Videos are a powerful app marketing tool, but when most people think of an “app video,” they think of only one thing: a standard 60-90 second app demo video.

In actuality, video can be tremendously helpful throughout the sales cycle, from the early conceptual stages through to helping with ongoing support.

Here are some ways that video can help your app, no matter where it is in its lifecycle:

Investor Pitch Videos

There are two main uses for video when seeking investment: as a standalone investor pitch, or as a component of a pitch deck that takes the place of a live demo.

In the first case, a video can tell the story of your app and what it does (or will do, if it’s still in development), and could serve as a first introduction to your concept on your website or in emails introducing you to potential investor.

Sometimes these longer investor pitch videos look very similar to standard 60-90 second demos, and sometimes they focus more on the growth potential of an idea and less on the actual “how it works” part of the app.

Very short videos can also have a lot of impact during a live investor pitch. While most investors don’t want a video to tell them about your app when you are standing right there, using short clips in the place of a live demo can ensure that everything looks perfect every time – and you’ll never have to worry about an embarrassing bug or a bad internet connection again.

Video Ads to Get the Word Out

Every app lives or dies on downloads, and video is a powerful way for people to see your app on social media, in advertisements, and even if it’s featured in the news.

Short video ads are perfect for drawing people in while they scroll through Facebook or browse Instagram, and promo or demo videos can boost conversions on the landing page for an AdWords campaign.

You want to keep video ads and promotional videos short – if you can’t fit everything you want into one video, directing people to a longer video on your website gets them one step closer to becoming an app user.

Landing Page Videos to Convert Web Visitors to Downloads

A homepage overview video or a landing page video can be the difference between someone saying “this looks okay” and “I definitely need that!”

Text and stills can give viewers a superficial look at an app, but unless you go into lots of detail, it’s hard for people to really understand what your app is about and how it feels to use unless they can see it in action. Even if you do write a detailed description, there’s no guarantee that people will read it – a huge majority of web visitors prefer video to text these days.

Turning Users Into Experts With Tutorial Videos

Even once you’ve convinced someone to install your app, it can be a struggle to keep them. Tutorial videos can help retention tremendously, and can make the users that do stay happier with your product. If someone has a problem, finding an easy-to-understand video answer can turn a frustrated customer into an excited user – and excited users write much more favorable reviews than frustrated ones!

Tutorial videos can also serve a purpose in the sales process: if someone wants more information than the demo video provides, watching detailed walkthroughs is an obvious next step. And the difference between concise, professional training videos and “homemade” videos can make a big impression for these motivated, information-seeking shoppers.

Need help deciding which videos you should make for your app? We’re app video experts – book a free consultation to explore your options.

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