Video’s pervasiveness online is impacting everyone with a web presence, even B2B companies. First, remember that even business purchasers are consumers too and we bring our purchasing habits to the office. Then consider these recent surveys reported by eMarketer.
Online Activites of Internet Users Worldwide – 2008
Over 60% of adults using the web to research a product of service, then visit the company or product web-site for more information. Over half of these folks have watched a video clip. Now consider this: Over 40% of retailers are expected to add video to their web sites during this next year. (This would be in addition to those that are already using video today to sell product.)
Planned Advanced Site Features and Functions
This will continue to increase the expectation that prospects expect to access product and service information in a multimedia format. We already see this trend. Consider your own habits – when looking at products don’t you look for a video that really shows the product in use so you know what to expect? Now extend that expectation to a B2B purchasing decision; Don’t you really want to hear how an existing customer implemented the solution and make your own conclusions as to their veracity? Wouldn’t it help if you could see the product/service demonstrated?
For B2B companies, this means not only providing a library of web seminars, but delivering product tours, demonstrations, case studies and testimonials in a video format, and promoting it on your own web site.
So the net-net here is that we as both consumers and business buyers are doing our research online and visiting your web site. We want to access video as part of the education and qualification process, and those companies that provide it first are going to be have a competitive advantage.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.