How did your marketing efforts work for you this year? Did you try anything new, or expand certain areas of your budget? Maybe you spent more time updating your social media pages, or enhanced your website. But did you devote any of your time or marketing budget to video? If not, you’ll want to make 2020 the year that changes … and here are 10 hot-off-the-press reasons why, courtesy of Social Media Today.

1.Everyone else is doing it

OK, so you’re probably hearing your mother’s voice in your head. She’s saying something like, “If everyone else was jumping off a bridge…” Well, in this case, perhaps your mom doesn’t know best. Today, video isn’t just for real estate agents and makeup retailers. 86% of businesses now use video on their websites. That’s because people spend 2.6x more time on a page with video content than those without. This means that if someone is visiting your website to read about pre-need options, the time they spend on your page will triple if you add a short video explaining your offerings. 

Your webmaster has probably explained the importance of using the right keywords on your funeral home or cemetery’s website. That’s because Google and other search engines are more likely to find your website and list it in search results if it contains content that will educate or help the searcher. These days, Google understands that video is educational and helpful, and searchers love video. That’s why your website is more 53 times more likely to show up first on Google’s search results page if you have embedded a video. This leads directly to another amazing statistic: video increases search traffic to your website by a whopping 157%.

3. You have tons of options

Are you wondering exactly what kind of video a funeral home or cemetery could make? You truly have a lot of options. Consumers like videos because video helps them learn new things, entertains them, or informs them. Isn’t death care a topic many more people need to learn about? You could create videos explaining new cremation options; 95% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. How about a live video introducing your onsite sympathy store or reception space? Viewers spend up to 8.1x more time watching live videos than video on demand. How about a video testimonial from a satisfied family member or an interview with someone on your staff? 51% of marketers consider testimonials effective, while 85% of them are using expert interviews or influencer marketing strategies.

Make 2020 your year. An organic social media presence isn't a suggestion, it's a must for your funeral home or cemetery to continue to grow.

4. Consumers trust video

Trust is incredibly important in the death care industry. Families are entrusting your firm to be the last to care for their loved one. Social Media Today found that 57% of consumers say videos gave them more confidence in a business and its offerings. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s true, video has to be worth millions. A video of you or the members of your team brings your words, your sincerity, and your dedication to what you do to life. 

Simply put, video marketing works. 76.5% of marketers and small business owners are getting results with video. Specifically, they’ve seen an 84% increase in traffic to their websites and an 81% increase in lead generation. If getting someone to your website is half the battle, the other half is getting them to call you or fill out a form requesting more information. With video, your chances of winning that battle — and hearing from that potential pre-need customer —  are each increased by over 80%.

6. You can afford it

Maybe a better way to say this is that you can’t afford NOT to create videos. 83% of businesses report that video provides a great return on investment. 51% of those say out of all of their online content, video has the best ROI. Your investment in video doesn’t have to be extravagant. People enjoy authentic, on-the-fly videos just as much as (or perhaps more than) slick, highly-edited versions. But if your cemetery spends $300 to shoot a video highlighting your gorgeous new columbarium and the video results in $1500 in niche sales, it was a sound investment.

Before technology, word of mouth or referrals were most likely your most effective marketing tools. Sure, people will share negative experiences, but they are also likely to share good ones, or things they like. We’re living amidst a sharing economy; people now share rides, homes, and most certainly videos. Statistics show that people share video 12 times more often than they share text and images combined. When you make a video, add it to your website and all of your social media platforms, and encourage your followers to share it.

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8. Your target audience is watching...

Think only youngsters are watching videos online? Think again. While US internet users aged 18 to 24 make up 96% of YouTube watchers right now, Social Media Today says the 35+ and 55+ age groups are the fastest-growing YouTube demographics. If you don’t already have a YouTube channel, maybe it’s time to add it to your social media platforms.

9. ...and they’re watching a LOT

The numbers don’t lie. People LOVE videos. 78% of Americans watch online videos every week. 55% watch them every day, with 44% watch five or more. You can take advantage of their addiction to video by creating your own content and posting often to keep their attention. Create some buzz with a Facebook Live tour of your cemetery or funeral home. People fear the unknown, so introducing them to your facility or property through video is one way to ease this apprehension. 

10. You don’t want to be the last

If you think it would be weird or no one would want to watch a video produced by a funeral home, just Google “funeral home tour” and click the “Videos” option above your search results. You’ll get more than three million results. Three MILLION. They’re not all professionally produced. Some are just short introductions. But they’re getting views. And some of them were first created in 2010, which indicates that if you haven’t posted video yet, you may be about ten years late to the game. So start now. Start small. Start inexpensively. But just start posting video. You won’t regret it.

If you need help with your funeral home or cemetery’s videos, whether it’s coming up with ideas for content, creating the video itself, or deciding where to post it, reach out to DISRUPT Media. We can help you with every aspect of your social media marketing, including videos.

Make 2020 your year. An organic social media presence isn't a suggestion, it's a must for your funeral home or cemetery to continue to grow.