What kind of video should I make, and when?
The full funnel B2B video playbook recommended by LinkedIn.
I get asked variations of the question in the title a lot. The truth is, every brand is different and I find it easier (and way more useful) to give advice on specific situations instead of general best practices.
BUT. I found a report from LinkedIn that mapped out the most commonly used video formats by funnel stage. If you’re early in your B2B video efforts, I think it’s a solid structure to start with.
So I present to you…
The full-funnel video strategy recommended by LinkedIn™
Top of funnel
According to LinkedIn, here’s how to drive TOFU awareness with video.
Short form
Short form video content is everywhere these days. I mean literally, even Substack has video now.
Some say short form works because our hummingbird-level attention spans can’t handle anything longer than a TikTok. First of all, rude. Second, I actually think it’s got a lot more to do with algorithms than people.
It’s so much easier to go viral on TikTok, Reels, and YT shorts than other video channels. The algos are good at finding the right people to watch your content. Like, scary good. That’s extra important when you’re trying to build awareness for your brand.
Thought leadership collabs
Why are they like this. Just say “go on podcasts” like a normal person.
Think about your audience. What kind of podcasts are they watching? Are they watching tutorials on Youtube? Whose opinions do they respect?
Go work with those people. Interview them, let them interview you, it doesn’t matter. Just get on camera together.
This kind of content lets you share audiences. The other brand or creator gets in front of your audience, and you get in front of theirs. It’s win-win content when done right.
Middle of funnel
I think middle of funnel content is some of the hardest to make. The goals are less obvious than top of funnel awareness or bottom funnel conversion tactics.
This is the stage where you want to create and prove value to your future customers. Show them you understand their problems, you know how to solve them, and how you’ve solved those problems before.
The formats LinkedIn suggests match up to those three goals:
Co-created content - show knowledge of the problem
Influencer events/webinars - show people how to solve the problem
Customer success stories - show how you’ve solved the problem before
You don’t need to go for the hard sell with middle funnel content. You just want viewers to come away from it thinking, “Oh damn, they get it.”
Bottom of funnel
First you earned attention, then you earned respect. Now, it’s time to earn some money.
What kinds of video work best for bottom of funnel conversions? Testimonials, case studies, and product reviews. Especially if you can tie any of these to ROI.
Have you ever heard the saying, “Nobody gets fired for buying IBM”? The idea is that decision-makers in a company will often pick the safest option. The larger the company, the more risk-averse people tend to be.
So if you want to sell to mid-large companies, you need to be a safe option. Show your potential customer that other brands have been in the same position and been glad they chose you. Don’t let them think they have to roll the dice on you.
I had to keep descriptions short or this email would’ve gotten out of control, but I’m happy to expand on any of these formats. Are there any sections you want more detail on?
Let me know,
—Ademola