1 December 2023

12 Awesome Ideas for Using Short Videos to Boost Your Small Business

By Ronald Smith

Today, I want to share with you twelve incredible ways you can take advantage of short videos to supercharge your small business. Are you ready? Let’s dive right in!

1. Show off your products: Get those cameras rolling and showcase your awesome products in action. Put together quick videos that highlight the features, benefits, and unique qualities of what you offer. This will give potential customers a taste of what you have to offer and leave them wanting more!

2. Give sneak peeks: Everyone loves getting a sneak peek behind the scenes! Use short videos to take your audience on a tour of your workspace or give them a look at your creative process. This creates a sense of exclusivity and builds anticipation for what’s to come.

3. Customer testimonials: Nothing is more powerful than hearing directly from satisfied customers. Gather testimonials from your happy clients and create short videos of them raving about your products or services. This social proof will build trust and credibility for your business.

4. Share tips and tricks: Position yourself as an expert in your industry by sharing useful tips and tricks through short videos. Whether it’s a quick tutorial or a life hack related to your products or services, these videos will provide value to your audience and keep them coming back for more.

5. Offer discounts and promotions: Everybody loves a good deal! Use short videos to announce special discounts, limited-time offers, or promotions. Personalize these videos to create excitement and make your audience feel like they’re part of an exclusive club.

6. Answer frequently asked questions: Save time and effort by answering common questions in short video format. This not only provides immediate answers to your audience but also gives your brand a human touch, making you more relatable and approachable.

7. Introduce your team: People love connecting with the faces behind the business. Use short videos to introduce your team members and let your audience get to know the personalities behind your brand. This helps build trust and establishes a personal connection with your customers.

8. Celebrate milestones: Share your achievements and milestones with your audience through short videos. Whether it’s reaching a certain number of customers, years in business, or hitting a sales goal, celebrating these moments with your audience creates a sense of community and allows them to feel a part of your success.

9. Tell your brand story: Use short videos to tell the story of your brand. Share how you started, the challenges you faced, and what makes your business unique. This emotional connection will resonate with your audience and create a lasting impression.

10. Go live: Take advantage of live videos to connect with your audience in real-time. Whether it’s hosting a QA session, sharing exciting news, or giving a behind-the-scenes look, going live creates a sense of immediacy and authenticity that your audience will appreciate.

11. Entertain with humor: Laughter is a fantastic way to engage your audience. Use short videos to inject some humor into your content and make your audience smile. It’s a great way to leave a lasting impression and make your brand memorable.

12. Share user-generated content: Encourage your customers to create their own short videos using your products or services and share them on social media. This not only increases brand awareness but also builds a community of loyal customers who love your brand.

In conclusion, short videos are a powerful tool that can take your small business to new heights. By implementing these twelve ideas, you can create engaging and memorable content that will capture the attention of your audience and help your business thrive. So what are you waiting for? Grab your camera and start shooting!

12 Awesome Ideas for Using Short Videos to Boost Your Small Business

Wow, have you noticed how much social media has changed lately? It’s crazy how short videos have taken over our news feeds. Some platforms like Instagram Stories use videos as a feature, but others like TikTok make it their main form of communication. And guess what? Businesses can totally benefit from this trend by using these short videos on their social media pages to engage customers and boost sales. Cool, right?!

Okay, check this out. I asked 12 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) how they’ve used Instagram Stories, TikTok, or other short video content for their small businesses. And let me tell you, they had some amazing insights to share! So here’s what they said:

What’s one way you’ve used Instagram Stories, TikTok, or other short video content for your small business, and why do you think it was so effective in achieving your goal?

Ready to dive in? Let’s see how you can make your video content really work for your business!

1. Connecting With What Customers Really Want

I use Instagram Stories to connect with the things that my customers struggle with and want to achieve. The trick is to quickly demonstrate how my product can solve a specific problem in their industry. When my followers can see the advantages of becoming a customer, they are more likely to visit my website and make a purchase. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights

2. Sharing Media Clips

We have been featured on various news shows and other media platforms to discuss relevant topics in our industry during times of the year when our audience is seeking specific answers. We have uploaded these short clips on our website. It is effective because it helps us get our name out there during the key times of the year when our followers need our expertise and insight the most. – Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

3. Providing Quick Education

I love short videos because they make a big impact right away. As a lawyer, explaining the law can be tough. But when I use visual cues and quick graphics in my videos, I can share important information with my audience in a way that they’ll remember and actually enjoy. – Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Advisers, P.A.

4. Sharing Information and Advertising

I’ve completely changed my marketing plan and started using short TikTok-style videos in the past three months. It’s the latest trend and it really works. People prefer videos that are short and simple. I use these videos to provide information, give tips, and promote products and upcoming webinars. These videos perform ten times better than regular content and graphics. – Lisa Collum, Top Score Writing

5. Featuring Content from Users

Including user-generated content has been a game-changer for our videos on YouTube and Instagram. In our videos, we feature real-life examples of campaigns created by our users using our software. We also showcase the positive feedback we’ve received so that people can see what others think of our brand. – John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC

6. Giving a Glimpse of the Buyer Journey

In the service industry, it can be tough to stand out when everyone is selling the same thing. Even if we offer better services, standard social marketing activities might not be enough. That’s where Stories come in. They give our customers and prospects a sneak peek behind the scenes of the complete buyer journey, showing how we contribute to its success. It adds an extra layer of proof to our campaigns. – Samuel Thimothy, OneIMS

7. Introducing the People Behind the Brand

Did you know that livestreaming can be a powerful tool for small businesses like yours? It’s a great way to connect with your customers on a personal level and make your brand more human. Sometimes, there’s a lack of emotion or connection between a business and its customers, but with video content, you can give them a whole new perspective of your brand.

8. Showcasing Your Products

At TutorMe, we’ve found that animated videos are perfect for demonstrating how our online tutoring platform works. They’re concise, yet captivating, allowing us to tell our brand story effectively. Since our service requires interaction for customers to fully understand the benefits, video content has been incredibly effective. After all, people prefer easily digestible content that highlights what’s important and aligns with their goals, both in the short and long term.

9. Sharing Unboxing Experiences

10. Quick Daily Updates on Instagram Stories

I’ve found a great way to keep my followers engaged on Instagram – using Instagram Stories! While my regular posts on Instagram promote bigger ideas or events, I use Stories for quick daily updates. This way, I can share new and exciting content with my followers without cluttering up my main feed. It gives me control over the story I’m telling and keeps the energy of my page fresh and vibrant.

11. Exciting Giveaway Contests

Want to grab your audience’s attention quickly? Try using short videos, especially ones that disappear after just 24 hours, to create giveaway contests and other time-sensitive offers. The limited-time nature of this content creates a fear of missing out (FOMO) and pushes viewers to take immediate action. Just remember to mix up different formats and pair them with the perfect content for the best results.

12. How to Get More People to Visit Your Sales Page

I want to share a cool trick with you for getting lots of people to check out your sales page. It involves using Instagram Stories, which can be a really effective tool. Here’s what you do:

First, pick a day when you can focus on promoting your product. It’s important to block out an entire day for this.

Throughout the day, you’re going to create short video clips – between 20 and 40 of them! These clips should be about your product and how awesome it is. Be creative and make them fun and interesting!

Once you’ve finished creating all those clips, save them together as a story series. This will make it easy for people to find and watch. Plus, when you save it, it will show up right under your profile description and above your photos. That way, people will see it right away when they visit your profile.

And here’s the best part – by doing this, you’ll keep driving traffic to your sales page. People who watch your story series will be curious and interested in what you’re offering. They’ll be more likely to click the link in your bio and check out your sales page. It’s a great way to get more people to see what you have to offer!