Creating a video for your business can seem complex, but it's actually not as challenging as you might think.
You can film, edit, and publish a video that will become a valuable marketing tool, and you won't need training or a large budget.
In this article, we'll take you through what a promotional video is, the benefits it offers, and how to make a promotional video for your small business. We'll also include some ideas to help you get started with tips and examples.
What is a promotional video?
A promotional video is a short video created to raise awareness of or bring attention to a product, service, event, sale, or business. Think of it as a movie or book trailer—you don't want to give away the whole story or bluntly tell someone to watch or read it—you want to inspire your potential customer to take the next step and give them the information to do so.
It could highlight particular products or services, introduce your business, tell your brand story, share your expertise, or set the scene to help people picture your product or service in their own lives.
Find great promotional templates on our website to spruce up your product videos.
The benefits of video marketing for small businesses
Raising brand awareness
A recent survey revealed that 85% of participants want to see more videos from brands in 2021.
People are displaying a growing interest in the company behind the products they purchase. A study conducted in 2020 revealed 55% of participants pay more attention to brand values than they did in the previous year. It helps to let your customers get to know your business.
An excellent sales tool
According to a recent survey on the topic, 96% of participants used video to learn about a product or service, 84% say a video convinced them to buy. Videos can do some of the sales work for you by answering questions about your product, service, or business.
Finding your target audience
51% of people say one of the main reasons they use the internet is to watch videos, TV shows, and movies. Your potential customers are likely watching videos online already–including your competitors’ videos.
While it's helpful to host these videos on your site, sharing them on sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram allows you to meet your audience where they are and expand your reach to those who may not know your brand.
Easy to get started
To begin making promotional videos, you don't need expensive equipment or a large budget. You can start small and simple with the camera you have or the one on your smartphone to get a feel for creating your own.
You will also want to consider lighting for your video, a proper place to film, and a video editor like Animoto that will help you bring it all together.
How to make a promo video with Animoto
Select a template
Choose a template for your video. Animoto has product and service promotion templates for seasonal sales, product collection launches, event promos, and more.
Insert your media
Upload your video clips and photos that you want to use in your video, and then drag and drop them into place. If you’re looking for more media, browse through Animoto’s built-in stock library of millions of photos and videos from Getty Images.
Customize your video
Add some personality to your promotional video by using text and video styles. With styles you can add professional effects to your background, text, and transitions.
Add music to your video by either uploading your own track, or selecting from Animoto’s licensed music library.
Optimize your video
You can resize your video according to the channel you plan to share it on. For example, resize your video to a vertical ratio for TikTok, or a landscape ratio for YouTube.
Start collecting feedback
Before you send your video on its way, get an extra pair of eyes (or a couple of pairs) on your video. Professional Plus users have access to Commenting, a way to collect and respond to feedback all within Animoto.
Rather than chasing clients or colleagues down over email, text, slack, or all of the above, bring the feedback to you! With Commenting, you can generate a private feedback link that allows them to leave time-stamped feedback on your video. This helps to catch any lingering typos on your video and invites new perspectives befre you post it. Check out this how-to guide to learn more.
Share the finished product
After completing your video, you can easily share it to social media platforms directly from Animoto.
Promotional video tips to make you stand out
Keep your branding consistent
Use the same colors and fonts you've already chosen for your brand. Keeping these consistent will improve brand recognition and keep your videos looking professional and polished.
With a Professional or Professional Plus plan, you can create and apply Saved Brands to ensure consistent branding across your videos.
Incorporate humanity with voice-over
Add a sense of humanity to your brand, create a stronger connection with your audience, and make your videos stand out even more by using voice-over. Check out our complete voice-over guide to learn more.
Create a strong introduction
Grab attention with a compelling story, fact, or statement that will keep your viewers watching and let them know what problem the video will solve if they keep watching.
Get to the point
You know that your product or service is fantastic, so let your viewers know that too in a concise and engaging way. Keep you video short and prioritize the most important information.
Promotional video ideas for your small business
Here's a list of ideas to help you create amazing promotional videos:
Introductory video
When your customers buy a product online, they don't get the same face-to-face interaction that they would in a brick and mortar store. An introductory video gives your customer the chance to put a face to your business and build trust in you.
How-to video
By demonstrating your product or service, you're using your expertise to educate your audience. How-to videos are a great way to establish your business’ credibility.
Product video
A product promo video could be an explanation, demonstration, comparison, or simply a video that highlights your new or current product or service lineup. Get new audiences interested in your company or product with a bold, eye-catching promotional video.
Customer testimonial
Turn your customers into your advocates with a testimonial video. You can share online reviews from real customers, or even film your customers as they share their authentic feedback.
Company or product story
Do you have an inspiring story behind why you built your business or a product? Why not share it with your potential and current customers? It's a great way to show off your company values and connect with your audience.
Promotional video example to inspire you
This video by Tentree is an excellent example of a promotional video. It celebrates their milestone of planting 50 million trees and ties their success back to their customers’ contributions. Their video concludes with a strong call-to-action to inspire future customers. They combine strong storytelling, engaging text, and bold video clips to inspire their audience.
Create a promotional video
Promotional videos help potential customers learn more about your business and the products or services you offer. With Animoto, you can create these promotional videos quickly and easily.
Now that you know how to make a promotional video for your small business, take a look at Animoto's templates for some inspiration to help get you started.
