Getting Started with Insurance Video Marketing

This post is part of a series on insurance marketing and training sponsored by Astonish.

Whenever we talk to insurance agencies about video marketing, we get the same rejections: No time! Too expensive! And then there’s always the questioning: Why should I do it? What will it do for me? In this post, I want to address some of those objections and answer the questions too.

Let’s start with the questions.

Why should my agency do video marketing?

First, there are several types of video marketing. What we’re talking about is viral video marketing because it’s quick, easy to implement and you can see the results almost immediately. But that doesn’t answer the WHY.

Did you know that videos get 100% more engagement than other types of posts on Facebook? That’s according to Facebook’s own research. Some studies have also shown videos get a higher click through rate in search results. Other studies show that videos on websites are more likely to convert visitors into buyers.

For now, we’ll focus on getting the right video on your website’s blog and Facebook page for ultimate exposure and viral results. But that brings us to the next question:

What will video marketing do for my agency?

The short answer: Gain traction for your site online. The long answer: It exposes your brand to larger audiences on social channels, which can help you gain more links and clicks back to your site, which can boost your online presence. And a boost in your online presence can be linked to actual dollars as more people are able to find your site online.

Now for the objections!

Objection #1. No time

I love refuting objections. A good viral video shouldn’t take a lot of time. These videos are supposed to be SHORT. I mean there’s no right or wrong, if it’s really entertaining or compelling, but you tend to lose people after the first 30 seconds. So unless those first 30 seconds really grab people, they probably won’t continue watching.

Most of your time should be spent coming up with the idea for the video. The shooting of it won’t take long. The most successful videos we’ve seen insurance agencies implement include:

1. Videos that showcase a nonprofit or business partnership. Why are they successful? Because you are creating a video about a business or nonprofit in your community. That means after you create the video and post it in a blog post and upload it to Facebook and other social media channels, you can ask that partner to do the same on their blog and social networks. That type of cross promotion can expose your website and brand to an even broader audience.

Here is a fantastic Gangnam Style-inspired example from Barber Insurance. This video got 3,630 views on YouTube alone. That’s not including the engagement it got on Facebook and other social channels. The video is a promotional shout out to a cooperative of local businesses with the goal of encouraging people in their community to buy local.

2. Videos that answer commonly asked questions about insurance. Why? Although they can be more educational instead of pure entertainment, people are more likely to watch a video than they are to read an answer to their question. See an example here from Gillman Insurance. This video got 839 views!

As you can see from the examples, these videos don’t have to be boring.

Objection #2. Too expensive

All you really need is a YouTube account, which is free, and a smartphone with video capabilities or small HD camera, which you can purchase for a hundred bucks or so. Viral videos aren’t meant to be polished. They’re meant to be a quick, fun way to get a message across or entertain people while relaying important information.

The goal is really to cast a wider net online and viral videos are a great way to do it. Once you create the video be sure to post it in a blog post on your site and upload it to your agency’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to promote the video on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and anywhere else your prospects might be.

About the Author:Adam DeGraide is the CEO and Founder of Astonish, which was recently ranked 267th on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. DeGraide and his team are the driving forces behind a vision to help the insurance industry grow its businesses by using the Internet. Now currently serving over 800 retail brokers in America, Adam DeGraide and his team at Astonish are encouraging the insurance industry across the country to “join the Internet marketing revolution, or get left behind!”