Video has always been a dynamic way to connect with customers. It lets you tell them about your offering and show how it works. In fact, 72% of consumers prefer learning about a product or service through a video. But now there’s another reason to use it—video is no-contact friendly. It’s a touchless way to safely communicate with customers. Here are some ways video can support your marketing efforts in a post-Coronavirus pandemic business environment.

5 Video Ideas for Viral Times

Video has become a key marketing tactic for many small businesses. With the availability of high-speed internet, customers and prospects can seamlessly view them even if they’re sheltering at home. They’ve been used to demonstrate a new product, capture a customer testimonial, show how to make something or recruit staff.

In today’s virus-centered environment, there are new opportunities to harness the power of video to communicate your message. Start with these five video ideas:

• We’re back! – Announce your reopening with a personal message. Let them know you appreciate their business. Consider involving your staff to help deliver the sentiment. It’s also an opportunity to prepare them for any changes they might experience, like shorter hours or limits on the number of shoppers at one time.
• You’re safe with us – Reopening your doors is one thing but getting customers to come back is another. Reassure customers by explaining what steps you’ve taken to keep them safe. Take viewers behind the scenes to highlight safety modifications you’ve made, like masks for all employees, wider aisles or touchless checkout.
• No-contact pick-up – If you’re offering it, show how your new delivery system works. Demonstrate how to phone in an order and what to do when they arrive to pick it up. Seeing how it works makes it more concrete for customers.
• Live shopping events – Create a video shopping event with platforms like Facebook Live. Here’s where you help customers virtually shop by highlighting merchandise. For example, a nursery could show what plants they have in stock. Since it’s live, you get to answer real-time questions from viewers. You can repurpose it later in a blog post or email.
• Supporting first responders – This is an opportunity to gather support for a community project you’re sponsoring, perhaps for first responders. People want to help in these times and they appreciate businesses that make it easy for them to lend a hand.

Taking It Viral

While you can make the best video ever, it won’t be of any use if there aren’t any views. So, what’s the best way to use them? You have a number of no-contact choices. It’s OK to use more than one.

• Social media – 74% of all video content comes from social media platforms, with Facebook, YouTube and Twitter as major contributors. But there are others that focus almost exclusively on video content. That includes Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Vidyard and Vimeo. Focus on the platform your customers use. Don’t forget to include a share button so customers can spread the word to people in their network.  
• Email – Embedding video in email can boost conversion rates by as much as 50%. It provides a compelling reason for people to “click to learn more.” Often a video thumbnail is displayed in the email and the link takes them to your webpage.
• Landing and home pages – The use of videos on these webpages is reported to raise conversion rates by 80%. While visitors are on that page, they also have the opportunity to browse other content.

The unique characteristics of video make it an ideal match for today’s no-contact business model. Consider whether these video ideas fit into your touchless marketing efforts.