How to create promotional videos that convert: a step-by-step guide

In a world where the average attention span is shorter goldfish’s, capturing and maintaining your audience's interest can feel like an uphill battle. 

But great promotional videos have power to engage, inform, and persuade in a way that text alone can't match. Thanks to AI-powered advancements (like ElevenLabs’ text-to-speech tool), creating compelling promotional videos is now more accessible, cost-effective, and powerful than ever. 

This article will guide you through creating promotional videos that don't just get watched—they convert. 

Key takeaways

• Promotional videos are a powerful tool for engaging audiences, building brand awareness, and driving conversions in digital marketing.
• There are various types of promotional videos, including explainer videos, product demos, brand videos, testimonials, tutorials, event videos, and behind-the-scenes videos, each serving a specific purpose in the customer journey.
• Creating an effective promotional video involves careful planning and consideration, and using the right tools.
• ElevenLabs' AI-powered text-to-speech tool and video translation capabilities can enhance the quality, reach, and localization of promotional videos, making the creation process more accessible and cost-effective.

What are promotional videos?

Promotional videos are a potent tool in the digital marketing toolkit, designed to introduce, explain, and highlight a brand's products, services, or overall persona. These short, engaging videos aim to capture the essence of what a company offers and why it matters, all while keeping the viewer entertained and informed. You'll often find these videos gracing the homepages of websites, dominating social media feeds, and even leading email marketing campaigns. They're the spearhead for launching new products, boosting brand awareness, or driving specific marketing goals, such as increasing website traffic or conversions.

Different types of promotional videos

1. Explainer videos: These videos break down complex ideas into simple, digestible pieces, often using animations to illustrate points clearly.
2. Product demos: Here, the focus is on showcasing the features and benefits of a product, giving potential customers a clear view of what to expect.
3. Brand videos: These videos aim to build brand awareness by conveying the company's values, mission, and the unique selling proposition that sets it apart from competitors.
4. Testimonials and case studies: Real stories from satisfied customers or detailed accounts of how a product or service solved a specific problem can be incredibly persuasive.
5. Tutorial or how-to videos: These provide step-by-step guides on how to use a product or service, adding value for existing or potential customers by educating them.
6. Event videos: Capturing highlights or the entirety of events can engage those who attended and generate interest in future events among those who didn't.
7. Behind-the-scenes videos: Offering a glimpse into the company's inner workings, these videos can humanize the brand and build a stronger connection with the audience.

Each type of promotional video serves a distinct purpose, catering to different stages of the customer journey. By understanding and leveraging the variety available, businesses can craft a comprehensive video marketing strategy that effectively communicates with their target audience.

How to create promotional videos

Creating a promotional video that captures attention and drives action is a multi-step process that requires planning, creativity, and strategic execution. Here’s a comprehensive guide to creating promotional videos that can elevate your brand and engage your audience effectively.

Define your objective

Start by clearly defining the purpose of your video. What do you want to achieve? Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, promoting a new product, or driving sales, having a clear objective will guide the direction of your video content.

Know your audience

Understanding who your audience is plays a crucial role in how you craft your message. Tailor your video to appeal to the specific needs, interests, and pain points of your target audience to ensure it resonates with them.

Write a compelling script

The script is the backbone of your promotional video. It should be concise, engaging, and aligned with your brand voice. Highlight the key messages you want to convey and ensure they support your overall objective.

Choose the right type of video

Decide on the type of promotional video that best suits your objective and audience. Whether it’s an explainer video, a product demo, or a brand story, selecting the right type will enhance the effectiveness of your message.

Plan your visuals and storyboard

Visual planning involves creating a storyboard or a visual script. This outlines what each scene will look like, the actions that occur, and how the visuals will support the script. It’s essential for ensuring your video flows smoothly and tells your story effectively.

Record high-quality video footage

Invest in good quality equipment or hire a professional to ensure your video looks professional. High-quality visuals are crucial for making a good impression and keeping your audience engaged.

Incorporate engaging elements

Use engaging elements like animations, graphics, and dynamic transitions to make your video more interesting and memorable. These elements can help illustrate complex ideas and add a layer of professionalism to your video.

Professional voiceover and localization

This is where ElevenLabs comes into play. A professional voiceover can significantly enhance the impact of your promotional video, making it more engaging and accessible to a broader audience.

ElevenLabs’s cutting-edge text-to-speech tool allows you to create professional voiceovers effortlessly, with an extensive voice library and the ability to translate into 29 languages. This is especially beneficial for localizing your videos for different markets, ensuring your message is heard clearly and effectively around the globe.

Check out a couple of ElevenLabs' text-to-speech voices below.

But what about localizing these voices? This is where ElevenLabs' AI dubbing studio can help, effortlessly translating voiceovers into 29 languages. See how this works by watching the video below.

Want to see it in action? Check out this AI-generated video of Star Wars if it were set in Japan (dubbed by ElevenLabs).

Edit for clarity and impact

Editing is where everything comes together. Use editing software to cut unnecessary parts, add music, and ensure the video flows logically from start to finish. Keep the pacing dynamic to maintain viewer interest throughout the video.

Include a strong call to action

End your video with a clear, compelling call to action (CTA). Tell your viewers exactly what you want them to do next, whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for a demo, or following your brand on social media.

Distribute and promote your video

Finally, share your video across all relevant platforms where your target audience is most active. This includes your website, social media channels, email newsletters, and more. Consider paid promotion to extend your video’s reach further.

Creating a promotional video is a strategic process that, when done correctly, can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and engagement. By following these steps and leveraging tools like ElevenLabs for professional voiceovers, you can create compelling videos that captivate your audience and drive your desired action.

Top tips to remember when creating promotional videos

Creating effective promotional videos requires more than just following a set of steps. To truly make your video stand out and achieve your marketing goals, keep these top tips in mind throughout the creation process.

Focus on storytelling

People love stories. Craft your video around a compelling narrative that connects with your audience on an emotional level. A good story can make your brand more relatable and memorable, encouraging viewers to engage with your content.

A good story resonates everywhere. So once you’ve done the creative bit, use ElevenLabs' AI-powered global speech synthesis to ensure your content goes global.

Keep it short and sweet

Attention spans are short. Aim to convey your message concisely, ideally within 2 minutes. Prioritize key information and eliminate anything that doesn’t directly support your objectives or engage your audience.

Prioritize quality

High-quality video and audio are non-negotiable. Invest in good equipment or professional services to ensure your video looks and sounds its best. Poor quality can detract from your message and harm your brand’s credibility.

Using a AI-driven software like ElevenLabs has built-in capabilities for refinement—which you can test out for free—essential for adding a professional polish. 

Incorporate branding

Ensure your video reflects your brand identity through consistent use of logos, colors, and fonts. This not only boosts brand recognition but also adds a professional touch to your video.

Optimize for mobile

With the majority of videos watched on mobile devices, it’s essential to optimize your video for mobile viewing. Ensure your video is engaging and easily viewable on smaller screens.

Include a clear call to action

Don’t leave your viewers wondering what to do next. Include a clear, compelling call to action that guides them towards the next step, whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase.

Utilize social proof

Incorporate testimonials, reviews, or case studies into your video to build trust and credibility. Social proof is a powerful motivator for potential customers considering your product or service.

Leverage SEO

Optimize your video for search engines by using relevant keywords in the title, description, and tags. This can increase your video’s visibility and drive more traffic to your content.

Plan for silent viewing

Many people watch videos with the sound off, especially on social media. Use captions or ensure your video is understandable without audio, so your message is still communicated.

Test and refine

Finally, monitor your video’s performance and gather feedback. Use this data to refine your approach for future videos, focusing on what works best for engaging your audience and achieving your marketing goals.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can create promotional videos that not only capture attention but also drive meaningful engagement and action, ultimately contributing to your brand’s success.

The benefits of promotional videos

Promotional videos stand out as a multifaceted tool in the marketing arsenal, offering a plethora of benefits that extend far beyond mere visual appeal. They embody a compelling approach to storytelling, making complex information accessible and engaging. By leveraging the power of sight and sound, these videos can significantly enhance your marketing strategy, ensuring your message not only reaches but resonates with your target audience. Let’s delve into the specific advantages that promotional videos provide.

Increase engagement among your target audience

Videos are inherently more engaging than static text or images. They can capture attention quickly and maintain it longer, making your message more likely to be absorbed and remembered. In a digital landscape crowded with content, promotional videos offer a dynamic way to stand out.

Boost conversion rates

Incorporating videos into your marketing efforts can lead to higher conversion rates. Viewers are more likely to take action after watching a video, whether that action is purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, or following a brand on social media. Videos have the power to persuade and motivate in ways that other mediums cannot.

Enhance SEO

Search engines love videos. Including promotional videos on your website can improve your SEO, making your site more visible in search results. This increased visibility leads to more traffic, which can then be converted into sales, leads, or engagement.

Build trust and credibility

Promotional videos allow you to create a sense of trust and credibility with your audience. Through well-crafted stories and testimonials, you can connect emotionally with viewers, showing them the human side of your brand. This emotional connection is crucial for building long-term relationships with your audience.

Simplify complex information

Videos have the unique ability to simplify complex information, making it easier for your audience to understand and retain. Whether you’re explaining a new product or a complicated service, a video can convey your message more effectively than text alone.

Reach a wider audience

With the widespread use of social media, videos can easily be shared and viewed by a global audience. This means your promotional videos have the potential to reach far beyond your existing customer base, exposing your brand to a wider audience than ever before.

Versatile across multiple platforms

Promotional videos are incredibly versatile and can be used across a variety of platforms. From your website to social media channels, email campaigns, and even presentations, these videos can be repurposed to fit different contexts and objectives, maximizing your marketing investment.

In summary, promotional videos offer a powerful way to communicate your brand’s message, engage with your audience, and drive tangible results. They are an indispensable part of a modern marketing strategy, capable of delivering significant benefits across multiple facets of your business.

Final thoughts

Promotional videos are an indispensable asset in the digital marketing landscape, offering unparalleled engagement and conversion potential. The essence of crafting a compelling promotional video lies in understanding your audience, delivering a concise yet powerful message, and leveraging cutting-edge tools like ElevenLabs for professional voiceovers.

This approach not only enhances the quality and reach of your content but also ensures it resonates across diverse audiences. What’s more, by making use of ElevenLabs’ seamless video translation, you can ensure your content shines across the globe.

Ready to create videos that not only tell your story but also inspire action? Explore ElevenLabs's text-to-speech technology today and bring your brand's message to life like never before.

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