This guide emphasizes the importance of tailoring video marketing strategies to either B2B or B2C audiences, outlining specific production and platform selection techniques for small businesses. It offers detailed advice on choosing the right video platforms based on the type of content being produced, highlighting the different needs and approaches required for engaging business clients versus general consumers effectively.
When considering video marketing for your business, it can be easy to forget where your audience’s attention is, let alone what video content to produce.
You could argue that if you sell solely business-to-business products and services, your attention should be on LinkedIn. If your products are focused on the general public, then Facebook and Instagram are the platforms to focus on.
However, in my humble opinion, after working with a range of both B2B and B2C clients, it depends on what you’re selling. I’ve seen roofing businesses solely B2B selling their products and services on TikTok and have great success on that platform.
Put another way, you should tailor your strategy for:
- how long the video is
- the message you’re offering
- the call-to-action
- the aspect ratio
- and so on!
When it comes to B2C, the strategy can differ slightly. This means selling consumer products on LinkedIn might not be the best approach. In this short article, let’s take a deeper look into the subject and hopefully help you navigate your options!
B2B vs B2C: Why The Way You Film Matters
Your team could just throw anything on YouTube (it has 2+ billion monthly users and receives a staggering 34 billion monthly visits!)
But uploading alone isn’t enough. When creating video content, having a strategy for filming and producing the video is just as important as choosing the right platform to share it.
The audience you are targeting should guide your entire video production approach.
Filming for a B2B Audience
If your content is business-facing, you want to establish authority, credibility, and trustworthiness right away in your video style:
- Film videos in a professional office setting with good lighting and clear audio
- The presenter should dress professionally and avoid casual language/slang
- Videos should be informative, focused on solutions, and emphasize industry expertise
- Maintain a calm, steady pacing without flashy transitions/graphics
- Include stats, data, case studies, and reliable sources
Your video content should feel like a meaningful business presentation tailored to decision-makers. Keep in mind the video may be viewed in a workplace setting, so ensure it looks polished.
Filming for a B2C Audience
Videos geared towards consumers allow you to have more fun with production style elements:
- Music, b-roll shots, and transitions can set an upbeat, lively pacing
- Utilise lifestyle settings like homes/communities instead of offices
- Presenters can use casual dress and language for better rapport
- Emphasize emotions and connections through storytelling techniques
- Include relatable moments and humor when appropriate
Understand that consumers are viewing during their personal time for entertainment as much as information. Blend an educational enjoyable viewing experience by filming video content consumers want to watch.
Having filming strategies tailored specifically to business buyers versus everyday consumers allows your production to resonate right from the opening shot. Now you can determine the best platforms to share your B2B-friendly or consumer-focused videos.
Choosing the Right Platform for Each B2B Video
When it comes to video marketing, we all know YouTube and LinkedIn are go-to platforms for reaching business decision-makers. But the truth is, certain types of B2B videos perform better on different platforms. So, where should you be sharing your specific video content?
Let’s break it down based on what resonates across these sites:
Thought Leadership & Educational Videos
Best Platforms: YouTube, LinkedIn
YouTube and LinkedIn are your BFFs here. Industry tutorials, expert advice, and conference keynotes - that's what the business crowd hungers for. Give them smart insights in a compelling style.
Company Culture & Brand Videos
Best Platforms: Vimeo, LinkedIn, X (Formerly Twitter)
Vimeo and LinkedIn users expect a slick, pro-brand experience. Show off your values, mission, and personality through videos that reinforce your visual identity and messaging. Business owners exist on these platforms and are always looking for engaging content.
Webinars & Presentations
Best Platform: YouTube, Course Sites (Coursera, Kajabi, etc.)
Don't just livestream once – you can gain tons of lead-generating value from presentations you never thought someone would want to watch!
YouTube is the video library for hosting your webinar replays, trainings, and workshops.
Let audiences access the full talk on-demand. You can also combine your presentations into a course platform to offer a more immersive and interactive experience.
Client Case Studies & Testimonials
Best Platforms: Vimeo, YouTube, LinkedIn, X (Formerly Twitter)
Build trust by letting potential customers preview video success stories first on password-protected Vimeo.
Then, publish the finals on both Vimeo and YouTube and then to LinkedIn to trumpet your ROI.
Behind the Scenes & Employee Spotlights
Best Platform: LinkedIn, YouTube, X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok
Give your social media followers an authentic understanding of your company and talent pool through videos that pull back the curtain. Let them connect on a human level – even if you aim for a B2B market.
Data Videos & Stats Visuals
Best Platforms: YouTube, LinkedIn, X (Formerly Twitter)
Animated charts, graphs, and statistics as micro-videos are ultra-shareable nuggets of insight. Sprinkle them across YouTube and LinkedIn to showcase research in new formats. And don’t forget – 85% of videos on Facebook are viewed without sound, so visuals matter!
B2B Social Media Advertising
Best Platforms: LinkedIn, X (Formerly Twitter), YouTube
With more and more professionals turning to social media for information and networking, B2B advertising on platforms like LinkedIn and X can be highly effective. You’ll want to try different platforms and see where the best ROI shows up – be that in money or engagement.
The Main Idea: B2B-focused videos need to be smartly shared on a range of social media platforms to maximize their ROI – and this depends on where your audiences are active and which platforms the content is best suited for.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your B2C Videos
Consumers have high expectations for video content - it needs to entertain as much as inform. Match your B2C video format and style to platforms where audiences are leaning back to be amused.
Product Demos & Tutorials
Best Platforms: YouTube, Instagram
Think demos and tutorials are boring content? Think again! Hands-on demonstrations showing your product in action or teaching viewers a new skill make useful YouTube uploads. Instagram's playful style suits quick tips, as does TikTok – don’t be afraid to explore the different audience segments and see what sticks.
Behind the Scenes & Company Culture
Best Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube
Pull back the curtain to give followers a peek inside your brand world. Show real employees at work or silly candid moments to humanize your company. If you are going to connect with your customers in a meaningful way, you need to show them who you are.
Collaborations & Unboxings
Best Platforms: YouTube, Instagram
Partner with influencers or brands in related industries for creative collaborations that can reach a wider audience. This includes live streams – with 71% of live stream viewers making purchases via social media.
Unboxings are an entertaining way to showcase your products as they launch - build anticipation by teasing out details and interacting with followers before finally revealing the product online.
Contests & Giveaways
Best Platform: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook
Fun user-generated video challenges and contests grab attention fast. TikTokers will happily make lighthearted branded content in hopes of winning prizes. And don’t sleep on Facebook – billions of users are waiting to engage with your company.
Interviews & Influencer Collaborations
Best Platforms: YouTube, Instagram
Relevant creators partnering with your brand as guests or co-hosts give you built-in exposure to new markets through online video interviews. USG (user-generated content) collaborations are the most impactful way to broaden your brand’s reach and make it more personal.
Social Media Advertising
Best Platforms: Facebook, Instagram
Social media advertising lives best on the platforms your customers are already spending time on.
Facebook and Instagram offer targeted ads that can reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. Use this to your advantage by creating visually appealing content that will capture the attention of your target audience.
Experiment a bit here and there to see what type of content performs the best for your brand.
The Main Idea: Remember, consumers expect a two-way conversation from brands delivered through video rather than a top-down sales pitch. Meet viewers on the personal platforms they already use daily for entertainment, connectivity, and inspiration.
What About Social Media Advertising?
A common question I get is where to put your videos for social media advertising.
For paid social media advertising, you can reach both business and consumer audiences across every major platform. However, tailoring your video ad strategy per platform is key.
For B2B products and services, LinkedIn advertising lets you target decision-makers by industry, job role, company size, and other filters relevant to business buyers.
Your video ads on LinkedIn can take a more professional tone that is aligned with a commercial audience. Meanwhile, for B2C products, you’ll want to create entertaining, engaging social video ads designed specifically for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Consider how consumers in a more relaxed personal mindset might respond.
By leveraging video content across multiple channels, you can get the most out of your digital advertising efforts and build deeper relationships with customers.