How to get creative with SaaS video marketing

Video Marketing is a must for SaaS and other cloud-based software companies.

You know it’s time to incorporate video into your content marketing strategy; it has been under your nose for a long time and 87 percent of online marketers are using it already. But what exactly would corporate video look like for you?

Here are some ideas on how SaaS companies can use video marketing to their benefit.

Explainer video

One of the biggest challenges SaaS companies face while making video is taking dry technical content and turn it into something engaging and shareworthy. In a competitive B2B environment it’s necessary to provide solid context and detail.

This can be tricky for SaaS to achieve for two reasons: dwindling attention spans and a complex offer to describe.

Video enables you to take abstract concepts and explain them in a simpler and clearer way than copy alone. Web video is powerful in the sense that you can use illustrations, captions and visual demonstration to bring your explanations to life.

Though you do not have a physical product to promote, you can generate interesting visuals in a number of ways - product demos, screencasts and animation are just some of the ways you could move forward.

Product demo

SaaS is exciting territory. Your business is cutting edge and it may be the case that some of the things you have to offer will require a basic introduction to potential users. This is where product demos or explainer videos show their strength: 4 in 5 consumers find demo videos helpful. 

SaaS companies are in a unique position when it comes to marketing because so much of their product is virtual. Video is a great way to simplify complex topics and make the technical aspects of your solution easier to understand. 

It can be difficult to imagine the way new software works. In a product demo you can help your audience visualise your software, and demonstrate some of the core functions. A high-quality product video should explain and demonstrate your product or service’s benefits as well as its unique features.

4 times as many customers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. Product demos tap into our curious nature and will encourage your audience to have a go themselves.

They are a great asset for product pages. You can manage viewer expectations, give your buyer personas a true feel for what the product looks like and demonstrate how it works, the benefits, the UI and also the problems it solves.

However, you don't need to explain everything about the product. Outline the key features and let your website handle the finer detail.

Maximise the value your users are getting out of the time they spend watching. If your video starts to get lengthy, break it down into bitesize content - this can be leveraged to great lengths on social media.

If you are looking for inspiration, here’s a list of 7 product videos that will make you want to buy. 

Screencast

Use video to address your buyer persona’s most basic questions: what is your product and how would it help?

SaaS is unlike other sectors in that you have the golden opportunity to use screencasts. This format isn’t often seen elsewhere.

Screencasts (a.k.a screen captures) are recordings of the activity on your computer screen. They frequently include commentary from a knowledgable narrator and are used mainly for demonstration purposes.

In SaaS marketing, they can substitute the ever-popular ‘how to’ video genre.

This format requires precise planning. Consider the shelf-life: what would you do with your video if the UI of your software changed?

Shorter videos will be easier to update. To save on re-shoot costs, be sure to focus on core elements that are unlikely to change.

Consult your video production company for advice on how and when to use screen shots of your software, as well as how specific and detailed you should make your instructions.

Troubleshooting

With software it is common for users to encounter hiccups. Video can be a refreshing resource to help your customers overcome them.

Our brains process visual information much more quickly than text - 40x more. Additionally, it’s often easier to follow lengthy instructions when they are delivered in a ‘show and tell’ format.

FAQs can form the basis for your troubleshooting script. Consider the issues that most commonly occur for your users and make it easy for them to find the right solution.

Acquiring new customers costs approximately 5 to 25 times more than continuing a business relationship with existing ones. Furthermore, research shows that existing customers spend 67 percent more than new customers. Customer loyalty pays.

This comes back to the inbound methodology and the importance of developing buyer personas. Find out what your existing clients want to know. You can gain valuable feedback from listening to and answering their questions.

Happy customers will help you retain business and improve the likelihood of you receiving positive testimony.

Feedback

Customer testimony is invaluable to the sales process.

You can rest assured that prospects will seek reviews of your product before they commit to a purchase. Research is an inescapable part of the buyer’s journey and great trust is put in peer review.

If you have enthusiastic users that would happily endorse your business, video interviews might be the best way to share their feelings. Being able to see a client’s face as they talk about their experience will highlight their sincerity and add a personal touch.

Customer videos are a fantastic platform to share personal insights, lessons learned and candid tips all while illustrating how exactly your software helped them to achieve those goals.

Infographics

Infographics are often used alongside video to convey complex processes quickly and simply. They can easily by incorporated into any descriptive video, or used as the main element in a bitesize video.

The latter is ideal for social sharing, which you should use to your advantage - 71 percent of online marketers are already using visual assets in their social media marketing, thanks to its high share appeal.

About Us

Harness the power of storytelling and share your history with your target audience.

Video can enable even the freshest startup company to appear highly established. In this area of business, it is difficult to be perceived as a leader in your field if you don’t have video on your website.

If you’re stuck for ideas, an introduction to your company is an easy starting point.

Think of it is a visual bio. You could take your buyer personas on a virtual tour of the office. Build trust with your audience by making them feel included behind the scenes of what you do.

What does a day in the life of your company look like? How do you get things done? What is special about your approach?

Your workplace is full of wonderful, vibrant people. The SaaS industry attracts creative, innovative, passionate people with a deep interest in development and the future.

Maybe some of these characters would shine on screen. Motivate your employees by acknowledging their personal value and giving them a fun way to express themselves. You could use video to make employee bios. 

Video is a chance to really let your team own what they do. It’s also possible that your employees would feel more comfortable speaking about their experience than writing about it. Use video to celebrate company culture.

Social media

The use of video in social media marketing increases sharing tenfold.

With an online based company your website is your storefront. Ultimately, this is where you are going to connect with prospects and drive conversions. Make a good impression with video marketing on social platforms and direct people towards your site.

Video is a highly effective way to communicate the key things your company has to offer. It can go a long way towards engaging new leads and driving more targeted traffic to your website.

SaaS video marketing can contribute vastly to the onboarding process and boost client acquisition. It can also be used to provide basic customer support through the use of educational and instructional videos. There are plenty of reasons to get stuck in, so do!