Shoot for These B2B Industrial Video Marketing Opportunities

Matt Troge
Posted by Matt Troge on September 3, 2024
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It’s a digital-first business landscape, and over 90% of businesses are using video for marketing. Of that supermajority, 90% of video marketers believe they get good ROI on their video investment.

Just so we’re clear: video marketing isn’t a trend, an option, or a nice-to-have. It’s become an indispensable content format for B2B and consumer marketers alike, and a brilliantly effective tool for communicating key messages to target audiences.

Don’t take my word for it — the data speaks for itself. Marketers who apply thoughtful, strategic use of video are reporting impressive results across the board. Video marketing is helping them:

  • Improve prospects’ and customers’ understandings of their products and services
  • Increase brand awareness 
  • Build authority through thought leadership 
  • Boost website traffic and increase visitors’ dwell times
  • Generate leads for marketing and sales
  • Reduce product support queries

No matter your business goals, the right video strategy for your business centers around your people: your customers and end users. Leaders and employees. Partners and vendors. Communities. Video can showcase the value across every relationship and touchpoint.

1. Bring Product Features to Life With Animation

Animation is a powerful tool for simplifying complex information and showcasing product features in an engaging way:

  • Illustrate complex processes with clarity
  • Highlight unique selling points visually
  • Make highly technical information more accessible

Example: Falcon Structures uses animation to demonstrate its modular building customization capabilities, making a complex process easier to understand.

 

2. Speed Progress With the Magic of Time Lapse

Time-lapse videos condense lengthy processes into punchy, compelling clips—ideal for showcasing the scale and complexity of industrial projects:

  • Showcase construction projects
  • Demonstrate long-term effects or processes
  • Highlight facility expansions or upgrades (emphasizing the benefits to your end customers, such as faster turnaround times) 

Example: Kaysun’s time-lapse video of its facility expansion was months in the making. It not only showcases growth, but also builds excitement around Kaysun’s expanding capabilities.

3. Elevate Perspectives With Aerial & Drone Footage

Drone and aerial videography can offer a unique vantage point that does more than add dramatic flair. They help frame a broader perspective on operations, indoors and out. Aspects of the video above were created using drone and aerial footage.

RELATED: B2B Video Marketing Statistics to Know

4. Show a Little Heart With an “About Us” Video

Authenticity has never been more important—so show and tell your story.

Sure, it’s an effective way to demonstrate what you do and how it gets done, but video’s also a natural choice for showcasing the who and why behind your products and services. Show job candidates what to expect if they choose you. Shine a spotlight on your team’s subject matter experts. Highlight your team’s passions and purpose projects. Show the value your teammates bring to their communities.

Example: Falcon Structures’ team mission of improving blue-collar workers’ lives is a clear source of shared pride and motivation. Without saying a word, the company makes it crystal-clear: this team understands and cares about workers’ wellbeing. 

5. Boost Recruiting & Retention With an Insider’s View

Modern industrial manufacturing environments often defy the old stereotypes. Plus, blue-collar careers are getting the attention of younger generations — who also happen to watch more video (most often on smartphones, if you’re wondering).

Manufacturers everywhere are competing for skilled labor, and video can showcase your workplace culture, highlight career opportunities, attract top talent, and help set clear expectations.

Example: Seeing is believing, and our friends at Stecker Machine give job seekers something to believe with their behind-the-scenes, day-in-the-life video content.

6. Prove Capability Claims & Show Products in Action

Showcase products or manufacturing processes in action for credibility and context. Explain how and why your product outperforms the competition — while showing it delivering on the promise. Product demos, case studies, and customer testimonials are all compelling video use cases.

Example: Footage of real-world product use, combined with explanations from the experts behind the innovation, drive home the safety and performance benefits of Hayes Performance Systems’ Bison Mechanical Park Brake.

7. Open Doors With Virtual Facility Tours

Virtual tours allow prospective customers and job seekers to explore your facilities from anywhere, anytime. Use video to:

  • Highlight advanced equipment and processes
  • Demonstrate quality control, hygiene, and safety measures in place
  • Build trust through transparency

Fox Valley Metal-Tech, a provider of complex fabrications for critical defense and commercial applications, guides prospects on a tour from the front doors to the production floor, highlighting critical capabilities and environments along the way.

8. Share Trade Show & Event Highlights

Trade shows and industry events offer a golden opportunity to capture authentic moments of engagement amid activities, demonstrations, panel discussions, all in an upbeat, even celebratory setting. 

Short, dynamic clips of product demonstrations can highlight key features and capture authentic reactions from attendees, providing social proof and generating excitement around your offerings. These snippets are perfect for sharing on social media, extending the reach of your investment well beyond the event itself and keeping your brand top-of-mind long after the show floor has cleared.

Example: At MODEX 2024, Barcoding used video to capture and share the excitement around their innovative products and services, demonstrating cutting-edge solutions and building buzz around their potential to improve efficiency and accuracy in their operations.

9. Showcase Thought Leadership & Build Authority

Video content that takes a position on important issues and demonstrates advanced thinking in your industry can enhance your reputation as a thought leader. Content might include internal experts and/or executives identifying and addressing: 

  • Emerging trends
  • Sticky industry challenges
  • Primary research findings
  • Innovative product or service offerings

Example: With video, leaders can convey complex ideas with visual impact, expertise, and a conversational tone, making their thought leadership more engaging and memorable.

Video is a unique content medium that integrates visuals, sound, action, and storytelling to create powerful connections with target audiences. It’s a versatile powerhouse that can showcase products, humanize brands, and drive engagement across every stage of the buyer’s journey. From animated explainers to drone footage, virtual tours to thought leadership pieces, video offers endless possibilities to elevate your industrial marketing strategy.

Don’t let technical complexities hold you back from capturing video’s potential to support your growth marketing. Explore how you can leverage video to transform your marketing efforts, stand out in a crowded marketplace, and forge deeper connections with your audience. 

Ready to roll? Download our free eBook to kickstart your video marketing journey and turn your industrial brand into the star of the show. Click below to download your personal copy.

33 types of marketing and sales videos

Topics: Video Marketing, Manufacturing