Video has become a non-negotiable part of any successful marketing strategy. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube have fundamentally changed how people consume content, and businesses have been quick to adapt. From short-form social clips to in-depth product demos, video content drives engagement, builds brand awareness, and, most importantly, generates leads.
But creating a promo video is only the first step. Simply uploading it to your website and hoping for the best won’t deliver the results you’re looking for. To turn your video into a powerful lead-generation tool, you need a strategic approach that guides viewers from initial interest to taking action. Without a clear plan, even the most beautifully produced video can fall flat, leaving you with missed opportunities and a low return on investment.
This guide will walk you through the essential steps to transform your promo video into a consistent source of qualified leads. We’ll cover everything from optimizing your video for conversion and adding effective calls to action to leveraging landing pages and promoting your content across multiple channels. By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap for creating and distributing promo videos that not only capture attention but also drive measurable business growth.
What is a Lead Generation Video?
A lead generation video is a piece of content specifically designed to capture a prospect’s contact information, such as their name, email address, or phone number. The goal is to move a potential customer from being a passive viewer to an active lead in your sales funnel.
These videos accomplish this by offering something of value in exchange for the viewer’s details. This “value exchange” could be access to exclusive content, a free trial, a downloadable resource, or a consultation. Unlike a simple brand awareness video, a lead generation video has a clear and direct call to action that prompts the viewer to take the next step.
Why Use Video for Lead Generation?
Video is an incredibly effective medium for lead generation for several reasons. It’s engaging, easy to digest, and allows you to convey complex information in a short amount of time. Here’s why video stands out:
- Higher Engagement: Video content is more dynamic and captivating than text or static images. According to Wyzowl, people are twice as likely to share video content with their friends than any other type of content. This increased engagement means viewers are more likely to watch until the end and follow your call to action.
- Builds Trust and Connection: Video allows you to show the human side of your brand. Seeing and hearing from real people—whether they’re founders, employees, or satisfied customers—helps build an emotional connection and establishes trust far more effectively than text alone.
- Improved Information Retention: Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text. This means your key value propositions and calls to action are more likely to stick with your audience.
- Boosts Conversion Rates: Including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. When viewers understand your product or service better, they are more confident in their decision to provide their contact information.
How to Create a Promo Video That Converts
Before you can think about distribution, you need a video that’s built to convert. A successful lead generation video from DMP has several key components that work together to guide the viewer toward your desired action.
Craft a Compelling Story
Every great video starts with a story. Your promo video should follow a clear narrative arc that resonates with your target audience. A popular and effective framework is the Problem-Solution model:
- Introduce the Problem: Start by highlighting a pain point that your target audience experiences. This immediately grabs their attention and makes the content feel relevant to them.
- Present Your Solution: Once you’ve established the problem, introduce your product or service as the solution. Explain how it works and what makes it unique.
- Show the Transformation: Don’t just tell viewers what you do—show them the result. Use visuals, testimonials, or case studies to demonstrate the positive outcome or transformation your customers experience.
Keep it Short and Focused
Attention spans are short. For top-of-funnel promo videos, aim for a length between 60 and 90 seconds. This is long enough to tell a compelling story and present your value proposition without losing the viewer’s interest. Get straight to the point and ensure every second of your video serves a purpose. If you need to convey more detailed information, consider creating a longer video for viewers who are further down the sales funnel.
Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)
This is the most critical element of a lead generation video. Your call to action tells the viewer exactly what you want them to do next. Your CTA should be:
- Specific: Don’t just say “Learn More.” Instead, use action-oriented language like “Download Your Free Guide” or “Start Your Free Trial.”
- Visually Prominent: Display your CTA as on-screen text, an animated graphic, or a clickable button within the video player.
- Strategically Timed: You can place your CTA at the beginning (pre-roll), middle (mid-roll), or end (post-roll) of your video. A post-roll CTA is the most common, but a mid-roll CTA can be effective for capturing leads before viewers drop off.
Use High-Quality Production
Your video is a reflection of your brand. Poor audio, shaky footage, or bad lighting can make your business appear unprofessional and untrustworthy. Invest in good-quality production to ensure your video looks and sounds polished. This doesn’t mean you need a Hollywood-level budget; a modern smartphone, a decent microphone, and good lighting can go a long way.
Turning Views into Leads: The Strategic Approach
Once you have a high-converting video, the next step is to place it where it can effectively capture leads.
Gated Content and Email Forms
The most direct way to generate leads with your video is to “gate” it. This means requiring viewers to provide their contact information before they can watch. This is typically done using an email capture form.
This method works best when the video offers significant value, such as an in-depth webinar, an exclusive tutorial, or a detailed case study. Viewers are more willing to exchange their information if they believe the content on the other side is worth it.
Tools like Wistia, Vidyard, and HubSpot allow you to easily embed email capture forms directly within your video player. You can set the form to appear at the beginning, middle, or end of your video. For example, you could show the first 30 seconds as a teaser and then prompt the viewer to enter their email to continue watching.
Video Landing Pages
A dedicated landing page for your promo video is one of the most effective ways to drive conversions. A landing page eliminates distractions and focuses the visitor’s attention on a single goal: taking action.
Your video landing page should include:
- A Compelling Headline: The headline should grab attention and align with the message of your video.
- The Promo Video: Place your video front and center, above the fold.
- A Lead Capture Form: The form should be simple and easy to fill out. Only ask for the essential information you need.
- Supporting Copy: Use concise text to reinforce the video’s message and highlight key benefits.
- A Strong Call to Action: The CTA button should be visually distinct and use action-oriented text.
By directing all your promotional traffic to this single page, you create a focused and optimized experience designed to convert viewers into leads.
Interactive Video Elements
Modern video players offer features that can make your content more engaging and effective for lead generation. Consider using:
- In-Video CTAs: Add clickable buttons or links directly into your video that take viewers to your landing page or a sign-up form.
- Annotation Links: Use annotations to link to other relevant content, such as blog posts or product pages, to provide more value and keep viewers engaged with your brand.
- Chapters: For longer videos, use chapters to help viewers navigate to the sections that are most relevant to them. This improves the user experience and can increase the likelihood that they’ll reach your call to action.
Promoting Your Video to Generate Leads
Creating a great video and setting up a landing page is only half the battle. To generate a steady stream of leads, you need to actively promote your content.
Email Marketing
Your existing email list is a great place to start. Send a dedicated email campaign to your subscribers announcing your new video. Use an engaging subject line and include a thumbnail of the video that links directly to your landing page. Since these subscribers are already familiar with your brand, they are often a high-converting audience.
Social Media
Share your promo video across all your relevant social media channels. Here are a few platform-specific tips:
- LinkedIn: Ideal for B2B audiences. Share your video in a post and explain how it can help solve common business challenges.
- Facebook and Instagram: Use short, attention-grabbing clips from your main video to create teasers. Run paid ad campaigns to target specific demographics and interests, directing traffic to your video landing page.
- YouTube: As the second-largest search engine, YouTube is a powerful platform for lead generation. Optimize your video title, description, and tags with relevant keywords. Use YouTube’s end screens and cards to add clickable CTAs that link to your landing page.
Paid Advertising
Paid ads can significantly amplify the reach of your promo video. Consider running campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads. Target users based on their interests, demographics, and online behavior to ensure your video is seen by a relevant audience. A/B test different ad copy, headlines, and video thumbnails to optimize your campaigns for the lowest cost per lead.
Build Your Lead Generation Engine
A well-executed promo video is more than just a piece of marketing content; it’s a powerful engine for lead generation. By focusing on a compelling story, including a clear call to action, and creating a seamless path to conversion, you can turn passive viewers into qualified leads for your business.
Start by identifying a key problem your audience faces and craft a video that presents your solution in an engaging way. Pair that video with a dedicated landing page and promote it across the channels where your audience spends their time. With a strategic approach, your next promo video can become one of the most valuable assets in your marketing toolkit.
