With so many different video platforms emerging nowadays, it's hard to keep up with all the ways you can use them. Today's video today goes far beyond acting as a basic social media tool, and can be applied to other aspects of your business. Whether it's for marketing, customer service, or training purposes, the opportunities for video are endless.
That’s why we asked 12 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:
Q. What’s an innovative way companies can incorporate emerging video platforms into their business strategy?
1. Record Customer Testimonials
Dedicate a few people from your team to start taping customer testimonials. Throw those testimonials on YouTube and share them on social media. From there, dedicate time every week to developing a short (5-10 minutes) video episode for internal use where you interview employees and offer company updates. This way, your employee engagement will go through the roof. –Yaniv Masjedi, Nextiva
2. Use Crowdcast for Instant Webinars
Video can often be one way. A brand tells its fans what the company is up to, or gives them a behind-the-scenes look at the business. Crowdcast is a startup that provides dead-simple webinars. You can use their platforms to actually have a dialogue with your fans. Best of all, you can capture all of the live content and save it on your site for future visitors! –Aaron Schwartz, Modify
3. Screen Recruits Using Video
We use video interviews as a way to screen for stand-out applicants who are confident, composed, and can present themselves well under pressure. We've hired hundreds of people this way, and we also use the videos to create video resumes, which enable candidates to present themselves and their work in the best way possible. –Patrick Linton, Bolton Remote
4. Use Snapchat Video Channels
Snapchat isn't content with simply offering videos through its "Discover" feature--it wants to give users a reason to keep coming back. If it lets users subscribe to Discover channels, you will want your company to be the first mover. Snapchat is poised to record a huge growth this year. –Matthew Capala, Alphametic
5. Show Your Products in Action
Short, live video platforms like Vine are great for showing off something that doesn't come across well in just images. Mixing videos with products pages, such that buyers can see them being handled and used live, is something I expect to see a lot more of very soon. –Adam Steele, The Magistrate
6. Hold a Panel With Google Hangouts
We've found great success by facilitating an industry panel of experts. Pick a current trend or controversial topic to be discussed. With nine people on the panel and one moderator, each participant will share their own views, which makes for an educational session full of lively discussion. Upload a copy to YouTube for those who missed the live recording. –David Ciccarelli, Voices.com
7. Record Q&As
Ask the experts in your industry about certain topics on a weekly basis, and use their answers to create a video. The expert doesn't have to be present--just an individual reading off advice and shouting out the expert's name, company, Twitter handle, and more. This is a great way to boost connections, views and shares, and will be very appreciated by those who take part! –Miles Jennings, Recruiter.com
8. Build Community With Periscope
The dream of live streaming from your mobile phone is finally here, and companies can now provide a firsthand look at what's happening behind the scenes. Media and entertainment companies can capitalize on this by Periscoping from events and giving personality to the brand in real time. Our travel company builds community through Periscope all the time. –Matt Wilson, Under30Experiences
9. Train Your Staff With Video
Not only does this help standardize what new employees and existing staff hear about the company and its culture, but it also helps create a more efficient and engaging process for the organization and those involved in getting this information. Typically, these processes are paper-based and boring, but video adds interest and offers a way to make the information stick. –Murray Newlands, Due.com
10. Make Video Part of Your Mobile Marketing Strategy
More people than ever are using their smartphones to do research and shopping, and they love to watch videos. It makes sense to include a visually engaging platform in your mobile marketing strategy. You can include videos on social media marketing sites, your website, and in mobile ads since video ad campaigns or insightful product or service videos are shared more than other content. –Angela Ruth, eCash
11. Go Live With Customer Service
I'd love to see a sales staff on live video helping customers who can't make it to the store. Some service work can also be done with video connections. There are millions of "How I did this simple task" videos on YouTube. I'm waiting for more companies to take advantage of video to provide real value to customers, rather than bleep out more negligible marketing clips. –Brandon Stapper, 858 Graphics
12. Use It to Target a Location
Companies can use real-time video marketing strategies integrated with weather targeting and environmental triggering to target users based on actual weather conditions. This new innovative way to utilize video ads can impact consumer purchase behavior. For example, a coconut water company using location-based weather targeting can show video ads to anyone in an impending heat wave zone. –Nick Chasinov, Teknicks
