What is a Demo Video & Should You be Using Them?

A product demo video is an easy, effective way to create video content for your brand that can help to generate some buzz around your products and increase sales.

A demo video is a type of marketing video that showcases a new or existing product that you want to promote by demonstrating its key features and how it works. A lot of TV adverts for products feature a short demo of some kind, but a demo video is a more in-depth exploration of your product and what makes it great.

If you’re not already using demo videos as part of your marketing strategy, you should be. Demo videos put your product in the spotlight and illustrate how it works. This increases the likelihood that customers will make a purchase because they can easily see how they would use it and how it would benefit them.

Sometimes it can be difficult to communicate the value of your product through words alone, and demo videos are great for people who have trouble visualising how your product works. Even if you can explain the key features of your product succinctly, there’s no real substitute for seeing it in action.

While product demos are useful for attracting new customers, they can also be a great way to get the attention of potential investors because they get to see the real value of your product, not just the marketing spiel.  

One final point as to why product demos are so good – they’re easy to make! You already have the star of your video (the product) and all you have to do is decide on the situation that best displays its quality and put it to work.

Even though product videos are often easier to create than other types of video content, they still need to be thoroughly planned or you’ll be wasting time and money. This means you need to create a script and a shot list, as well as find the right location to shoot your video. Make sure you know who your target audience is and design the script to appeal to them.

You will also need to source all the necessary camera and sound equipment or hire a professional videographer who will provide their own. Remember that amateur mobile phone footage won’t create a professional or particularly enticing demo video.

Your video should start by introducing and briefly explaining the product. Product demos are an opportunity to show and tell, so make sure you illustrate your talking points visually.

Next, you should address your audience’s pain points and demonstrate how your product can be a solution to those problems. Show how the product works in these scenarios, but don’t feel the need to go into excessive detail about every feature. If your product does have a lot of features that are distinct from one another, then consider turning your video into a video series, with a brief video for each feature.

Make sure to end your video with a clear call to action (CTA) so that the audience can immediately take the next step, whether that is buying the product or making an enquiry. There may be additional points within the video where you can include the CTA, but make sure it appears at the end as well to maximise conversions.

Where you distribute your video will depend on your target audience and where they are most likely to come across your content. Your website and social media channels are a great place to start, but you could consider also uploading it to video streaming sites like YouTube or Vimeo, where you are likely to get views from people looking for solutions that your product can provide, rather than seeking out your product specifically.

Demo videos are a great addition to your marketing arsenal and can also be one of the easier and cheaper types of video content to create. As with all your brand videos, you need to keep your target audience in mind and address their pain points, but demo videos really do let your product do the talking.

If you are looking to create a demo video for your product, you can get in touch with our team to find out how we can help.