – including video – now lives directly
in the news feed as a standalone post. This builds on brand
2) It’s not one video – it’s one video awareness, drives qualified traffic to your website and allows
for each point you want to make you to connect with high-value leads. Without accurate
or message you want to convey. targeting, it’s difficult for ads to be seen by the right people.
However, with LinkedIn’s B2B targeting capabilities available
3) It’s not a video strategy – it’s a for Sponsored Content, our audiences can be found by traits
marketing strategy, and video is such as job title, seniority, company name, industry, skills
one of the tactics within that. and more. It’s key to be aware of these kinds of changes and
enhancements so you can be the first to capitalise on them.
4) It’s not about quantity – it
doesn’t matter how many people
Rob Coyne
saw your video. What matters GM EMEA, Hootsuite
is whether they were the right
people, and what they did next.
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Glossary:
LinkedIn metrics
LinkedIn offers the following metrics for video:
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Closing credits
LinkedIn would like to thank
the following people for their
contributions to this report:
•• Dave Gerhardt, VP of
Marketing, Drift
•• Christoffer Larsen, VP of
Marketing, and Todd Patton, Head
of Comms & Story, TwentyThree
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About LinkedIn
LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional
network on the Internet with more than 610 million
members in over 200 countries and territories.
This represents the largest group anywhere of