Are your videos up to par? We offer real-life examples to amp up any tech marketer’s efforts for the small or mid-sized screen.
Video has become a must-have in B2B tech marketing, and for good reason! It drives engagement and differentiation in an increasingly crowded space. Yet, even the most experienced marketers can make critical mistakes that limit their video’s impact.
Below, we break down the most common pitfalls and provide proven best practices with examples from around the B2B world.
Let’s maximize your video marketing success.
Mistake 1: Features overshadow the story
Have you ever tried to watch a product video that feels more like engineering documentation than marketing content? Ouch. Save the nitty-gritty for implementation; your prospects are more concerned about how you’ll solve their problems.
The fix? Start with the story, not the specs. Take a page from IBM’s playbook; their customer success videos focus on real people sharing authentic experiences. Instead of drilling into technical details, IBM showcases how their solutions transform businesses.
Bottom line: A more human approach not only engages viewers but also makes complex solutions more relatable and memorable.
Mistake 2: The one-hit-wonder syndrome
One video alone won’t solve all your marketing problems. Yes, they are eye-catching and can offer incredible results. But (and here’s the big thing), a solid strategy behind your video will help it be so much more impactful and deliver the ROI you want from it.
Before creating your first video, we recommend putting some thought behind your marketing goals. Think about where and how you will use the video along the customer journey and beyond, then create a plan. Your roadmap should include videos of various lengths and types — explainer, testimonial, brand, product and more — and how you will use them.
The pro tip we live by? Plan to create at least one longer video that can be cut into smaller, catchy clips and repurposed for social platforms.
Salesforce gets it right. They’ve built a video ecosystem that keeps delivering value year-round. They create everything from high-production thought leadership pieces to quick tutorial videos, then “turkey dinner” their content into smaller chunks for social media.
Think of your video strategy as a big meal you serve to family and friends. Your hero content is your main dish, supported by regular “side dish” content that drives engagement, and “dessert” content that answers specific questions. This approach gives you more bang for your buck and keeps your audience engaged long-term.
Mistake 3: The “build it, and they will come” fail
We just touched on this, but an amazing video is only a small part of your marketing plan for it. You are going to need a solid distribution strategy in place to ensure your customers and prospects will actually see your awesome work once it is complete.
Even the best content will gather digital dust if it isn’t shared. The key is to think about distribution from day one. We’re talking the nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes stuff:
- Optimize your titles and descriptions for search
- Plan your paid promotion strategy
- Consider how your video will perform across different platforms.
Take Adobe, for example. They combine sophisticated targeting on LinkedIn and YouTube with organic optimization to ensure their content reaches the right decision-makers. A good illustration of their approach is this LinkedIn video about Adobe Firefly. The video shows how designers of any experience level can use the software program’s 3D capabilities.
Mistake 4: The desktop-first mistake (err…approach)
Here’s a reality check: most of your prospects are probably watching your videos on their phones between meetings. Yet so many B2B marketers still create videos as if they’re going to be projected on a conference room wall. (Spoiler alert: they’re not). If you need an example, LinkedIn’s own B2B video ads show how it’s done right — they’re punchy, mobile-optimized, and designed to work with or without sound.
Our best practice recommendations:
- Keep your videos concise (90 seconds or less is good for social)
- Add subtitles or captions by default
- Use bold visuals that work well on small screens.
Also, be prepared to make multiple versions of your video in different sizes so that your work (and brand) can shine across all platforms. Trust us, you’ll thank yourself if you do this during production instead of when you’re trying to get your videos out there.
Mistake 5: The curse of the dead-end video without a CTA
You’ve got your viewer’s attention, now what? Too many tech marketers create engaging videos but forget to tell viewers what to do next. Make your CTAs impossible to miss. Use verbal prompts, clickable overlays, and end screens. Your ultimate goal is to give viewers a clear next step that aligns with where they are in their buyer’s journey.
HubSpot excels at this. Every video ends with a clear, compelling call to action, whether it’s downloading a resource, signing up for a demo, or joining their community.
Time to level up your video game
If you feel a little guilty for making one or two (or even three) of these mistakes, know that you are not alone. Start by auditing your current video strategy against these common pitfalls. Focus on storytelling over features, build a sustainable content pipeline, invest in distribution, optimize for mobile, and always include clear CTAs. And don’t forget to watch your own videos from a customer or prospect’s perspective. You’ll be amazed by what you notice or feel differently than when using your ‘marketer’ lens.