Uncover Local Small Business Video Ideas You Didn’t Know You Had

Small Businesses Can Win Online

Small business owners have a huge opportunity when it comes to marketing online. Video is an important piece of the puzzle, especially for local small businesses who are looking to gain the upper-hand on the competition.  
A lot of local businesses still haven’t gotten onboard with internet marketing. I know, crazy right?

But it’s true and even with a minimal amount of effort you can quickly be dominating in local search results in your area. What I want to share with you today is a method that can jumpstart your video marketing by turning your most frequently asked questions into high converting videos. These are the top of mind questions that you’re getting asked everyday, and they’re also the questions that people are typing into search engines like Google and YouTube.

In addition to frequently asked questions, you can also make videos about “should ask questions”. These are questions that your customers don’t ask, but should ask because the answers would help them make better purchasing decisions. They’re the kind of questions that help position you as a true expert in your industry and will make people more likely to trust you.

When someone interacts with a local business, they are likely to form a personal relationship with the employees of that business.
You’re not a faceless corporation – you’re “Mitch from the hardware store” or “Paula from the local realty office”. This is why you want your videos to feel personal as well, they are an extension of who are you and what your business stands for.

One of the best ways to get started in terms of figuring out what FAQs to make your videos about is to just look at your sent email folder. See what questions have already been coming in from customers that you’ve been responding to manually.
You don’t want to pick questions that are easily answered by a Google search like what hours you’re open or where to find you. You want to look for the questions that hit on the “meat” of your product or service. An example would be a question asking you to compare two products you sell, or asking for advice related to services you provide. “
It’s also a good idea to answer questions that distinguish you from your closest competitors.

Before customers decide where to buy from they’re going to be shopping around to see who’s the right provider. You can actually build trust by educating your potential customer on what they should be looking for within your market space. If a customer then went and asked your competitors these questions the chances are they aren’t going to be as prepared with answers as you are.
 

Localize Your Answers

It doesn’t hurt to localize your answers and even slyly advertise some of your recent projects. If you’re a gardening service you might want to mention what areas you’ve been working in frequently and the types of jobs you’ve been working on. It helps connect you to your community and makes your business feel more “real” to your prospect.

Once you have your list of questions, make some notes on your answers but don’t script them out fully. Maybe practice in front of the mirror a few times but don’t over do it. Just get your camera set up and start shooting. You don’t need a fancy set up, but be sure to get an external microphone to record sound for better quality.

 

Action Steps

1. Look into your sent box for what questions you’ve been answering repeatedly.
2. Select the Frequently Asked Questions that get to the meat of your business and separate you from the competition.
3. Use your videos as a means to educate your prospective customers. Localize your answers where possible.
4. Use a simple video set up and don’t over rehearse, you want to sound as natural as possible to convey your personality and credibility.
5. Include a call to action at the end of every video for people to visit your website for more information.
6. Upload your videos to a branded company YouTube channel using keywords in the title, tags, and description of the video.

 

Result You Will Achieve

Better local search results for small businesses by turning your frequently asked questions into highly marketable videos.
 

 
This article is based on an EHQ interview with the mentor.