How to Make a Promo Video for Your Business

Looking to build brand awareness for your business, increase your sales and build a larger following? Then it’s time to dive into the world of promotional videos. An engaging and dominant form of communication that is reigning all social media platforms, it’s no secret that video marketing has become a go-to format for marketing professionals across all industries. The best news: as a small business, creating promo videos to highlight your brand and offerings has never been more accessible or budget-friendly.  

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to make a promo video for your business, so that you can also be part of the 87% of video marketers who already greatly benefit from video marketing. 

But First: Why Should Businesses Make Promo Videos?

Video marketing is equally important for small businesses, and many benefits come with it. Videos are an effective medium to generate awareness. Unlike images that only show one angle of your product or brand, videos allow you to concisely showcase any aspect of your business. Thanks to advancing technology, even small businesses can follow suit and make powerful videos to take them to the next level. 

Build Brand Awareness

Building brand awareness basically means reaching out to potential customers who may have never heard of your product or brand; it’s telling a stranger a story. You can do this seamlessly with a video that captures how your product, brand, or service is the perfect solution to the audience’s pain points and why they should make a purchase with you. 

Better Communication

Promo videos open doors to engagement and provide better communication with your audience, team, and business as a whole. Think of company culture videos showing the team’s passion for a particular topic. From an internal perspective, making a quick intro video on a new employee is an exciting introduction. 

Increase Conversions

Conversion rates increase when a customer is exposed to a video. In fact, you’re more likely to increase your conversions with a video placed on your website or landing page; these visitors are 64-85% more likely to convert after viewing a product video, according to Shopify. 

Create a Snowball Effect

When you’ve put out a great video on your social pages, the chances of it getting reshared are pretty high. According to Forbes, users share videos more than text, image, or link-based posts by 1,200%. 

Provides Better Understanding

Sure, images are powerful, but videos explain more than what meets the eye. Videos are an efficient way for visitors to connect the dots and expand a customer’s understanding of your brand or product. 

More Accessible Than Ever 

These days, making a promo video ad for your business doesn’t require a hefty budget with a studio or actors, something small businesses may not have the resources for. There are efficient and accessible ways to produce a videos such as with Promo.com. With over 110 million Getty Images assets to choose from and an easy photo and video upload option –  you can create, crop, brand and edit videos in a few clicks. 

What Makes a Good Promotional Video?

It is estimated that we encounter a whopping 6,000-10,000 ads a day, and the numbers will only rise as the years go by. So, before we get to the drawing board, It’s essential to understand the key ingredients to a successful promotional video. What makes an excellent promotional video highly depends on a few factors and how you present your brand or product. Sure, the aim is to get conversions, but overall, it needs to be a subtle yet powerful sales pitch that doesn’t feel too salesy. 

These are the top factors of what makes a successful promotional video:

 3 Second Hook

That’s right. You have 3 seconds to get a user hooked. According to Facebook’s video consumption statistics, 45% of social users who watch the first 3 seconds will most likely watch another 30 seconds. And, as psychology shows us, our attention span is getting shorter and more erratic. It’s safe to say that a whole lot of value should be showcased in the first three seconds. Here are some great ways to create the perfect hook and catch the bait!

• Use stunning vectors and eye-grabbing footage or images within your video for a “wow” effect.
• Show a pain point and then immediately show the solution
• Craft a story that will spark the audience’s curiosity and make them want to see the ending. 

Memorable Music

Audio is debatable for some marketers since many viewers mute their phones while scrolling through social media. However, depending on the brand, product, and platform, sometimes throwing in catchy and relevant audio to the mix can really go a long way. 

If you’re planning on posting a video or video ad on Youtube, then the chances of viewers with unmuted settings are higher than on Facebook. The same goes for TikTok; users enjoy listening to audio and trending music when scrolling through their discovery page. If your business or product relies on music offerings, then going for clear, catchy, and engaging music to show off your skills is probably a good idea.

The complex side of incorporating a tuneful audio clip is the licensing regulations, especially on platforms like YouTube. Promo eliminates the hassle of finding royalty-free music with our jam-packed music library containing the catchiest audio clips that are readily available in just a click.

Ignites Visual Senses

Scientifically, we are visual creatures; that’s how we make sense of our surroundings and world. Visual processing is as natural as hearing or feeling. 20% of your brain is actually used for visual stimulation. Think of compelling visuals, colors, and movement to incorporate in your promotional video to revive a viewer’s visual sense. Here are a few fun factors to keep in mind when creating your promotional video:

• The first visual we had in front of us when we were born is faces, and it’s most likely the preferred visual we can emotionally connect with on a day-to-day basis.
• Using a good mix of colors tantalizes our visual receptors and emotions. Colors on certain ads and even logos are psychologically tied with specific emotions. For example, it ignites energy and excitement, while blue brings about a sense of loyalty and security.
• Like visuals, movement keeps our brain alert and brings about interest from a spectator’s view. So, going for appetizing footage is a significant factor that contributes to a successful video.

How to Make a Promo Video in 5 Minutes

Now that we’ve understood what features make a good video let’s jump into the recipe for a great Promo video that can be yours to share in minutes.

1. Identify Your Goal

Like anything in life, you need to keep a goal in mind when formulating the contents of your video. What do you want the result to be? Many small businesses work on different business models; if you wish to increase conversions, get more sign-ups, or get people to partake in your online course, you need to determine the goal. From there, build a funnel that will make a potential client flow seamlessly through until they reach the goal.

2. Write a Short Video Script

Once you have determined your goals, it’s time to write the first version of your texts. Remember, the first 3 seconds of any video should be engaging and spark curiosity so that the viewer lands up watching the whole video. If you feel stuck for inspiration, check out our promotional templates or start by looking for footage and that might get the creative ball rolling.

3. Find the footage you need

Now, for the fun part! Find related footage that will fuel your message further and leave the viewers enthralled. On Promo.com, you can search through 110 million Getty Images assets to take your video to a whole new level. Search for the term you’re looking for, scroll down to start from scratch, preview the footage you want to use, and click “Use” to bring your project to life. You can also easily upload your own assets to Promo, where they will be kept and waiting to be used, whenever you please.

4. Edit Your Video

Once you’ve put together the different footage you want in the editor, this is the bit where you can edit the different clips, crop, and add your text. With Promo, you can easily toggle between various text styles and font options, as well as change your video’s aspect ratio to fit your desired social media platform. 

Promo tip: Don’t forget to find the right music for your video by browsing through Promo’s selection of royalty-free music, and adding the one that works best with your video.

5. Add a CTA and Brand Logo 

Remember the first point where we discussed goals? Well, this is where you’ll put that into manifestation. A CTA, otherwise known as a “Call-to-action,” is either a button or a line that prompts the viewer to take some sort of action. If you have a sale, a fitting CTA would be “Claim 50% off”. If you’re an estate agent wanting to get more buyers to contact you, then “Find the best deals” would be a fitting CTA. To boost brand recognition, don’t forget to add your brand logo to your outro. 

Promo tip: Don’t forget to go back and review your promo video. With Promo, you can easily edit your published videos before sharing them. 

8. Promote Your Promo Video

Now, it’s time to shine! Where will you promote your video? From Promo’s Publish Page, you can download it and incorporate your video into your emails, upload to YouTube, share directly to Facebook or Instagram, embed your video on your website or landing page, or send it to your subscriber list. 

6 Types of Promo Videos All Businesses Should Have

You may be wondering what’s the best type of promo video for your business? The answer correlates to what kind of business you have and your goals.  Let’s go over the benefits of different types of videos all businesses should have and how they can contribute to your video marketing strategy. 

1. Explainer Videos

What is an explainer video? 

An explainer video is a short-form video usually used for marketing or sales purposes that highlights a company’s product, service, or business idea compellingly and efficiently. Explainer videos offer new potential customers to quickly understand your business in a fundamental “nutshell” way. They should provide a solution for people’s pain points and show them the perks of purchasing or signing up. 

Explainer Video Benefits

Whether you’re looking to create an explainer video for a startup or simply want to show off how your product or service works, explainer videos are super beneficial for small businesses. 

• Explainer videos are easily shareable – Users are most likely to share catchy and engaging videos, unlike lengthy articles or static images.
• Explainer videos can increase conversion rates- users are more likely to convert once they have seen the benefits of what you offer. 
• You don’t need to burn your budget – Making explainer videos is cost-effective when using a user-friendly video maker tool like Promo.com.
• A crucial aspect of brand awareness – Explainer videos offer a straightforward way to get new users to learn about you and your brand. 

Use this template

2. How-To Videos

How-to video’s primary goal is to teach your viewers to do something specific. If you’re in the travel business, you can make a how-to video on how to travel safely during a pandemic. Another great way is to show how a user can make pasta bolognese using authentic Arrabiata homemade dressing. As for benefits, these videos are easily shareable and build your credibility as a business since people will get the impression that you’re a pro in the industry. Like this, you not only show off your business, but you build trust amongst newcomers. 

Use this template

3. Product Videos

Product-demo videos are the holy grail for small business owners who sell products. Product videos show off a product’s benefits and unique features. By directly showing how a product works through a visual scope, the easier it is for the viewer to grasp the concept and see it in action. More benefits of product-based videos include the opportunity to show the product at every angle, highlighting the solutions, and increasing conversion rates. 

Use this template

4. Testimonial

Testimonial videos basically give your brand credibility and trust. It’s an excellent way to showcase to your new customers, letting them know you are a legit business and have made other clients happy in the past. Testimonial videos can be tricky because finding a client willing to record a video for you is no easy catch. However, if you have a good relationship with your clients, it could be easier to ask for a favor. 

Use this template

5. Behind-The-Scenes Videos

A big social media trend is for small businesses to feature some incredible behind-the-scenes footage, such as the process of new products, the creation, and even the packing process. It provides an opportunity to show users what goes on behind the scenes and how they can expect their product to arrive. For example, you can show how you pack orders and all the detail you put into each order; think of stickers, customized notes, a cute gift, and recyclable packaging. Also, you can show excerpts of how you make a particular product so that the customer sees the amount of effort you put into your business. 

If you’re offering a service, you can show the behind-the-scenes of your day-to-day in the office with your team; like this, people have a taste of your personality and the team you work with. 

6. Company Culture Videos

So, this is not so much about getting clients but more about giving insight into your company’s culture. Company culture videos can be internal for employment purposes or external when hiring. People actively looking for jobs want to see what it’s like working at your company and try to visualize the environment, culture, and values. Showing the perks, values, office, and cheerful words from your employees will give you a great asset to put in the career section of your website, LinkedIn profile, or social media page. 

Company culture videos are also about internal communications with your employees. There are several videos to consider, such as; documenting your annual outing, introducing a new employee, or even sharing customer success stories to give your employees a “feel-good” vibe. 

Use this template

Where to Use Your Promo Videos?

Facebook

Facebook offers small businesses a fair chance to promote themselves seamlessly since there’s a little something for everyone with so many interests and niches to choose from. Sharing your promotional video on Facebook is an excellent approach to getting new leads. It’s a fantastic way to generate brand awareness by reaching out to specific audiences interested in your niche on an organic and paid basis.  

You also get to measure your video’s success with Facebook’s video metrics. These metrics paint a clearer picture of how your promo video is performing (organic or paid), such as how long your video is viewed, how many people pressed play, and how many stopped watching after 3 seconds. Like this, you’ll get a better understanding of whether your video has garnered some sort of attention, or if it may need more tweaking to get the audience hooked without exiting before 3 seconds.

Here are some ideas to consider:

1. Share your videos on your Facebook page. 
2. Find relevant Facebook groups and ask the admin to post your video there. Sometimes, you may need to pay for this. 
3. Send your video to all your followers through Facebook Messenger. 
4. Add your video to your story. 
5. Create a paid ad campaign to promote your video. 

Instagram

Instagram is a popular platform to generate new leads and even go viral! The reason being is that their discovery page and Reels section is packed with content that ties in with a user’s preferences. If you are a custom baker, showing off your beautiful cake designs on Instagram will probably reach an interest in baking. Also, don’t forget those hashtags! Use relevant hashtags to your business so people can find you. Here are more great tips; 

1. Make Instagram Reels Videos and keep it under a minute
2. Consider posting explainer videos, how-to’s, and behind-the-scenes videos.
3. Share your video on your story, and be sure to add a link, call to action, and fun stickers 
4. Create a paid campaign and reach a custom audience 

TikTok

TikTok is a video-sharing app rapidly gaining momentum in popularity and followers. TikTok users enjoy seeing an array of videos that pique their interests, and this includes how-to’s, behind-the-scenes, packaging orders, and so much more. You can quickly expose your business with a fun, attractive, and quirky promo video using the correct hashtags. Here are some TikTok video tips to be mindful of; 

1. Make use of TikTok’s trending music library when posting your video. If you already have audio on your video, you can mute it and add a trending song to help get more exposure.
2. Make your videos between 40 seconds – and 1 minute to prevent users from getting too bored and skipping your video halfway through. 
3. TikTok ads are easy and pretty understandable to create, with TikTok presenting many goals for you to consider and audience targeting. 

Email Marketing

Email video marketing has proven to increase click-through rates by 200-300%. 

That’s why it’s a brilliant practice for retention purposes. Don’t let that go to waste if you have a list of email subscribers from past clients, leads, or sign-ups. Have a new product or collection that you want to expose to your clients? Want to share some exciting company announcements? Send your compelling promotional videos to your email list to connect and engage with them. 

Your Website

Consider placing videos that resonate more with new visitors; explainer videos, product videos, and testimonials are a great way to lure potential clients and make them convert. This one’s a biggie; embedding your video on your homepage or dedicated landing page helps increase conversions by about 80%. Also, Google likes featuring websites packed with helpful videos, increasing their chances of appearing on the search engine results page (SERP), giving a 157% organic traffic boost. 

Promo’s Ready-Made Templates for Your Business

Don’t know where to begin and need inspiration for your next catchy promotional video? Making any type of video is pretty simple with Promo.com’s seamless video maker. What’s more, there are so many ready-made templates to choose from. Find templates that correspond to your niche, including what type of video you want to produce. There are also seasonal templates that will help you get your theme on! 

The best part about Promo.com’s ready-made templates is that they are easily customizable in terms of sizing; choose either a vast, square, or vertical landscape to fit your promotional video needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How Do You Make a Promo Video for Instagram?

A: If you want to know how to make an Instagram video in a few clicks, then Promo.com is your answer! Here are the X easy steps to follow

1. Create a “New Project”
2. Upload your own footage and/or browse through Promo’s extensive library of footage (Click customize when you want a specific video)
3. Produce your video, edit captions, and add your audio
4. Select the “Vertical” video size
5. Save and Preview when you’re done! 

Q: How Much Does a 1 Minute Promo Video Cost? 

A: There are budget-friendly plans on Promo.com that are formulated to suit everyone’s needs. You get to publish unlimited videos on all plans, and luckily, video length is not restricted either. Head onto Promo.com’s pricing plan to view the plans and see which one makes more sense for you to choose. 

Q: How Long Can Promo Video Be?

A: While the context of the video may differ, and the channel you’re uploading the video to is also a deciding factor, a good rule of thumb is keeping a promo video between 15-90 seconds. Remember, users have short attention spans and want to get to the punchline as quickly as possible. 

Q: How to Make a Promo Video for an Event?

If you have an exciting event coming up, then attractive event videos help push your audience’s interests. Intrigue your audience with wide shots of past events without giving away too much on the exciting bits. Add some fuel by featuring past attendees’ testimonials on how your specific events helped them. A 2-3 minute event promo video can ignite your prospective client’s senses and spark their curiosity to want to know more by attending your next event. 

Ready to Make Promo Videos?

You now have all the information to create promotional videos that convert. You know what video types you need, what goes into creating a stand-out promo video, how to create a video with Promo, and what social media platforms you should post on. Now all that’s left is for you to go ahead and make your own! Now, what are you waiting for? Get promoting!