Whether you're offering friendly advice or a sense of reassuring authority, video marketing allows your brand persona to shine.
If your insurance marketing strategy doesn't include video content, you could be missing out. From 2019 to 2021 there was a 77% increase in the overall number of annual video plays, according to Wistia's “2022 State of Video Report," and 86% of businesses are capitalizing on this by using it as a marketing tool, according to Wyzowl's “State of Video Marketing 2022" survey.
As an insurance agent, you know that forging a trusting relationship with your clients is key to business success. But do you know that this relationship begins long before clients buy an insurance product from you? The more engaging content you have on your website and social platforms, the more quickly you can grab their attention and ease concerns.
Among marketers who don't use video, 13% claimed they weren't sure it was needed, while 7% were unsure of the return on investment, according to Wyzowl. Think video marketing is a lot of work for a little reward? This couldn't be further from the truth.
The benefits of video content are tangible: 96% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service, while 88% of people say that they've been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand's video, according to Wyzowl's report.
Whether you're offering friendly advice or a sense of reassuring authority, video marketing allows your brand persona to shine. Whatever your insurance selling style, gain trust and send memorable messages via the game-changing power of video.
Here are just four of the many benefits of investing in video marketing:
1) Effective Communication
Communication is critical in the insurance industry. From crafting clear messaging for customers to choosing the right instant messaging system for business chat, video plays into the need for smart, streamlined communication, allowing you to send one well-crafted message to thousands of prospective clients. Also, a video message is likely to stick with viewers longer than written text, as it appeals to multiple senses at once, demanding engagement.
2) Evergreen Content
Video content can keep earning you customers long after you've invested time and funds into your message. For example, once you've recorded an educational video about insurance, you can include it on an ongoing basis on your website, social media and email campaigns. Likewise, a simple onboarding video is an essential way to welcome new clients for years to come.
You can even pitch evergreen video content to industry-specific sites, introducing your brand to a broader audience while creating backlinks for SEO. It means that the ROI will outlive the investment.
3) Value for Money
Ten percent of marketers believe that video marketing is too expensive for their brand, according to Wyzowl, and as an independent agent or broker, you may agree. However, quality video is becoming more accessible to sole traders and small businesses.
All you need to get started is a smartphone or a webcam. As your videos gain traction, you may choose to invest in a better camera, tripod or lighting rig. But as long as your message is on point, the basics will take you far.
4) A Personal Touch
Personalization has been the buzzword in marketing for a couple of years. With 71% of consumers expecting personalized content, according to McKinsey, business video platforms make it easy to meet this demand by offering customizable video templates where you can overlay audience-specific text or images.
Recording a one-sentence personalized introduction for key clients makes them feel seen and heard while enjoying the same core content as everyone else. This little touch can raise your customer satisfaction score rating (CSAT) and get you noticed for the right reasons.
Creating Your Strategy
Video content can either elevate an existing marketing strategy or form a solid basis for a new one. Here are five ideas for your first foray into video marketing:
1) Welcome new clients. Many insurance deals are made online, which can remove a client's sense of reassurance that is created in a face-to-face meeting with an agent or broker. Rekindle that trust by welcoming new clients with a warm and friendly welcome video.
Send new clients and prospects an email with a short video to establish a human connection. Use this opportunity to outline the major points of your service and guide them toward the next steps.
2) Educate your audience. Insurance can be confusing to the average consumer, leading many to feel out of their depth. As an agent, you can step in as an expert voice and put their worries to rest. A short video series is an ideal way to achieve this—whether on your homepage, social media or distributed via recurring emails.
Make bite-sized slices of wisdom, explaining the basics in jargon-free terms and outlining the claims process for different situations. By offering expert knowledge for free, you can start your customer relationships on the right foot, building trust and positioning yourself as a helpful resource.
3) Share social proof. Nothing goes further than a personal recommendation when trying to gain traction with new clients. Written reviews can tip the balance in favor of a purchase decision, while the addition of user-sourced photos to these reviews adds even more power. Imagine, then, what video testimonials can do for your reputation.
Send follow-up emails to customers who have recently left positive written reviews. Ask if they'd like to participate in a short video interview in person or online via webcam. This kind of content humanizes your service, helping potential customers see themselves in the interviewees. The result is a compelling tool that places you ahead of competitors.
4) Go live. Did you know that 26% of video marketers planned to include Facebook Live in their 2022 video marketing strategy, according to Wyzowl? Viewers enjoy the authenticity and the chance to interact with content creators via live chat.
Build trust by hosting a live video Q&A where consumers can ask questions and you can respond in real-time. This gives potential clients a sneak preview of the sort of personable customer service they could expect from you going forward.
Live video also allows you to think outside the box when trying to grab attention. Do you offer pet insurance? How about streaming a live video from an animal shelter? The feel-good factor will drive engagement, giving you a chance to share an important message.
5) Host a webinar. Insurance agents are trusted advisers in a complicated industry. How better to position yourself as such than by hosting an online seminar or conference?
This can be broadcast live from a single venue, or contributors can participate online with team collaboration software. The latter allows speakers to share their screens or write on a digital whiteboard as they speak, engaging watchers on multiple levels.
Choose an engaging topic to base your webinar around, so that potential customers will immediately see the value of getting involved. You can sell tickets to the event or offer it as free information to help kickstart client relationships.
Mix It Up
Once you've built a sustainable video-posting habit, you can try different formats and see what sticks. Dip into web and social analytics tools to see which posts are gaining the most engagement and providing the most conversions. Use this information to inform your next campaign and optimize your video for SEO.
Also, repurpose videos across all your channels by breaking longer video from your website into smaller chunks for Instagram. Or use clips from a live stream to grab attention via email. Done right, video can be a fully composable online cache of experiences, which can be repurposed and personalized to suit different solutions.
It can certainly seem daunting, but rest assured that video confidence grows over time—especially once you see the results. Insurance is all about relationships, and video is the perfect medium for your messaging, allowing you to connect with thousands of prospective customers in a way that's direct, personal and conducive to trust.
Making Your Marketing Videos Convert
Ninety-three percent of marketers say video has helped them increase brand awareness, while 87% say video has helped them increase ROI, according to Wyzowl. Part of the appeal of video content is authenticity. Audiences can be turned off by overly scripted videos because they can feel fake and outdated. Instead, offer a point for genuine connection by throwing out the script and letting your personality shine.
If you feel anxious in front of a camera, consider keeping yourself on track with loose bullet points. It will allow you to expand on the basics with personal anecdotes and honest advice without committing you to a robotic script. Consistency counts in insurance, and your video marketing should be no exception. The best way to build trust is to post regular content, demonstrating that you are an active presence that can be relied upon to give great advice. Whether you're educating homeowners on hosting events or running through the technicalities of renting business premises, consider breaking your advice into short chapters to be posted at regular intervals. That way, all your content can be filmed in one day, but the benefits can be spread out over months. Regularity carries more weight than frequency when it comes to video. Start small with one video post per week, and stick to that schedule before adding more videos into the mix. You can even invest in a social media scheduler such as Asana or Sprout Social to ensure your videos roll regularly. Just don't forget the importance of video or vlog editing to ensure professional-looking content. This will only enhance the level of trust fostered in customers and clients.—JD
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Jessica Day is the senior director for marketing strategy at Dialpad, a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) call center software provider that takes every kind of conversation to the next level—turning conversations into opportunities.
