10 Types of Video Content
for Effective & Engaging Marketing Campaigns

Businesses are always seeking ways to make their marketing campaigns more effective. With the competition as high as it is, companies need to know what exactly they should be doing to stand out, and effectively attract and engage their target audience online.

With that said, the creation of video content is becoming an increasingly popular method of driving social media engagement for brands. And there’s no mystery as to why – with Cisco reporting that by 2021, a whopping 82% of all consumer web traffic will be video.

What’s your motive?

When it comes to creating video content for your business, it’s important to first have a specific goal in mind.

Is your goal to create awareness about your brand?

Is it to convert or close leads?

Or, is it meant to transform your current customers into brand ambassadors, or customers who are motivated to publicly vouch for your product or service?

Think about it. Once you have the answer, you’ll be able to start thinking about which type or types of video content to feature in your social campaign.

So without further adieu, let’s go over our top 10 types of video content that can really help to drive effective and engaging inbound marketing campaigns:

1. The Brand Video:

This is a video that shines the spotlight on what makes a company unique, and showcases the brand’s personality. It could explain a company’s values or mission, or talk about the products and services they offer. Typically, a brand video is part of a larger campaign to help new target consumers understand what the brand is all about.

For example, in this powerful brand video featuring Serena Williams, social networking app Bumble truly captures the essence of their brand and mission:

 

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2. The Explainer Video:

Explainer videos are created to help your target audience understand how your company can help them with their problem or specific need(s). This can be done through using fictional storytelling with your target persona as the main character, or, through simply explaining why people should consider your company to solve their problem.

In this explainer video, Casper walks viewers through the unique design of their mattress, and explains how exactly it promotes a better sleep:

 

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3. The “Viral” Video (Or, in actuality: A Video with a High Engagement Goal)

“We want this to go VIRAL!”

Chances are, you’ve probably heard (or said) this phrase before. But the fact of the matter is: There is no set formula or recipe that will guarantee a viral reaction. This is totally unpredictable and, in fact, quite rare. So instead, companies should set out to create a “scalable social video” – a term coined by Travis Chambers of Chambers Media – which, in a nutshell, is an entertaining video that exceeds the engagement levels of a typical video shared by that company.

The trick with creating a scalable social video is to aim to think outside of the box, and set a realistic (but above average) engagement goal.

Check out this hilarious and unexpected example of a video that achieved a fairly high level of engagement from Pazazz Printing, and ask yourself why you think it was so successful:

 

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4. The How-To Video:

An informative and educational how-to video is a great opportunity to provide your potential customers with the information they need about anything pertaining to your business or offerings. This can be either a long and in-depth educational video, or a shorter video containing tips or advice using your company’s expertise on what it is you specialize in.

Here’s a great example of a how-to video from guided meditation app Headspace, where the company explains how one should sit while meditating:

 

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5. The Demonstration Video:

A demonstration video helps your target audience learn about how they can use your product or service correctly. These videos can be extremely helpful and can even lead a prospective customer further down the buyer’s journey.

Here’s an example of a demonstration video where Velour shows their customers how to apply their false lashes:

 

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6. The Interview Video:

This type of video allows a company to discuss specific topics pertaining to their industry with another expert or consumer of that field. This can give companies the opportunity to build a sense of authority, credibility and trust with their target consumers.

For example, Hershey’s chocolate created a short video asking several different bakers the same simple question: “Why do you bake?”:

 

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7. The Case Study/ Testimonial Video

A testimonial video is an excellent and extremely effective way for companies to show their potential customers just what they can do for them, by providing them with positive feedback directly from a real and happy existing customer.

Here’s a great example of this video type from Hootsuite, featuring a story from a company who has had a great experience using their service:

 

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8. The Animated Video:

An animated video conveys a message or explains a company’s product or service through the use of interesting and stimulating visuals. If you’re trying to communicate something about your company that requires a little more explaining, going the animated video route can help to get your message across more clearly.

Here’s a great animated video from PayPal that explains exactly how the service works:

 

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9. The Event Video:

Whenever a company holds any kind of event – such as a discussion, conference, or even a party –they can capitalize on this by capturing video from the experience and sharing it with their target audience.

For example, Samsung chose to share the unveiling of their new Galaxy devices with more than just their live audience, which was certainly a smart move:

 

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10. The Live Video:

A live video has the power to engage your target audience in real-time. You can live stream a presentation, a demonstration, or a big or small event – and can encourage your viewers to comment or ask questions during the streaming.

Live videos perform best on social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook, and can be a really fun way to encourage real-time engagement.