As a professional services firm, you pride yourself on the value you offer each and every client. As important as it is to provide customers with a valuable service, it’s as equally important to educate audiences through consistent, high-quality content.

A 2014 B2B Content Marketing report from The Content Marketing Institute, MarketingProfs and Brightcove, found that 93% of B2B marketers use content marketing. And under this content marketing umbrella falls online video, a format that 63% of respondents find effective.

Not convinced? Here are a few more statistics from a Forbes survey that enforce the value of online video for professional service firms:

  • 65% of corporate executives have visited a vendor’s website after watching a video.
  • 75% of executives surveyed said they watch work-related videos on business-related websites at least weekly.
  • 51% of executives under 40 said they’ve made a business-related purchase after viewing a video.

Contrary to popular belief, online video marketing doesn’t have to be incredibly expensive or time consuming. In this post, we’ll discuss five simple tools your professional service firm can use to start creating online video today.

1. Flipagram

How often do you and/or your colleagues take pictures while attending conferences, tradeshows, or networking events? Flipagram is a mobile app that will allow you to string together these photos to create 15- or 30-second slideshows set to background music or narration. You can then share the finished video across social media channels including Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Pinterest.

Catalyst, a B2B brand strategy company, used Flipagram to highlight 2013 with its Instagram photos.

Flipagram videos are simple to create and easily shareable, two qualities we like to see (but can be rare) when creating content.

2. Vine

Use 6-second Vine videos to showcase company culture—give viewers a tour of the office, ask employees to explain their favorite part of the job, promote upcoming events or use these short-form videos to capture interoffice tomfoolery.

Philips, the lighting and electronics giant, used a Vine video to show off its beautiful office space and add a human element to the brand.

B2B Marketing took advantage of the video app and used it to remind viewers to buy tickets to its B2B Leaders Forum.

blogoffer-middle-VideoQuickTips3. Video Blog Posts

Do you find yourself answering common questions from prospects or clients? Video blog posts are a way to address these questions in a creative, user-friendly way. They are a great forum for answering industry questions or giving a step-by-step instruction on how a process works.

You don’t necessarily need a professional camera or crew to produce helpful videos. Set up a smartphone or other high-quality recording device and walk prospects and clients through your service.

You also have the ability to give people a look inside your company with these videos. Have a few employees produce short clips in which they discuss the best part of working for your company or some of the perks your service offers. Adding this human element will enhance people’s perception of your professional service firm.

4. Google Hangouts

B2B companies are using Google Hangouts more and more to connect with their audiences. Hold a video conference in which you answer  questions about a given topic (which, of course, is related to a service you provide).

Follow Dell’s example. This B2B marketer brings together a few thought leaders in the space and encourages viewers to submit questions through G+ and Twitter using the #DellHangout hashtag.

Carla Froggatt of Steel City Marketing suggested B2B marketers use Hangouts for product demonstrations, client relations, market research, business meetings and video playback.

In addition, you can choose to record your Google Hangout sessions. These recordings can be synced to YouTube, shared across social media channels, uploaded to landing pages or even repurposed as a blog post.

5. Repurpose Case Studies for Video

Sometimes lengthy case studies can be overwhelming. An alternative approach to the written case study is repurposing your existing case studies for online video content. After all, satisfied clients are your best salespeople.

Allowing prospects to see how another firm used your service to grow their business and achieve success is invaluable. Start today and put together a slideshow of captivating images and text (or narrate the case study). Check out this example from MSP Digital Marketing:

For future video case studies, present testimonials and showcase how clients used your service to accomplish business objectives. Here is a great example from Intermec:

It has become essential for professional service firms to educate clients and prospects through content. Increasingly, business executives are turning to online video to influence purchase decisions – whether they realize it or not.  And producing a consistent stream of online video content will help you reach and engage these high-level decision makers. Remember, video doesn’t have to be over-the-top expensive or time consuming.

Review the five tools above and choose one to get started with. It doesn’t have to be perfect – just creating something will get the creative wheels turning and increase engagement with your audience. So what are you waiting for?

For more insights on online marketing, download our free book Online Marketing for Professional Services. Additionally, click here to learn about Hinge’s professional video production services.

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