While video content may be on the rise, getting views and link clicks on those videos still takes a lot of work.

With so much video content being produced every day by brands and individuals alike, you need to make sure that your video is really worth the time. Why would someone watch your branded video on YouTube instead of a gaming stream, a comedy sketch, last night’s game highlights, or bloopers from their favorite TV show?

This is the content you’ll be competing with, so you need to create something that can come close to it in terms of value to the viewer.

Here are some types of videos that can bring you lots of views and help promote your brand while entertaining the users!

1. Animated videos

Apart from potentially being visually impressive, animated videos can help you send a strong message to your viewers. You can use animated videos to elicit an emotional response, make your customers laugh, and explain some more abstract concepts.

For example, if you’re running a cycling eCommerce store, you might want to use animation to explain how bicycles are made, shipped, delivered, etc.

Animated videos can make complicated topics digestible and boring topics fun!

They can also be more cost-effective than filming a video with a production company since there is no need to rent equipment and hire large crews.

This animated video from John Lewis is now considered a classic, one of the best marketing videos with a strong message that suits the brand and the occasion perfectly:

John Lewis has made emotional Christmas videos a great tradition and we’ve come to expect them every December. In 90% of cases, they use some sort of animation (often coupled with real-life footage) to get their point across. And, in 90% of cases, they’ll manage to make you shed a tear!

2. Web series

Creating this type of video is a long-term effort that can pay off in major ways.

Creating a web series means hiring actors (or comedians, or just talented individuals), a small filming crew, and having a steady stream of script ideas. You’ll need to create short videos on at least a bi-weekly basis. Those videos need to provide value to the viewer by making them laugh, educating them, scaring them, or being interested in any other way that keeps their attention.

This may sound like a lot of work but remember what we said at the beginning: you’re competing with some seriously interesting content.

YouTube and social media are filled with videos that have been carefully thought-out and executed to perfection. There are channels with millions of subscribers and you’re asking the viewers to dedicate their valuable time to your video.

And, it’s not like this can’t be done. For example, Viva La Dirt League is a popular gaming channel that has several successful web series on different topics.

One of those web series is called “Bored” and it takes place in a tech store whose logo is visible in virtually every frame:

It takes a lot of creativity and time to make these videos on a regular basis but it’s safe to say that having over three million subscribers is worth it!

3. Tutorials and How-to videos

There are many ways to provide value to your viewers and customers.

One of those is to educate them on how to best use your product, its features, and get the best results out of the options they didn’t know even existed. But, the best thing about tutorials and how-to videos is the fact that they don’t need to be about your product: you can teach your viewers how to do almost anything, as long as it’s related to your niche.

Here is a good example from Ahrefs:

Even though Ahrefs is an SEO tool that can’t be used to hunt emails, they recognize that email outreach is vital for improving your search traffic over time. So, they made this great video tutorial that outlines how to find anyone’s email.

They don’t mention their tool at any point during the video – they focus on providing value and really solving your problem instead. While this approach may not give you instant, direct sales, the 200.000+ subscribers Ahrefs has are likely doing wonders for their brand awareness.

4. “Thank you” and “welcome” videos

One thing your customers will love is getting some personal attention from you, your salespeople, or your executives.

And, there’s no better way of doing this than sending them a personalized “thank you” video when they make their purchase or a “welcome” video when they sign up for your service. In today’s age dominated by brand communication and marketing, receiving an honest, personalized video will be a breath of fresh air.

More importantly, this approach might result in noticeable improvements when it comes to your commercial results. One of our clients – Luxe Fitness – used it to increase their trial conversion rates by 29% in only one month!

They allowed their fitness instructors to onboard new customers with personalized videos like this one:

Imbuing your marketing efforts with a touch of personalization is always a good idea, and doing it over video can give you amazing results.

5. Customer testimonials

You can’t overestimate the power of social proof – seeing that your product or service is already working for other people might give your prospects that final push they need to complete a purchase.

There are many ways to execute customer testimonials but, again, video is one of the most suitable formats for this type of message. A testimonial video gives your customers the perfect medium to tell their stories as honestly as possible. If you do it right, it can create an emotional connection between your current and potential users.

We already wrote about Salesforce’s testimonial series called “Trailblazers”, where the tech giant introduces us to its users in an innovative way. Here is one of the videos from the series:

All the videos in the series do a great job of showing emotion and illustrating a person’s story in a way that resonates with the audience. It’s not just about the tool and how it helped the customer – it’s also about how it impacted their lives on a larger scale.

6. Vlogs

Among different videos online, you’ll find that almost all the popular YouTubers and video content creators make their own vlogs. Why is this type of video so popular?

For one, it allows you to connect to your audience on a deeply personal level. It’s just you, your camera, and your daily thoughts/situations. There is no fancy production, special effects, or scripts. People recognize real content and they appreciate honesty.

Secondly, starting a vlog takes almost no starting capital. All you really need is a camera (you can even use most modern phones) and you’re ready. Compare that to the cost of starting a podcast (where you need at least two expensive microphones and potentially two cameras) and it’s clear which is the more affordable format. 

This type of video can be easily produced because it requires less to zero resources. With the right video editing tool that comes with different features such as video trimmer, background noise remover, and subtitle generator, you can effortlessly create and share captivating vlogs with your followers, keeping them informed about the latest updates in your life.

Here is a good example of a useful vlog in the small business industry:

It’s snappy, honest, and gives us a glimpse into the creator’s life.

There are different types of blogs that you can explore but they all involve you (or a salesperson or a presentation professional) speaking directly to the audience and showing their face.

7. Influencer videos

If “creativity” isn’t your middle name, you can always collaborate with content creators that have plenty of experience in the field.

There are thousands of video creators on all social media channels and almost either one of them will give your brand significant reach and exposure.

But, the trick is finding that creator (or a group of creators) whose audience matches your target audience as perfectly as possible. You might even be better off with a niche influencer that doesn’t have as many followers but the ones they have are engaged and interested in your specific type of service.

Here is a type of influencer video, particularly popular in the tech industry – unboxing video:

You’ll also see unboxing videos in makeup, DIY, and other industries as well. It’s a great way to get your product in front of a large audience (500k+ subscribers in this case) and have someone go through its features in detail.

It’s also better when someone is saying great things about your product, compared to when you post a video on your own channel. The latter can sometimes just sound like bragging.

8. Live streams

You can add some flair to your video marketing efforts by live streaming different types of content.

Maybe you’re at an industry event that will interest your potential clients? Or you have a guest whose opinions are worth listening to?

In any case, a live stream can be an interesting break from your usual video marketing approach and refresh your content. It’s not something you can do every day since it requires a lot of organization but it’s a nice addition you can use from time to time.

You can use live streaming with influencers to make the most out of this format. That’s exactly what Fashion Week did with Chiara Ferragni:

Source: Chiara Ferragni Instagram

They had a livestream of the runway, interviewing models and giving their followers a glimpse into the atmosphere. They also used fashion influencers to promote this digital event.

Live streaming from an event is one of the best use cases for this medium and there are a lot of ways to leverage it.

9. Educational videos

Educational and informational videos are a popular content format, especially on YouTube where you can find channels that cover anything from evolution and black holes to the global financial crisis of 2008.

This type of content is always in high demand, so you do some research and figure out what you can educate your viewers about when it comes to your specific niche. Chances are you or your colleagues have particular knowledge when it comes to things from your industry.

For example, NordVPN has a YouTube channel which they use to, among other things, educate their audience about VPN technology and its uses. Here is one of their videos:

It’s clear that NordVPN has a stake in popularizing VPN technology but their videos are useful on their own, with or without their branding. More importantly, if you were to try and learn something about VPN, you’ll likely stumble upon one of their videos – which is exactly why creating educational videos pays off.

As we said, it’s all about providing value. And, giving someone knowledge is about the most valuable thing you can do!

10. Interview/Q&A videos

One of the best types of videos for directly engaging your audience is Q&A or interview videos. You can let them ask questions beforehand or even do a live stream in which your viewers can ask questions in real-time.

You can even bring in a guest from your industry and do a long interview with them, close to the traditional TV interview format.

Gary Vee famously does Q&A shows all the time, answering questions from his fans on a live stream. Here is one of those:

As you can see, this format allows you to take your time and start relevant, deep conversations with your audience that are almost impossible to have anyplace else.

The Conclusion: 10 types of videos your customers will love

There are different types of videos you can create to keep your audience engaged and increase the number of views, likes, shares, and other metrics.

Choose the ones that work for your brand and don’t be afraid to experiment! Remember, video marketing mistakes can always be fixed and content marketing isn’t a process that can get you overnight results. It will likely be a long-term strategy that will, over a few years, result in amazing improvements in brand perception – if done right.

And, if you need help in creating these videos on your own, you can always try Bonjoro! It’s easy to navigate and enables you to make videos like a pro – even if you aren’t one.

Register for a free trial now!