Is there a difference between B2C and B2B video marketing? It isn’t always cut and dry, there is some overlap, but when developing your digital media marketing strategy there are some key differences between B2C and B2B video content.
Business-to-Business (B2B) refers to financial exchanges between 2 different businesses. While Business-to-Consumer (B2C) refers to companies that sell products and or services to outside customers. When it comes to marketing there are some differences and some similarities between the two, one being that video marketing content works well for either.
Video marketing is very well-suited to the B2B sector for many of the same reasons it’s incredibly successful in the B2C market. People, including professional buyers, can absorb information much more easily by watching a video than by reading, which means video has the power to make even difficult concepts more accessible. If people understand your product or service and its value, they are more likely to move forward in the purchasing process.
Whether marketing to businesses or consumers, using video content can help to educate and connect with potential customers in an effective way. Here are some differences between video marketing to Businesses vs Consumers.
Buyer Motivation
When marketing to consumers, buyers are often motivated by content that creates a personal connection, so marketing videos tend to involve a lot more emotion and entertainment.
One of the big differences between B2B buyers vs B2C buyers is their motivation for making a purchase. Business-to-business buyers, though not without emotion, tend to pursue purchases based on data. They are looking for a solution that helps their company save time or money. They often view purchases as investments and so business buyers will look closely at the hard data that proves your product is effective and will bring a high ROI.
Voice
B2C marketing uses the voice of potential customers, including language that they understand and relate to.
B2B marketing content often utilizes industry terminology to connect with potential business partners. Using names and abbreviations specific to a particular business or industry implies an understanding of that business’s unique complexities and helps to build a closer functional relationship with potential clients.
An Audience of One vs Many
When marketing to consumers the assumption is that there will be just one person making the decision to purchase.
B2B companies market to a larger audience that consists of multiple decision-makers and managers. Business to Business products can often be complex and may need to be explained to help customers understand exactly what they do. Educational videos such as product demonstrations, corporate videos, or explainer videos are a fantastic way to speed up the learning process for all of the decision-makers.
Video Quality
One of the big differences between B2C and B2B video marketing content is quality. While neither type should be bad, business-to-business content needs to meet a higher professional quality standard. B2B video marketing content should never compromise on basics like talent, sound, or visuals. Your audience will know the difference between a well-produced video and one that’s quickly thrown together or amateurish.
Unlike B2C marketing, with B2B you are not marketing to just a single individual buyer, but rather an entire group of managers and higher-ups who potentially need to sign-off on purchasing decisions. It’s not just the purchasing manager or procurement officer who can say no, so you need your marketing content to appeal to all of the decision-makers including CEOs and CFOs. If your video content is poorly produced it will not justify the purchase of your products nor would it reflect well on a manager who presents it.
Video marketing is an essential tool for any high-performing digital marketing strategy for B2B or B2C. Marketers must remember to take different approaches to the two different markets. When producing video marketing content for B2B it’s important to remember that B2B buyers tend to focus on data, using industry-specific terminology conveys an understanding of the business, B2B companies market to groups rather than individuals, and that video content must be of the highest quality to ensure that it makes the right impression upon all of the decision-makers involved.
Video lets your potential customers experience your brand and see how they can benefit from purchasing your product or service. It beats any image or written content. If you’re looking for an engaging medium to boost your site’s conversion rates and produce financial returns, using video to promote your B2B or B2C brand and sell your products is the solution. At Blend, our professional creative team in Los Angeles has the experience to produce high-quality video content that compels your target audience into action. If you’re interested in incorporating video marketing into your digital strategy we can help, contact Blend Today.